Of Fathers and Sons

HANOVER – The annual Tommy Keane Invitational golf tournament means a lot of things to a lot of people and it’s no different for Hanover High School golf coach John Donnelly.

“It’s the reason I live down here and teach down here,” said Donnelly.

Like a surprising number of the 112 players who will tee off in the annual four-ball event Friday at Hanover Country Club, Donnelly TKI has a pretty good father-son story. It started back when his dad, also named John, teamed up with Art Bemis to take the third TKI in 1977. The pair won it again in 1980.

“We were from Essex Junction, up in the Burlington area,” explained Donnelly, a math teacher at Hanove, “and Bill Purcell, who pretty much started the tournament, was a good friend of my dad and my grandfather. He invited my dad to play, and he played in the first 20 of them or so.

“I came down and caddied for my dad. I caddied for him in a lot of tournaments, but this one will always be special because it’s how I came to know this area. So I’ll always have a warm place in my heart for the Tommy Keane.”

Teammates Jim and Andrew Jankowski have a TKI father-son story of their own.

“This will be our third year playing together, but what is sort of neat is that Andrew has been coming to the tournament since he was something like six months old,” Jim said. “Every summer it was an annual family event. When he was 8-9-10 years old he would caddie, ride around in the cart with us. So he’s been involved in it since he was a wee little lad.”

Asked who was more eagerly counting off the years until Andrew reached 18, the age required to play in the tournament, Jankowski père laughed. “That’s a good question. I think both of us.”

Andrew, a member of the Dartmouth golf team, concurred. “I grew up watching him every year,” he said. “I don't remember a summer without it. When I finally turned 18 he asked me to play with him and I jumped at that chance. It's just such a fun tournament to play. There are so many great players and to play with him makes it even better.”

Shane MacDonald teamed with Andy Hydorn to share the 2002 Tommy Keane title with brothers Mike and Scott Peters. Last year MacDonald and Hydorn – who has flown in from Chicago and Houston to play in the tournament – won the championship outright. But this year promises to be memorable regardless of what happens because of yet another father-son story.

“Andy and I have been partners for maybe 15 years,” MacDonald said, “but the timing didn’t work out with everything he’s got going on this year. I told him if can’t come up here and relax and enjoy and have a good time without worrying about work, then just take a year off. It’s not a big deal.”

MacDonald didn’t have to look far for a replacement. Son Nick, who earlier this month won the New Hampshire Amateur, is home in Lebanon after graduating from the University of Hartford.

“It turned out that Nick wasn’t sure if he was going to play,” Shane said. “He hadn’t signed up with anybody. I asked him, ‘If Andy doesn’t come up do you want to play?’ “

While the Jankowskis have played in numerous father-son tournaments, Shane MacDonald can remember only one other time he teed it up (italics: with) with his son, a former college standout. He did play (italics: against) against him last year, pairing with Hydorn for a 5&4 win over Nick and Pat Pelletier, although Shane isn’t one to take the credit.

“I like to say it doesn’t matter if it’s Andy or Nick, I’m just going to sit in the cart watch and help out a few holes,” he joked. “Last year was such an anomaly. They were making birdies and we were making more birdies. I love watching Nick, play so I’ll get to see more of that.

“To win it with him this year would be unbelievable. I joke that if we ever won it I should let Nick and Andy Hydorn play together next year and see if they can win it. If I can win it with Andy, and I can win it with Nick, we’ll see if Nick and Andy can win it together and complete the circle.”

Although he’s been on board for just five years, head pro Alex Kirk has watched the circle start to close.

“You see a lot of fathers and sons out here,” he said. “The Williamsons (Dartmouth golfer Peter and father Doug won the ‘08 title), the Jankowskis. The MacDonalds. The Keenholds. The Keanes. The Browns.There are a lot of them. It’s pretty special.”

Just how special is it?

Former Dartmouth golfer Jeremiah Daly is flying in from London.

Just to play in the tournament his late father won three times.

DIVOTS There are 56 teams this year, up from 48 of the past few editions. … The two-man teams play an 18-hole qualifying round Friday to set up the flights. … Morning and afternoon matches take place Saturday with the championship matches Sunday afternoon. … Beyond the father-son theme, Kirk said the fact that this is a rare gross event sets it apart. … Scott and Mike Peters have won the event six times. ... Shane MacDonald and Andy Hydorn posted a 4&3 win over Jake Obar and Bill Vielleux (whose father is a TKI veteran) last year.