ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Congrats to former Challenge Cup star Keegan Bradley on being named 2011
PGA
Tour Rookie of the Year.
Dream Weekend
Deutsche Bank Americas CEO Seth Waugh presented University of Virginia
bound
Nick McLaughlin with the prestigious John D. Mineck Award at the
6th annual
John D. Mineck DBC Junior Cup at Boston Golf Club. Team New
England won the
annual competition, but 40 junior golfers and their
families were the true winners.
Dynamic Duo
Jacquleyn
Eleey (left) and Isabel Southard (right) were back at it at the 6th
annual
John D. Mineck DBC Junior Cup. The duo helped lead Team New England
to a resounding 63-17 victory over Team USA. The competition which is run in
conjunction with the Deutsche Bank Championship has become the highlight of
the junior golf calendar.
Major Moment
Former
Challenge Cup star and University of St. John's great, Keegan Bradley,
became the first
player from Challenge Cup Nation to win a major.
Bradley roared back from a 5-stroke deficit
late in the final round to
force a play-off and win the 93rd PGA Championship.
Keene Performance
Keene, New
Hampshire's Chelso Barrett captivated Challenge Cup Nation with
a run to
the finals of junior golf's most prestigious championship, the US Junior
Amateur. By virtue of his runner-up finish Barrett overtook fellow
Granite State
ace Nick Pandelena for the top spot in the Spinal
Technology Player of the Year.
Record Setter
Atkinson, New
Hampshire's Nicholas Pandelena fired a record breaking 8-under par 64 to
win the
weather-shortened World Series of Junior Golf. The 64, which included nine birdies,
eight pars
and a bogey bettered Evan Harmeling's opening round record of
65 and is the lowest single round
recorded in relation to par in the
Challenge Cup's 28-year history.
Core
Excellence
Isabel Southard, who has spent the last two school years at the Core
Golf Academy (in Orlando, Fla.),
made a triumphant return to Challenge
Cup competition by posting a 2-stroke victory at the Francis
Ouimet
Junior Stroke Play Championship.
En Fuego
A field of 80
junior golfers (in the Boys 15-18 Division) will attempt to stop the
white
hot Chelso Barrett at this week's Spinal Technology Junior Classic
in Wells, Maine. Barrett
has claimed top honors in three of the four
Challenge Cup events he has entered this spring.
Saddened Nation
Challenge Cup
alum and Long Island University sophomore Ryan Lee lost his life
after
being struck by a cab in New York City on Sunday night. Lee, who was
a
star two sport athlete at Berlin HS (Connecticut), was a fixture at the
Stan
Trojanowski Northern Junior. He will be dearly missed and forever
remembered by Challenge Cup Nation.
It's a Big Situation
Thayer Academy
dethroned 4-time defending champion Barrington HS at the 29th annual
Challenge Cup Championship.
Seniors Jack Bandera and Luke Ferrari closed
with final rounds of 76 and 77 to lead the Tigers to their first ever
Challenge Cup Championship.
She's Back
After a one
year hiatus from Challenge Cup competition, 2008 Player of Year,
Juliet Vongphoumy played brilliant golf in capturing the third Junior Match
Play
title of her career. The University of Maryland signee, posted
impressive victories
over Megan Khang (in the Final 4) and Nicole Scola
(in the Finals) en route to her
record 16th Challenge Cup crown.
Norton HS
Rallies for Win at the McCampbell Cup
Joe DiLorenzo and Liz LaVerghetta swept four points in the final match
of
the day to lead the Norton HS Lancers to a narrow victory over North
Kingstown HS
and LaSalle Academy at the 2nd annual McCampbell Cup.
Match Play Madness
Patrick Welch
(pictured left) defeated Dylan Lortie (right) 2 & 1 to capture the first
title of the 2011
Challenge Cup season in the Boys 12 & Under Division
at the Junior Match Play Championship.
Doral
Dominance
Two-time Challenge
Cup Player of the Year, Megan Khang, continued herdominance
at the
Doral Publix Junior Classic. Khang fired rounds of 71-71 for a 2-under
par total
and a 6-stroke victory in the Girls 12-13 Division. The
victory is the second for Khang
in the past three years. Also posting
impressive finishes at this year's event were hoopsters,
John Jackopsic
(T6) in the Boys 16-18 Division, and Danny Guise (T13) in the Boys 14-15
Division.
