Brad Valois
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — Brad Valois found still
another new way to win a golf tournament on
Tuesday.
The four-time Rhode Island Amateur champion
took a wilder route than usual on the way to
successfully defending his title in the
Association’s Stroke Play Championship. The
lefty put
together rounds of 70-67 at Green Valley to
finish at 5-under 137 and edge Bobby Leopold
and Jake Bauer by one stroke.
Valois did not have his `A’ game. Rarely, if ever,
has he won a tournament when he has hit
two balls out of bounds on the same day. Never
has he won a championship on a day when
he made a double bogey and a triple bogey. Not
until Tuesday that is. The fact that he still
was able to add another crown to his already
lengthy list of championships made the day a
rewarding one.
He did not let his problems, and the big
challenge posed by Bauer and Leopold affect
him.
"I just tried to keep my head down and play my
game, not worry about anybody else,’’
Valois said.
His wild day was fitting since the event itself
was unusual. The first day, on Monday, was
rained out. That forced cutting the event to one-
day and 36 holes. But that was even
extended as a severe weather delay that
included rain and lightning, forced a stoppage in
play for just over an hour late in the afternoon.
Valois’ day was as wild as the weather. The
morning round was memorable, although not
all the memories will be positive. The defending
champion posted a 1-under 70 which
included an eagle, five birdies, a bogey, a
double and a triple. The triple bogey came on his
fifth hole and jumped him to 2-over. He had
three birdies and an eagle over the next eight
holes to get to 3-under, but then doubled the
par-4 seventh, his 16th hole of the round. His
70 left him two strokes behind.
Valois was steadier in the afternoon with five
birds and only one bogey for his 67, although
he said he was fortunate.
"On one of the same holes I hit it out of bounds
this morning, I hit the same shot. But this
time it hit a tree and stayed in,’’ he said. His
steady play at one time built his lead to four
strokes.
While he was running off pars late, Leopold and
Bauer made the finish interesting. Playing
several groups ahead of Valois, Bauer closed
fast. The lefty who just finished his freshman
year at Johnson & Wales in Miami was even for
the day before he nearly aced the par-3
12th. He then hit approaches on both 13 and 15
within three feet for easy birds and added
one more with a 12-footer on 16 to finish with a
67 for the round and 138 total.
Bauer, who was the only Rhode Islander to make
the cut in last week’s New England
Amateur in New Hampshire, was disappointed
only with what happened in the par-5 17th.
His birdie putt there hit the hole but spun out.
Leopold, playing in the same threesome with
Valois, looked out of it, but birdied 15, 16 and
17 in the second round to pull within one. His
20-footer for bird to get into a playoff on 18
missed by inches.
The scoreboard after the first round looked as if
it was straight out of the 1990s. The co-
leaders were Charlie Blanchard and Paul Quigley
at 3-under 68.
The 70-year-old Quigley was competing in the
Senior Division, playing from the forward
tees. Still, his performance was impressive. It
was the third time this summer and fifth
time over that Quigley has matched or bettered
his age.
It brought back memories for Quigley in this
event. He won it a record nine times from
1988 to 2000.
After Monday’s rainout, Tuesday was fine until
4:30. By then Bob Ward, the RIGA’s
executive director, had put on his meteorologist
hat. He abandoned the scoreboard and
instead went inside the clubhouse to monitor the
approaching storms.
"It’s coming,’’ he said as he studied the radar
map. "It doesn’t look as if we can miss
it.’’
As he was heading out about 4:40 to sound the
horn to call in the players, the first lightning
strike was seen in the distance. All the players
quickly came to the shelter of the
clubhouse. It all happened just as the first group
off the tee was finishing. That threesome
included a real meteorologist, Herb Stevens.
"We were in the 18th fairway and I saw this bolt
of lightning come down surrounded by
blue sky,’’ Stevens said. "I said, 'Fellas, we
better get the heck out of here.' ’’
They managed to finish as they came to the
clubhouse. Everyone was safely inside before
the rain began.
"I know it hasn’t started raining yet, but there is
lightning in the area. We want everyone to
be safe,’’ Ward told the players. Less than 10
minutes later, the rain began. About 40
minutes later, with the rain coming down
heavily. Ward made another announcement.
"We just spoke with Montaup (down Route 114
from Green Valley) and the sun already is
out there,’’ Ward said. He told the players that
Jim McKenna, the RIGA’s tournament
director, and Joe Oliveira, the Green Valley
superintendent, were headed out to inspect the
course and see if it was playable and that
another announcement would be made in about
10 minutes.
Ten minutes later, as promised, Ward gathered
the players again. By then the rain had
stopped and the skies were clearing.
"The 16th green has standing water. Jim
McKenna and the superintendent are clearing it
now,’’ Ward said. "We’re going to resume play at
5:45, 12 minutes from now. Be careful
driving golf carts. Help the superintendent out a
little.’’
All the commotion on Tuesday followed a
postponement on Monday, causing the event to
be
reduced to 36 holes for only the second time in
its 32-year history.
"It was an easy decision,’’ Ward said of calling
off play on the first day. "It rained as hard
as I’ve ever seen it rain for three straight
hours.’’
"The putting green was under water and it goes
downhill,’’ pointed out Gary Dorsi, the club
pro. "The driving range was under water.
Everything was under water.’’
The good news is that the rain stopped by 11
a.m. so the course had 20 hours to recover. It
was fine by the time the first shot was struck on
Tuesday.
View results for Rhode Island Stroke Play