Sunday, July 30, 2017

Scenes From The 42nd Tommy Keane

(Click photos to enlarge.)



And finally, this one of Dom Candido by Brian Tracy:

Click brackets to enlarge.

Peters-Hydorn Claim '17 Title, Record Seventh For Peters

HANOVER  – Scott Peters won his sixth Tommy Keane Invitational 14 years ago and after advancing past the opening day of match play just one more time since 2007 he was beginning to think perhaps the sand had run out of his championship hourglass.

“Absolutely I was wondering if it would ever happen again,” he said Sunday after teaming up with Andy Hydorn for a 4&3 victory over Dean Cashman and Chris Hynes. “When I play well I can still play as well as I used to but I just don’t do it as often. My good is still good, but my bad is worse.

“No question I wasn’t sure it would happen again. My boys have been riding me saying, ‘Dad, you can still win.’ but I wasn’t sure I would.”

Credit a fast start and heady play by Peters and Hydorn, a three-year letterwinner for Sun Belt conference champion University of South Florida teams in the late ’80s – for helping him finally make it happen.

Peters’ seventh championship breaks a tie with his brother and longtime partner Mike, well-regarded New Hampshire amateur standout Brian Doyle, and Shane MacDonald for most titles in the 42-year history of the Keane.

Peters and Hydorn didn’t win with a display of spectacular golf but with stolid play, exactly what the team they were facing expected.

“Going into a match with Scott and Andy you know they are not going to beat themselves,” said Hynes. “In some matches you can just hang in there and wait for the other guys to make a mistake. You don’t necessarily have to go out there and make a birdie and take it.

“You can plod along but you can’t do that with these guys. They are in every hole. They are solid. They know how to win.”

Peters-Hydorn took the early lead with a par on 2 and a mid-range birdie putt by Hydorn on 3.

Down early, Hynes and Cashman – former Providence College golf teammates and roommates – tried to answer but a Hynes birdie putt to win 4 lipped out. Then it was Cashman’s putt from the fringe giving them a chance to win 5 only to see Peters make his own putt on top of it to maintain the two-hole difference.

Peters and Hydorn went up three when Hynes and Cashman made bogey on 7, a fate the winners dodged all afternoon.

“We got up early and didn’t give them any openings,” said Peters. “We didn’t make a bogey all day.”
Needing something to get his team jump-started, Cashman hit a big drive on 8 and drained a twisting 18-footer for birdie to win the hole.

A Hydorn birdie on 12 stretched the difference back to three only to see Hynes reel the leaders in with a birdie of his own on 13.

After a Hynes birdie putt on 14 burned the cup and a Cashman bid changed its mind at the last minute Peters put the former Providence Friars’ backs against the wall with a short birdie putt to go back up three.

The match ended on 15 when Hynes and Cashman each had trouble with the trees down the left side. Peters and Hydorn, meanwhile, both striped their drives and followed with textbook second shots as they went on to win the hole.

“When we had the honor we hit two good drives in the fairway,” said Peters. “When you do that it makes it hard for them. We did that all afternoon.”

Peters, who won his first Keane 30 years ago in 1987, also claimed the 1994 , 1995, 2000, 2002 and 2003 championships with Mike.

Hydorn teamed with Shane MacDonald to share the ’02 title with the Peters and repeated it with MacDonald in 2009. Hydorn and Peters have been teaming up since 2014.

“In the past we have struggled on the greens,” said Hydorn. “This year we made our fair share of putts and that made the difference today.”

DIVOTS
Cashman and Hynes won the Keane in 2011 but missed last year when Hynes took the tournament off because of the July birth of his son. Hynes and his wife celebrated baby JJ’s first birthday a week early this year, he said, so the new dad could reunite with his three-year roommate in the Keane. He said that’s the plan for the foreseeable future. … Peters and Hydorn met when the former was the Callaway equipment rep who Peters dealt with at Golf & Ski Warehouse. … Hydorn, who founded the golf lifestyle brand Back 9, comes up each year from Houston and said he had to borrow a windbreaker from Peters when the morning temperatures dropped into the low 50’s and he had nothing heavier than a golf shirt in his suitcase.

