Connecticut takes Tri-State title, snaps 14-year Mass streak

17 Oct 2018
by Massachusetts Golf Association
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Team Connecticut (David Colt photo)

OSTERVILLE, Mass. (Oct. 17, 2018) – Connecticut needed a strong day on Wednesday to break out of a three-way tie after two rounds at the 85th Tri-State Matches held at Oyster Harbors Club. As it turned out, the team collected 55 points in Wednesday’s singles matches to defeat their opponents from Rhode Island and host Massachusetts and claim a record 40th Tri-State matches tournament title. With its victory, Connecticut snapped the Bay State’s 14-year winning streak that dated back to 2004. The victory marked Connecticut first win since 2003.

After tallying a combined 48 points in two rounds of foursome match play on Tuesday, including an afternoon-best 26-point effort, the Connecticut squad saw Mike Kennedy record a team-best 5 ½ points in the Nassau-style scoring format on Wednesday, while Patrick Griffin, James Sheltman and John Abbott each added five points apiece in the team’s total to edge host Massachusetts by one point, 103 to 102. Rhode Island, with 35 points Wednesday and 83 total points for their three-round total, placed third.

For the Bay State, 2018 Massachusetts Amateur Championship runner-up Herbie Aikens and Sean Fitzpatrick tallied six points apiece in their mid-amateur matches, while Boxford resident and the all-time winningest player in state history, Frank Vana, Jr., also collected six points in his senior amateur match. Six points were the most points scored by any competitor in Wednesday’s round and no competitor from either Connecticut or Rhode Island was able to collect that maximum point total.

Both Jason Cook and Steve Tasho added 5 ½ points each in the Bay State effort, while Nick Maccario recorded 4 ½ points in his match with Connecticut’s Rob Neaton (4 ½) and Rhode Island’s Glenn Dufault (0).

Prior to its win Wednesday, the last time Connecticut won the Tri-State Matches Tournament was in 2003, when the tournament was hosted by Massachusetts at The Kittansett Club in Marion. That year marked the fifth victory in a six-year span for Connecticut.

Next year’s Tri-State matches will be held in Rhode Island.

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ABOUT THE

The history of the Tri-State Matches dates back to 1907 when the team from Massachusetts was victorious at the Agawam Hunt Club in Providence, Rhode Island.

Since that time, teams from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut have come together each fall to compete for the regional title. Individual amateur golfers are selected each year by the respective state golf associations.