Hurricane Warning

HANOVER – It would be an exaggeration to say Mike Hathorn’s emotions will be as confused as a chameleon on John Daly's pants Sunday when his match in the morning round of the 36th annual Tommy Keane Invitational golf tournament is decided. But perhaps not as much of an exaggeration as you might think.

Hathorn, who coaches the Hartford High School golf team with his brother Roy, has advanced to the semifinals of the championship flight before, but he’s never made it to the afternoon, so playing for the title would be special. But standing in his way is Jake Obar, a precocious freshman for Hartford back in Hathorn’s first year as an assistant coach with the Hurricanes. And Obar’s partner? That would be Billy Vielleux, only one of Hathorn’s best friends from childhood.

Hathorn might have mixed feelings about knocking those two out of the tournament except for one thing. A couple of things, actually.

His teammate in the four-ball match is Mitch Cable, another former Hartford Hurricane standout who played for him.

Oh yeah. And Cable just so happens to be his cousin.

“It’s great,” Hathorn said of the way the Tommy Keane has sorted itself out. “This tournament always feels like a family reunion and it’s even more that way this year. I used to play 27 holes a night with Jake when he joined the team and Billy has been one of my best friends all my life. We played Little League baseball together.

“Mitch’s dad and a bunch of my uncles got him playing when he was young, but I think he got even more into it because of Roy and I. So no matter who goes on, I’ll be happy. I can’t be disappointed either way.”

The winner of the Hartford side of the bracket will face the winner of the morning match between the father-son team of Jim and Andrew Jankowski and the team of Dean Cashman-Chris Hynes.

The Jankowskis advanced by eliminating six-time champions Mike and Scott Peters in their Saturday afternoon match. Cashman-Hynes moved on with a win over Chris House and Ryan Fay.

Hathorn and Cable, who qualified for Sunday morning with a 4&3 win over Ben Peters and Shane Wolter, were the medalists in Friday’s stroke play with a 65.

“We are hitting the ball really well,” Hathorn said, “and Mitch is putting really well. He made our birdies. I hit a bunch of greens and I’m hitting it well, but I’m not putting well.

“It will come. As long as I can get Jake Obar to read my putts I'll be fine,” he said with a laugh.

That would be just fine with Obar, who volunteered to do just that after helping his team knock off Ted Byrne and Mike Pollard 4&3.

“I can read them for him. Read them wrong,” he cracked. “I hope Mike tries eight different putters tomorrow.

“But seriously, it’s going to be a lot of fun. When I was in high school I used to play 27 or 36 holes after school with Mike and his brother every day in the spring. My mom always knew that Mike and Roy would drop me off at home at dark-fifteen. Mike and Mitch are playing well so it should be a good match. We play together a lot but it will be serious.”

DIVOTS

Perhaps the match of the day was the morning battle between the team of Hanover graduates Ben Peters and Shane Wolter, and the team of Ted Dardani and Noel Volpe. It went 23 holes and didn’t end until Peters made a birdie on the fifth hole. . . .

Challenging that for the top match was the Obar-Vielleux 1-up win over defending champions Shane and Nick MacDonald in the morning. . . .

The reuning Whitney family has one team still alive as former Hanover High golfers Bart and Drew made it to the semis in the first flight. Awaiting them is the team of Hanover golf coach John Donnelly and Rowley Hazard.