Savel sets pace at rain-shortened Massachusetts Senior

25 Sep 2018
by Massachusetts Golf Association
see also: Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship, Salem Country Club
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Mark Savel (Mass Golf/Twitter photo)

WESTON, Mass. (Sept. 25, 2018) – In what turned out to be a rain-shortened first day of the 58th Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship at Pine Brook Country Club, Concord’s Mark Savel took the top spot on the leaderboard and holds a one-stroke lead after 18-holes in Weston. The 60-year old Savel matched three birdies with three bogeys to finish at even-par 70, one stroke ahead of both John McNeill and Don Foberg.

Play was suspended at 2:25 p.m. due to a non-dangerous situation because of the rain and as a result, this year’s Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship will be cut to one round. The resumption of Round 1 will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

Competing in his first-ever Senior Amateur Championship, the result of earning medalist honors at the championship qualifier held on Aug. 14 at nearby Sandy Burr Country Club, the Haven Country Club’s Savel opened up play by carding one bogey and one birdie to seven pars and made the turn at even-par 35. Starting on the 10th tee, Savel, a longtime competitor in both the Mass Golf Father & Son and Father & Daughter team tournaments, rebounded from his bogey on the par-3 13th with a helper on the par-4 17th hole.

After making the turn to Pine Brook’s front nine, Savel birdied the par-4 third hole and finished with his third and final birdie of the day on the par-5 ninth hole to finish atop the board amongst the 57 competitors in the morning wave of the first round – all of whom completed play before it was suspended at 2:25 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

The remaining 52 competitors who were in the middle of competition when play was suspended will return to their original positions beginning at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and the champion will be crowned based on the lowest scorer after 18 holes.

ABOUT THE Massachusetts Senior Amateur

Entries are open to amateur golfers who hold membership in an MGA member club, who have reached their 55th birthday by the first day of the tournament and have an up- to-date MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 8.0 or have completed their handicap certification as defined on the Entry Form. Competition will be 36 Holes at Stroke Play.