Posted: Sep 26, 2017
TEAM RESULTS - INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State's Kyle Fairbanks (Hopkinton, Mass.) won a three-man playoff to win the Westfield State - Brett Williamson Invitational Golf Tournament at Tekoa Country Club on Tuesday.
Fairbanks helped the Owls to claim the team title as well with a team score of 295 - the Owls' best ever - in outdistancing runner up Roger Williams University by 10 strokes in the 14 team tournament.
Fairbanks withstood the 90 degree heat in shooting a 1-over par 72 for the day on the 6,438 yard, par-71 layout, then outlasted teammate Matteo Godek (Agawam/Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Roger Williams University's Derek Devereaux, as Fairbanks won with a par on the fourth playoff hole, Tekoa's 18th. All three players parred the first playoff hole. Godek was eliminated with a bogey on the second playoff hole, and then on the fourth playoff hole, Fairbanks found the green on the 231-yard par-3 hole, while Devereaux's tee shot was just short and right of the green on the lip of a bunker.
Deveraux pitched the ball to about 15 feet. Fairbanks missed a 17-foot try for birdie, but Devereaux's par putt hopped off the face of the putter and rolled past the hole. When Devereaux missed the comeback putt for par, Fairbanks converted his short putt to seal the victory.
Fairbanks played steady golf all day, making just one bogey and 17 pars in his round. Godek came out of the gate firing, birdieing his second, third, and fourth holes of the day to rocket to three-under par through four holes, but gradually ceded that lead with a double-bogey on his final hole of the round to land in the playoff.
Devereaux made two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, and one birdie and one double, also on his final hole of the round to reach the playoff.
Westfield State got strong play from senior Mike Sarkis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) who went round in 75, and Ryan Koczela (Bridgewater, Mass.), who finished with a 76.
Westfield State's second entry in the tournament posted 321 to finish fifth, with Nick Eliopoulos (Lynnfield, Mass.) shooting 76, and Cam Stanton (Suffield/Somers, Conn.) posting 78 on the Owls' home course.
Before the tournament, Westfield State coach Rich Sutter announced to the 66-player field that the tournament was being renamed in the memory of former Westfield State golfer Brett Williamson '11, a Ludlow, Mass. native who was a member of the first Owls golf team when the program returned to varsity status at the University. Williamson passed away on July 14, 2017 - his 28th birthday - after a long battle with Cystic Fibrosis.
"Brett had unbelievable integrity, was fearless in the way he played the game, and played golf the right way," said Sutter of his former captain. He told the players "If you play golf the way Brett Williamson did, you're going to have a great day today, and a great life."
In a nod to Willamson, Fairbanks, a fellow left-hander on the course, claimed the inaugural tournament title and was recognized as the champion by Brett's parents Bill and Kathy, and sister Leah at the post-tournament awards ceremony.
WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State's Kyle Fairbanks (Hopkinton, Mass.) won a three-man playoff to win the Westfield State - Brett Williamson Invitational Golf Tournament at Tekoa Country Club on Tuesday.
Fairbanks helped the Owls to claim the team title as well with a team score of 295 - the Owls' best ever - in outdistancing runner up Roger Williams University by 10 strokes in the 14 team tournament.
Fairbanks withstood the 90 degree heat in shooting a 1-over par 72 for the day on the 6,438 yard, par-71 layout, then outlasted teammate Matteo Godek (Agawam/Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Roger Williams University's Derek Devereaux, as Fairbanks won with a par on the fourth playoff hole, Tekoa's 18th. All three players parred the first playoff hole. Godek was eliminated with a bogey on the second playoff hole, and then on the fourth playoff hole, Fairbanks found the green on the 231-yard par-3 hole, while Devereaux's tee shot was just short and right of the green on the lip of a bunker.
Deveraux pitched the ball to about 15 feet. Fairbanks missed a 17-foot try for birdie, but Devereaux's par putt hopped off the face of the putter and rolled past the hole. When Devereaux missed the comeback putt for par, Fairbanks converted his short putt to seal the victory.
Fairbanks played steady golf all day, making just one bogey and 17 pars in his round. Godek came out of the gate firing, birdieing his second, third, and fourth holes of the day to rocket to three-under par through four holes, but gradually ceded that lead with a double-bogey on his final hole of the round to land in the playoff.
Devereaux made two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, and one birdie and one double, also on his final hole of the round to reach the playoff.
Westfield State got strong play from senior Mike Sarkis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) who went round in 75, and Ryan Koczela (Bridgewater, Mass.), who finished with a 76.
Westfield State's second entry in the tournament posted 321 to finish fifth, with Nick Eliopoulos (Lynnfield, Mass.) shooting 76, and Cam Stanton (Suffield/Somers, Conn.) posting 78 on the Owls' home course.
Before the tournament, Westfield State coach Rich Sutter announced to the 66-player field that the tournament was being renamed in the memory of former Westfield State golfer Brett Williamson '11, a Ludlow, Mass. native who was a member of the first Owls golf team when the program returned to varsity status at the University. Williamson passed away on July 14, 2017 - his 28th birthday - after a long battle with Cystic Fibrosis.
"Brett had unbelievable integrity, was fearless in the way he played the game, and played golf the right way," said Sutter of his former captain. He told the players "If you play golf the way Brett Williamson did, you're going to have a great day today, and a great life."
In a nod to Willamson, Fairbanks, a fellow left-hander on the course, claimed the inaugural tournament title and was recognized as the champion by Brett's parents Bill and Kathy, and sister Leah at the post-tournament awards ceremony.