Nation
Elation
Former Challenge Cup
stars Jim Renner (pictured above) & James Driscoll secured 2011 PGA Tour
cards at the dreaded PGA Tour Q-School. Driscoll posted an 11-under par
total to finish in a tie for 16th,
while Renner was 1-stroke back at
10-under par (joint 22nd). The top 25 players secured PGA Tour
privileges for the 2011 season. Renner & Driscoll will be joined by
another Cup ace, Keegan Bradley.
Bradley earned his card by
finishing 14th on the Nationwide Tour money list.
My oh Mai
Andy Mai
(pictured above) capped off an outstanding season by capturing the
Orange Bowl Sectional
Qualifier en route to Spinal Technology Player of
the Year honors. His two nearest rivals (Jamison Randall
and John Jackopsic) made him work for the prestigious honor as the trio all had
their chances in the final event
Team McCampbell Rolls
Team
McCampbell, captained by "the Big Situation" Steve DeSantis rolled to a
49 to 31
victory over Team Gately at the
Presidents Cup. Team McCampbell was led
by the dynamic duo of Steven Dilsio (72) and Will Dickson (74).
The
terrific two were the only team to sweep all five points. Not to be
outdone, Matt Montt and Chris Gentle
chipped in with 74's, while Vinh-Hoa Ngo (75) and Kelly Whaley (76) led the girls charge.
Fall Finish
Challenge Cup
Player of the Year leader, Jamison Randall (pictured above with teaching
guru
Jeff Dantas) holds a slim lead over Andy Mai entering the Challenge Cup's
version of the
"Fall Finish". By virtue of victories at the Spinal Tech Match Play Championship
and the
Northeast Junior Classic John Jackopsic has joined the fray in the race for
the top spot.
State Street Stars
For the 2nd
consecutive year a contingent of Challenge Cup players representing
State Street
captured the Deutsche Bank Championship Pro-Am title.
The team of Megan Khang, Juliet
Vongphoumy, Will Dickson, Ben Balter and
PGA Tour star Anthony Kim fired a sizzling
18-under par total en route
to top honors.
Ready to Rumble
A large contingent of Challenge Cup Nation will be trading shots at
golf's most prestigious
championships this week, the USGA Boys & Girls
Junior Amateur Championships. Dan Slavin,
Damon Salo, Chris Houston and
Noah Walker pose for a picture before playing
at practice round at Egypt
Valley CC in Ada, Michigan.
Worldly
Winners
Kuriko
Tsukiyama, Jamison Randall, Patrick Oleksak and Steven Dilisio played
championship caliber golf in capturing their age divisions at the
Challenge
Cup's most prestigious championship, the World Series of
Junior Golf.
S-peck-tacular
Despite a double bogey on the 17th hole, Taylor Peck fired a 4-under par
68 to take the
first round lead in the World Series of Junior Golf at Triggs Memorial GC. Peck, who
will be attending Princeton this
fall, carded 6 birdies en route to a 2-shot lead
over a trio of golfers,
including Challenge Cup Player of the Year leader Jamison Randall.
Frankly
Fabulous
In a duel of
two-time Amateur Invitational champions, Frank Vana Jr. (pictured above)
drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the second to last hole of regulation
to overcome
Brian Higgins for his third Am Invitational title. Higgins
and former Challenge Cup
Player of the Year Jim Renner are the only
other multiple winners of this event,
winning it on two occasions.
Traveling Man
After battling a foot injury and losing his father in 2009, Brad
Adamonis' luck may be ready to change.
The former Challenge Cup
Player of the Year has earned two sponsors exemptions on the PGA Tour
over
the next three weeks. First stop the Travelers' Championship,
a tournament Adamonis finished
T6 at in 2008.
Cardiac Kid
Former
two-time Challenge Cup Player of the Year, Jon Curran, survived another
sudden-death play-off to earn a spot in the US Open at Pebble Beach.
Orange Crush
Team Augusta (pictured above) rallied from a 12-stroke deficit to
capture the 18th annual New England
Junior Ryder Cup. Andrew Gai
led Team Augusta, firing a 2-under par 69 to earn individual medalist
honors. Ross Robertson making his first Ryder Cup appearance captained
the Orangemen to victory.