Peters and Hydorn were medalists in Friday’s qualifying with a 64. … The champions advanced to the final match with a 3&2 win over Jim and Andrew Jankowski. … Cashman and Hynes took a 2&1 win over Jake Obar and Billy Vielleux in the semis. … Mike Hathorn and Ben Gardner defeated Shane Wolter and Travis Mulvihill to win the first flight. … Matt Spruck and Nick Stern took a 7&6 win over Charlier Carr and Mike Schafer to win the second flight and Keith Pattison teamed with Paul Vandenheuvel for a 5&4 win over Jim and Chris Keane in the third flight championship. Tournament veterans Bob Jacobs and Dan Fitzgerald edged Cody Danford and Mike Rice in points, 8-7, to take the fourth flight.

All-Time Champions

Tommy Keane Invitational Champions
2017 -- Scott Peters, Andy Hydorn
2016 -- Nick MacDonald, Shane MacDonald
2015 -- Nick MacDonald, Shane MacDonald
2014 -- Nick MacDonald, Shane MacDonald
2013 -- Tyler Silver, Zach Pollard
2012 -- Nick MacDonald, Doug Lantz
2011 -- Dean Cashman, Chris Hynes
2010 -- Shane MacDonald, Nick MacDonald
2009 -- Shane MacDonald, Andy Hydorn
2008 -- Peter Williamson, Doug Williamson
2007 -- Joe King, Sean Lacey
2006 -- Jake Obar, Rex Whitney
2005 -- Matt Uretsky, Chaki Kobayashi
2004 -- Bart Whitney, Rex Whitney
2003 -- Scott Peters, Mike Peters
2002 -- Co-champs: Scott Peters, Mike Peters; Shane MacDonald, Andy Hydorn
2001 -- Course closed for renovation
2000 -- Scott Peters, Mike Peters
1999 -- Brian Doyle, Craig Steckowych
1998 -- Brian Doyle, Craig Steckowych
1997 -- Brian Doyle, Craig Steckowych
1996 -- Sam Brackett, Charlie Carr
1995 -- Scott Peters, Mike Peters
1994 -- Scott Peters, Mike Peters
1993 -- Jerry LaPlaca, Bill Downes
1992 -- Don Folsom, Brian Doyle
1991 -- Don Folsom, Brian Doyle
1990 -- Don Folsom, Brian Doyle
1989 -- John Esterbrook, Doug Hutchinson
1988 -- Brad Griffin, Rick Woulfe
1987 -- Scott Peters, Mike Peters
1986 -- Brad Griffin, Rick Woulfe
1985 -- Dave Goldstein, Jim Woods
1984 -- Bill Salta, Dan Wilkins
1983 -- Dave Goldstein, Jim Woods
1982 -- Jerry Daly, Tom Mullany
1981 -- Rich Parker, Lafayette Lahaye
1980 -- Art Bemis, John Donnelly
1979 -- Don Beckwith, Pete Moseley
1978 -- Bill Purcell, John Wilkinson
1977 -- Art Bemis, John Donnelly
1976 -- Jerry Daly, Jay Leonard
1975 -- Jerry Daly, Jim Burnett

Finals Set

Peters-Hydorn vs Cashman-Hynes.

Check back tonight for full coverage. 

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Crashing The Party


HANOVER – Warming up at Hanover’s 15th hole before the start of match play at the 42nd Tommy Keane Invitational Saturday, Jeff Frechette heard someone grousing a little about how the hole was set up.

“It won’t matter to us,” cracked the head athletic trainer at Dartmouth. “We’ll be long gone before then.”

He was right.

And he was wrong.

Frechette and Terry Hall, who combined to shoot a best-ever 72 in Friday qualifying to earn the 16th seed in the Championship Flight, were indeed gone after their opening match against qualifying medalists Scott Peters and Andy Hydorn.

But not much before the 15th.

Just one hole before, which was something of a relief.

“I had nightmares last night of losing by nine and eight,” Frechette said with a laugh. “We made it to 5&4. I call that a win.”

“Me too,” chimed in Hall, a nurse at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. “We didn’t play as well as we did yesterday but we were just two down after nine, which was good.”

Frechette and Hall have been teaming up ever since the former’s previous partner got Wally Pipped.
“Something came up, a wedding or something and he couldn’t make it,” Frechette said. “So I asked Terry to play. We’ve played together ever since.”

While they’ve had some success in the second and third flights in years past, Friday’s round was easily their best in the almost decade in which they’ve teamed up. It brought with it the dubious distinction of their first-ever date in the Championship Flight, and against a team that shot a blistering 64 in qualifying.

“When I parred one and two yesterday I said, ‘I hope this isn’t going to be one of those days,’ ” Frechette cracked. “It turned out to be one.

