Brian Higgins

HYANNISPORT, Mass. – One of the hardest things to do in any sport is successfully defend a title that you have won. If you can do it, you send the message that the first time was no fluke.

After Sunday's scintillating finals in the Championship Flight of the 62nd Seagulls Fourball Championship at the unspoiled seaside Hyannisport Club layout, the team of Oyster Harbors' Whitney Trimble and Brian Higgins of Franklin CC made it two straight Seagulls titles, edging the team of Dennis Pines' Jim Horvath and Carter Fasick (Indian Meadows) in the finals, 1-up.

The victory ended two weekends of stellar golf played in the usual wind and cold with some rain thrown in for good measure to start the third day of competition.

It also signifies the start of the competitive golf season in New England and if the Seagulls is an indicator of things to come, we're in for some interesting competition this year.

For the teams that make it to the semifinals and finals, it is a survival contest as the winners in each of the seven flights in the competition must play two rounds on the final day to earn their hardware. By the time the final putt of each flight's final is sunk, there is not much left in anyone's tank, both physically and mentally.