Gatorized
In a
performance that the late Barry Gately would have been proud of, fellow
Barrington native,
Jared Adams dispatched Newton's Chad Stumpo 2 & 1 in
a thrilling "Elite 8" showdown at Rhode Island CC.
SAD DAY
Challenge Cup
Nation has lost another of its founding fathers, as Challenge Cup
president Barry Gately (pictured above with Brent Wanner) passed away
this morning after a long illness.
Gately, who has dedicated his life to
generations of junior golfers,
will be greatly missed.
SADDENED NATION
After a one
and half year battle with brain cancer, Challenge Cup
Tournament
Director Mike Mc Campbell has sadly passed away.
MGA Honorees
2009 Challenge Cup Player of the Year, Cameron Wilson, and USGA
Executive Director
David Fay received the Metropolitan Golf
Association's most prestigious awardsat their
recent annual meeting.
The highlights of the meeting were the presentations
of the Association’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award to
Mr. Fay and the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award to
Cameron.
Challenge Cup Nation in Mourning
Challenge Cup
founder Dave Adamonis Sr., who has battled four cancers and
lymphoma the
past four and a half years has passed away.
State Street Superstars
L to R -
Steven Dilisio, Megan Khang, Camilo Villegas, Isabel Southard and
Cameron Wilson fired 21-under par to win top honors at the Deutsche
Bank
Championship Pro-Am. The "Dream Day" was provided to the Challenge
Cup's
"Fab 4" by the folks at State Street Corp. The Pro-Am teed
off the festivities at
the John D. Mineck DBC Junior Cup.
Grand Finale
New Mexico
bound, Ryan Gay, closed out his junior golf career in grand fashion by
claiming the top spot at the World Series of Junior Golf. Gay
carded a birdie
on the final hole of regulation to edge Chris Houston
and Evan Russell by 1-stroke.
Not to be outdone Houston (Boys 14-15),
Jake Shuman (Boys 13 & Under)
and Megan Khang (Girls) hoisted the
hardware in their respective divisions.
Gately's Day
Challenge
Cup President Barry Gately and divisional winners Andrew McGill, John
Beadle, Kevin Velardo and Ali Prazak sport their hardware at the 4th
annual Gately Cup.
Elite Eight
Reigning
Challenge Cup Player of the Year Cameron Wilson advanced to
the
quarter-finals of the US Junior at Trump National GC. The trip
to
quarters,
marked the first time a player had advanced that deep into the draw
since Jon Curran made it to the
semi-finals in 2004.
Dustin Them
Dustin Cone
fired rounds of 65-69 for a 10-under par 134 total, en route to his
second consecutive Providence Open title. Cone held off a late
charge by
Jim Renner, who fired a final round 64 and former PGA Tour
member
Bobby Gage. Renner and Gage finished two strokes back at
8-under par.
Hogan's Heroes
Team Hogan,
fired a tournament record 219 over the inward nine holes, en route to the 2009 New England
Junior Ryder Cup title. Ryan Gay led the
charge by firing a 2-under par 69 to earn individual medalist honors.
Ian Thimble led the back nine charge, matching Gay with an even par 35.
The trio of Chris Melvin, Will Boyle
and Andrew McGill chipped in with
2-over par 37's, while Ricky Stimets sealed the deal with a 38.
Team Captain,
Dave Adamonis Jr. ended an 18-year drought by hoisting the
hardware for the first time in his Ryder Cup career.
2009
TPC Champions
Herbie Aiken (pictured center) held off a host of competitors en route
to claiming
top honors at the 2009 Tournament Players' Championship.
3-time RIGA State
Amateur champion, Mike Soucy, captured the Legends
Division by 1-srtoke, while
reigning New England Junior champion Evan
Russell took home the hardware
in the Junior Division.
Dominators
Led by
tournament medalist, Eddie Hjerpe, the Barrington HS Eagles coasted
to a
23-stroke victory at the 27th annual Challenge Cup Championship.
Joining Hjerpe and the Eagles in the winner's circle were Mia
Landegren
(Girls Division) and Sasha Wortelboer (Middle School Division).