“We both played pretty well. When one of us was out of a hole the other one was there and made par. Terry had closest to the pin on five. He almost had a hole in one, 14 inches away. We could have been under par easily but I lipped out two putts.”

As the day went on the good only got better.

“On the back we both started making putts that were 18-to-20 feet,” said Hall. “You’d hit the putt, it would roll in the cup and we would laugh.”

Fully aware that each satisfying plop into the cup only further sealed their fate, the two figuratively shrugged their collective shoulders.

“At some point we said we might as well see how low we can go,” explained Frechette. “We were going to be playing in a flight where people were going to be better than us either way, so we might as well see what we can do.”

There was, of course, an alternative.

“We were playing with friends of ours,” Hall explained. “I think it was on the 16th tee when they said, ‘You can’t tank now. If you do we’ll go to the tournament committee.’ ”

And then the two laughed, which they did a lot while keeping their cameo appearance in the Championship Flight in perspective.

“I think the best we ever shot before was a 74 or maybe a 75 to get in the First Flight. That was a short weekend as well,” Frechette said.

Knowing it would be a lot to ask for them to advance past Saturday morning, Hall seized the day by printing this sign:


After shooting a picture of his car parked in front of the sign for his Wednesday night golf buddies Hall affixed it to the front of the pair’s golf cart for their match against Peters and Hydorn.

They aren’t expecting to need it again next year, when their goal will be a little different.

“We’ll try to make it back to the second flight,” joked Hall.

And then the teammates laughed some more.

DIVOTS
Morning matches in the Championship Flight provided at least two surprising results. Three-time defending champions Shane and Nick MacDonald were ousted by fellow father-son team Jim and Andrew Jankowski, 1 up. Also making an early exit was the team of Nate Choukas and Benny Hayes, knocked off by Jeff and Nick Lazerowich, 1 up.

Facing off in Sunday morning’s semifinal matches will be a familiar cast.

No. 1 seed Peters and Hydorn will play the No. 12 Jankowski team and No. 2 Jake Obar and Bill Vielleux will square off against No. 6 Dean Cashman and Chris Hynes.

Hall, Frechette and Hydorn watch Peters' drive on three.

Saturday Final Brackets

CLICK BRACKETS to enlarge.






First Afternoon Results In

At 5:15 p.m. the only afternoon results were from the First Flight.

No. 4 Mike Hathorn and Ben Gardner posted a 7&6 win over No. 12 Keith Quinton and Tim Seelaus.

No. 14 Shane Wolter and Travis Mulvihill defeated 11 Grant Kelly and Shane Glennon, 2 up.

More to come . . .

Saturday Morning Results

Click to enlarge.









Saturday's Early Results

Matches going extra holes have slowed things down but so far the only results posted are from the Championship Flight where there have been a couple of surprising results:

1. Peters/Hydorn def. 16. Hall/Frechette

2. Obar/Vielleux def. 15. Hughes/Clark

14. Lazerowich/Lazerowich def. 3. Choukas/Hayes

4. Lyford/Temple def. 13. Hildeband/Wilson

12. Jankowski/Jankowski def. 5. MacDonald/MacDonald

6. Cashman/Hynes def. 11. Pollard/Kimball

More to come at 3 p.m.

Friday, July 28, 2017

Remembering A Trio Who Will Be Missed



HANOVER – Even before 120 golfers returned to Hanover Country Club as they do each year on the final full weekend of July like swallows to Capistrano, Scott Peters found himself reflecting on the Tommy Keane Invitational tournament.

The 42nd renewal of the event is the first without Tommy (TK) and Elaine Keane as well as Fred Kelley, all instrumental in the start of the four-ball tournament that honors TK’s father, the legendary Hanover pro and Dartmouth golf coach from 1922–1966. Kelley, the longtime head trainer for the Big Green, died at his retirement home in Florida on May 11. Elaine Keane passed away on June 4 and TK one month later to the day.

"Fred in Red"
With a well-deserved tip of red golf caps with TK, Elaine and Fred stitched on the sides, the tournament kicked off with Friday’s qualifying round.

“What the Tommy Keane has evolved into is a very, very special tradition,” said Peters, who chairs the event’s organizing committee. “I can only imagine what TK and Elaine felt, particularly over the past five or 10 years, when they saw the generations of Keanes and friends coming each year.

“It is one thing to say we wouldn’t be here without TK and Elaine, and that’s true. But as I look around at the tournament, there are people who literally wouldn’t be here without them. Not only is it special because of all the friendships it has helped create, but for the generations of Keanes who play. That is something TK and Elaine had to be immensely proud of. And Fred and TK were so close he had to feel the same way, especially playing with (son) Mike.”