Hoya Paranoia
BC High's Brad
Cadigan (right) has committed to join the Georgetown
University men's
golf team this fall. Teammate Ian Thimble (in the background)
committed to Monmouth College earlier this year. The duo head an
impressive
list of 2009 graduates, who will be taking their games to the
collegiate level.
YELLOW JACKET BOUND
Former
Challenge Cup star Richy Weresnki has verbally committed
to join the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fall of 2010.
For Pete's Sake
Hendricken
HS graduate Peter Taylor closed out his junior golf career in grand
fashion by
capturing the prestigious World Series of Junior Golf at Triggs GC. Taylor, who entered
the back nine of the 36-hole event
3-strokes behind first round leader Nick Clarke opened,
the back nine
birdie, birdie, par, eagle, birdie to pull away from a top notch field.
Other
champions included Bryce Schroeder (Girls Open), Peter French
(Boys 14-15), and
Chelso Barrett (Boys 13 & Under).
Maine Drain
Pittston, Maine's Ryan Gay captured the Maine Amateur
earlier this month.
By virtue of his impressive performance Gay is
the current leader in the
Spinal Technology Challenge Cup Player of the
Year race.
Picture
Perfect
Franklin CC's
Brian Higgins was a model of perfection en route to his second Amateur
Invitational title. Higgins played bogey-free golf over the 36 hole
competition
finishing 2-strokes ahead of Michael Pyne at 4-under par.
Super Saturday
Team Carbone
(pictured above) and a field of 27 junior golfers traded shots
with PGA Tour players Brad Adamonis and PH Horgan, as well as a host of
local pros
at the Spinal Technology Pro Junior Classic. Team Carbone played brilliantly in capturing
the inaugural competition,
firing an impressive 7-under par total. The trio of Will Dickson,
Steven Dilisio and Thomas Henderson were captained by former 2-time
Challenge Cup Player of
the Year Michael Carbone.
Red
Alert
Dani Mullin
(center) pulled away from house guest Lindsey Thomka (right) and
11-year
old Cindy Ha to capture the Girls Division in the inaugural Northeast
Junior Classic at Bethpage State Park (Red Course).
Seeing Red
Cameron Wilson
(center) captured the inaugural Northeast Junior Classic at Bethpage State
Park (Red Course). Wilson
carded rounds of 67-70 for a 3-under par 36-hole total in besting Peter
Williamson (left) and Kevin Josephson by 6-strokes
Threeforall
Devin Bibeau,
Zach Bennardo and Alistair Catto captured titles at the
20th annual
Tournament Players' Championship.
Barrington Sweeps Vacation Week
A day after
coasting to victory at the Challenge Cup Championship, Barrington
HS had
to rally late to win the inaugural Adamonis Cup at New England CC.
Fitting End
2007 Spinal
Technology Challenge Cup Player of the Year Cameron Wilson
closed out
his season in style, posting a 9th place finish at the prestigious
Doral
Publix Junior Golf Classic. Wilson, who edged Ryan Gay for Player
of the Year honors, was a model of consistency firing rounds of 75-73-73
to post a 7-over par total.
Winning Team?
Team Captain
Steve Feinstein & Yale signee Jeff Hatten discuss strategy at the
2007 Challenge Cup Matches. Team Florida defeated Team New England 20 1/2
to 15 1/2.
PGA Tour Bound
Former
Challenge Cup Player of the Year and 2007 Nationwide Tour winner,
Brad
Adamonis, earned his PGA Tour Card for the 2008 season at the PGA
Qualifying School. Adamonis carded rounds of 72-68-70-68-67-69 for a
18-under par 414 total.
My Oh Mai
Suffield,
Connecticut's Andy Mai was one of five champions crowned
at the
rain-shortened Challenge Cup Invitational.
En Fuego
Norwich, Vermont's Nick Celestino
captured consecutive titles at the
Computer Merchant Cup and the Challenge Cup Tournament of Champions.
Nationwide Is On Your Side
Former Challenge Cup
Player of the Year Brad Adamonis notched his first
Nationwide Tour
victory in a dramatic 8-hole play-off at the WNB Golf Classic.
Adamonis finished regulation in a 4-way tie for first place at 10-under
par.
Eight gut wrenching holes later, Adamonis made a routine par
to outlast
Tjaart van der Walt.