Talk to those who were there at the beginning and you’ll hear stories of Elaine Keane, Fred and Sue Kelley, and former Hanover CC champion Kathy Slattery teaming up in the early days to slap together sandwiches to tide players over during qualifying.

As the tournament grew in numbers and esteem the cuisine might have changed, but the essence of the weekend remained the same.

“People would circle the weekend on the calendar,” said Jimmy Keane, TK’s son and Tommy’s grandson. “It meant a lot to my dad, but my mom also looked forward to seeing everyone coming back year after year. There was a lot of joy having so many people around for the weekend. There was a lot to do, but it wasn’t work.

“They’d be up making sandwiches until midnight to feed people once the tournament got going. It was a big family reunion and as it went on a chance to see friends you might only see once a year.”

The Tommy Keane was the brainchild of the late Tommy Purcell, who hoped to recreate something akin to Rutland’s venerable Pierce tournament to honor his old friend.

“My grandfather gave more lessons to Billy Purcell than anyone,” said Jimmy Keane. “They would be up at Smith Field at 5 in the morning and Billy really appreciated the time and effort my grandfather showed him, so he went to my father and suggested the tournament. My father was thrilled.”

Instrumental in getting the tournament off the ground in addition to Purcell, TK and Fred Kelley was Seaver Peters, the former Dartmouth athletic director and a friend of all. Still the honorary announcer of the event, Peters believes the tournament is a fitting tribute not just to longtime Hanover Country Club pro Tommy Keane, but to the trio being honored in its 42nd renewal.

“They were very special people, wonderful people,” he said. “There wouldn’t have been a tournament without them. Losing them in such a short period of time is just staggering. They meant everything to the Tommy Keane.”

To be sure, the threeare missed. But the tournament they nursed along in those early years is in now full blossom, something Tommy and Elaine saw on display from the tent behind the 18th green on a brief visit to their final Keane.

In recent years a new generation has picked up the ball. Seaver Peters, so instrumental in the early days of the event, has seen son Scott step up and assume the leadership role he once held. And he has watched proudly as grandsons Ben and Tom joined the ranks of players.

Understandably, Jimmy Keane – who credits Bill Johnson, his grandfather’s successor at HCC, and current pro Alex Kirk for the lasting success of the TKI – expected the the first event after the passing of his parents to be hard. But being surrounded by so many family members and adopted family members on a weekend when everyone at HCC is an honorary Keane, figured to make it easier.

In the lead-up to the tournament Keane said something else would give him peace. Something that would have brought a smile both to his parents as well whom the eponymous tournament honors.

“I’m playing with my son Chris for the first time,” he said during the final organizing meeting for the event. “He only plays once or twice a year, and my game is not good right now. But that’s not what matters. For me, it’s about playing with my son and having a good time.

“I’m going to get more joy out of the TK this year than ever, no matter what we shoot. I’m going to have fun with my son and my nephews and our friends. It’s going to be an emotional weekend, but it’s also going to be a celebration, which is what it should be.”

Tournament veterans Scott Peters and Andy Hydorn combined to shoot 64 in the first group of the day to lead qualifying from pillar to post. Two shots back were the teams of Zach Temple/Mak Lyford, Nate Choukas/Benny Hayes and Jake Obar/Billy Vielleux. Three-time defending champions Nick and Shane MacDonald are at 67.

The individual highlight of the day was a hole in one by Mike Yukica on No. 14.

Matches begin in three full flights Saturday with the survivors of the morning and afternoon matches advancing to Sunday, when the semifinals and finals will be conducted by flights.

Team Keane

Saturday Morning Brackets

CLICK BRACKETS to enlarge.









Final Qualifying Scores

64
Scott Peters/Andy Hydorn
66
Mak Lyford/Zach Temple
66
Jake Obar/Billy Vielleux
66
Nate Choukas/Benny Hayes
67
Nick MacDonald/Shane MacDonald
68
Dean Cashman/Chris Hynes
70
Tom Peters/Ben Peters
70
Dillon Sass/Luke Marrinan
71
Torrey Viger/Matt Wood
71
Matt Keane/Ryan Thorpe
71
Zach Pollard/Vince Kimball
72
Jim Jankowski/Andrew Jankowski
72
Josh Hilderbrand/Josh Wilson
72
Alex Lazerowich/Jeff Lazerowich
72
Jeff Frechette/Terry Hall
72
Rick Hughes/Chris Clark
73
Ryan Fay/Chris House
73
Tyler Kelly/Todd Becker
73
Scott MacNamee/Eric Saucier
74
Brendan Doyle/Ethan Gage
74
Mike Kelley/Don Weisburger
74
Cody Dodds/Ryan Bergeron
74
Gary Smith/Matt Lane
74
Mike Hathorn/Ben Gardner
74
Mike Pollard/Doug Daniels
75
Tommy Keane/Kevin Keane
76
Shane Wolter/Travis Mulvihill
76
Dan McGee/Justin Barwood
76
Taylor Fittro/Adam Hartford
76
Keith Quinton/Tim Seelaus
76
Chris Taylor/Pat Norden
76
Pete Robitaille/Tyler Hosser
76
Grant Kelly/Shane Glennon
77
Ryan Sweet/Chris Rafferty
77
Charlie Carr/Mike Schafer
78
Dan Campbell/Nick Trottier
79
John Donnelly/Rowley Hazard
80
Dan Peraza/Toby Jasmin
80
Ken Goodrow/Greg Hardy
80
Tim Winslow/Andy Mellow
80
Joe Yukica, Jr./Mike Yukica
80
Craig Maguire/Michael Sullivan
80
Greg Meikle/Jim Hindman
81
Matt Spruck/Nick Stern
81
Scott Sinclair/Joe Robblee
81
Ryan Lohuis/Adam Nast
81
Dave Cioffi/Ron Cioffi
82
Tom Keane/Kevin Johnston
83
Mark Loranger/Alex Robinson
83
Dom Candido/Brian Tracy
85
Paul Vandenheuvel/Keith Pattison
86
Bob Donahue/Tim McCarthy
86
Jim Keane/Chris Keane
86
Matthew McLaughlin/Matthew Smith
87
Pat Norton/Jeffrey Norton
87
John Machulski/Nik Mongroo
89
Cody Danforth/Mike Rice
89
Bob Jacobs/Dan Fitzgerald
90
Patrick Lohuis/Christoper Lane Pope
102
Eric Wales/Anthony Wales
Ke
(Brackets and story to follow.)

5 P.M. Update

64
Scott Peters/Andy Hydorn
66
Mak Lyford/Zach Temple
66
Jake Obar/Billy Vielleux
67
Nick MacDonald/Shane MacDonald
68
Dean Cashman/Chris Hynes
70
Tom Peters/Ben Peters
70
Dillon Sass/Luke Marrinan
71
Torrey Viger/Matt Wood
71
Matt Keane/Ryan Thorpe
72
Jim Jankowski/Andrew Jankowski
72
Josh Hilderbrand/Josh Wilson
72
Alex Lazerowich/Jeff Lazerowich
72
Jeff Frechette/Terry Hall
72
Rick Hughes/Chris Clark
73
Ryan Fay/Chris House
73
Tyler Kelly/Todd Becker
74
Brendan Doyle/Ethan Gage
74
Mike Kelley/Don Weisburger
74
Cody Dodds/Ryan Bergeron
74
Gary Smith/Matt Lane
75
Tommy Keane/Kevin Keane
76
Shane Wolter/Travis Mulvihill
76
Dan McGee/Justin Barwood
76
Taylor Fittro/Adam Hartford
76
Keith Quinton/Tim Seelaus
76
Chris Taylor/Pat Norden
76
Pete Robitaille/Tyler Hosser
76
Grant Kelly/Shane Glennon
77
Ryan Sweet/Chris Rafferty
77
Charlie Carr/Mike Schafer
79
John Donnelly/Rowley Hazard
80
Dan Peraza/Toby Jasmin
80
Ken Goodrow/Greg Hardy
80
Tim Winslow/Andy Mellow
80
Joe Yukica, Jr./Mike Yukica
80
Craig Maguire/Michael Sullivan
81
Matt Spruck/Nick Stern
81
Scott Sinclair/Joe Robblee
81
Ryan Lohuis/Adam Nast
82
Tom Keane/Kevin Johnston
83
Mark Loranger/Alex Robinson
85
Paul Vandenheuvel/Keith Pattison
86
Bob Donahue/Tim McCarthy
86
Jim Keane/Chris Keane
86
Matthew McLaughlin/Matthew Smith
87
Pat Norton/Jeffrey Norton
87
John Machulski/Nik Mongroo
89
Cody Danforth/Mike Rice
89
Bob Jacobs/Dan Fitzgerald
90
Patrick Lohuis/Christoper Lane Pope