Kid Clutch
With his match
all square, Jay Burlison delivered at the 18th hole by sticking his
approach shot to three feet. His conceded birdie earned the Blue
Team a much
needed 3 points. After the the opening round of play the
Blue and White teams
have battled to an 18-18 standoff at the DBC Junior
Challenge Cup.
Farewell
Tournament
Former
Challenge Cup Player of the Year, Brent Wanner, will be making his final
appearance
as the Challenge Cup's Director of Tournament Operations at
the World Series of Junior Golf.
Wanner, who will be attending the
"Nicholas School" at Duke University this fall will be
sorely missed.
Best of luck Brent!
Record Breaker
Former PGA Tour star Geoffrey Sisk
captured the Providence Open in wire
to wire
fashion, carding rounds of
63-70 to post a 36-hole tournament
record 11-under
par total. Johnson &
Wales sophomore Jess Houston earned
low amateur honors by
carding rounds of 70-67, finishing in a tie for third overall.
Summer Sizzler
Frank Vana Jr. (pictured above), fired a final round of 2-under par 69 to
edge Jim Ruschioni for top honors in the Amateur Invitational at New
England
Country Club.
Northeast Bound
Garrett Medeiros (left) and 2006 Challenge Cup Player of the Year
Cody Paladino
(right) will be among 10 former and current Challenge Cup
players participating
in the prestigious Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett CC
(June 20-23).
California Dreaming
Callaway Junior World Play-Off Participants Ben Balter & Clancy Waugh
Challenge Cup Loses a Friend
John Mineck (pictured right), the co founder and president of the highly
acclaimed Boston Golf Club, has passed away.
On behalf of the
Challenge Cup and its membership, our thoughts and prayers are with
John's family & friends.
2007 Challenge Cup Championship Champions
Samantha Morrell & Ben Conway
2007 Junior Match Play Champions
L to R- Ian Thimble (Boys 15-18 Division) & Nick Torrance (Boys 14 &
Under)
2007 New England
Junior Ryder Cup Champions
L to R - Chase Lovett Woodsum, James Pleat, Keith Kwasnik, Chuck Sullivan,
Bobby Fox,
Ben Conway, Eddie Hjerpe, Devin Komline, Andrew Gildea & Captain Brent
Wanner
2007 Junior Match Play
Champion - Juliet Vongphoumy
2007 Junior Match Play -
"Sweet 16" Site
Newport Country Club
2007 Junior Match Play -
Elite 8 Competitor
Taylor Bowen
2007 Junior Match Play
"Final 4" - 14 & Under Division
Nick McLaughlin, Joe Harney, Ben Balter & Nick Torrance
History Makers
2006 Team New England Captures the 17th Annual Challenge Cup Matches at the
Doral Golf Resort & Spa
L to R Back Row - Steve Feinstein, Jeff Hatten, Camrin James, Patrick
Wasserman, Adam Lewicki, Brandon Parker, Cody Paladino & Dave Adamonis
L to R Front Row - Nick Urso, James Pleat, Kyle Badger, Cameron Wilson,
Manny Tulumaris & Tony Grillo
Lefty Leads New England
Cameron Wilson fired a 2-under par 70, to lead Team
New England to a 22-14 victory over Team Florida, in the
Challenge Cup Matches at the famed Doral "Blue Monster".
"Northeast Bound"
2006 Spinal Technology Challenge Cup Player of the Year
Cody Paladino
"Terrific Trio"
2006 Challenge Invitational Champion Kyle Badger w/ Cody Paladino & Camrin
James
2006 Parent Child
Champions -
Dana & Steven Dilisio
2006 DBC Junior Challenge
Cup
Dave Adamonis w/ BGC President John Mineck
2006 World Series of
Junior Golf champion Tracy Martin and runner-up Samantha Morrell
joined forces at the 2006 DBC Junior Challenge Cup. Their caddy (yes their
caddy looks on).
"Battling the Elements"
Ben Conway & Matt Sebet discuss strategy
at the
2006 DBC Junior Challenge Cup as rival captain Steve Feinstein looks on.
Matt Broome swings Into action at the DBC Junior Challenge Cup,
as Evan Harmeling, Tony Grillo, Brent Wanner & Cody Paladino look on.
2006 Providence Open Champion Jeff Dantas
w/ Low Amateur Kevin Velardo
