Noon Update

First groups are getting close but aren't in yet. Keep coming back for hourly updates but you could also check ONLINE SCORING for regular updates.

And They Are Off

Under gun metal gray skies the first groups are on the course and the parking lot is filling up. Check back through the day for updated qualifying scores and be sure to stop by tonight for the brackets and a story.

Hanover On A Roll

The tent and scoreboard are in place and it won't be long now! 

HANOVER – It’s not exactly news for Hanover Country Club regulars, but out-of-towners teeing it up Friday in qualifying for the 41st Tommy Keane Invitational could be in for a surprise.

The ball is rolling. Like, really rolling.

“This is my 11th year and the course is in the best shape it has been in since I’ve been here,” said Alex Kirk the HCC head professional. “I think the greens are going to be the fastest we have ever seen them.”

Credit new rollers, green covers, a mild winter, Superintendent Mike Pollard and his crew, and the super of supers, Mother Nature.

Kirk is confident that the 56 two-man teams who will be split into four flights after qualifying will find the condition of the course and the greens to their liking.

“I think so,” he said. “You just have to adjust to the speed. Overall, I think it will bring out the best championship golf.

“We’re playing the ball down in the fairway. We are playing real golf. Between that and the caliber of play I think it will bring out the best in the field.”

The father-son team of Shane and Nick MacDonald is back to defend the championship they won in the annual tournament honoring Tommy Keane, the HCC pro and Dartmouth golf coach from 1922-1966.

“This is probably the top weekend of our summer,” said Kirk. “It is fun for all the people who come back from all over. It is a good melting pot of different groups and ages and talents, and there’s some good golf being played.”

The MacDonalds captured last year’s edition of the Four Ball match play event with a 3-and-1 win over recent Hanover High School graduates Benny Hayes and Nate Choukas. The championship was the fourth overall for Shane MacDonald, the third overall for Nick, and their second playing together.

Hayes and Choukas figure to be just one of the teams pushing to dethrone the champions.

“The McDonalds are always a powerhouse between Nick’s firepower and Shane’s consistency,” said Kirk. “Billy Vielleux is playing really well and Jake Obar is always a solid competitor so they will be tough. But you just never know. You have those guys but then you also have college kids in there like Choukas and Hayes, and Zach Temple – who is playing pretty good – with Mak Lyford again.

 “It’s easy to make predictions but the fun thing is they have to go out and do it. That’s why you’ve got to swing the club and see who gets it in the whole the fastest.”

DIVOTS
If there are teams tied for the final spot in the championship flight Friday they will gather at the first tee at 6 p.m. With the rest of the field watching from the Hanover porch, the teams will “march” down the fairway to determine which will be in the championship flight.

“That’s one of the best spectator things here at HCC all summer,” said Kirk. “It’s almost disappointing where there isn’t one. The march is always fun to watch.”

Match play begins Saturday morning with teams needing to keep winning Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to make it to Sunday afternoon’s championship matches.

Friday Qualifying Tee Times

All off first tee:

8:30
Scott Peters/Andy Hydorn
Ben Peters/Tom Peters

8:40
Jim Jankowski/Andrew Jankowski
John Donnelly/Rowland Hazard

8:50
Torrey Viger/Matt Wood
Mak Lyford/Zach Temple

9:00
Nick Stern/Matt Spruck
Josh Hildebrand/Josh Wilson

9:10
Mike Hathorn/Mitch Cable
Mike Pollard/Mike Garvey

9:20
Jake Obar/Bill Vielleux
Chris House/Ryan Fay

9:30
Mike Kelley/Adam Pippin
Joe King/Lance Pelley

9:40
Brendan Doyle/Ethan Gage
Taylor Fittro/Adam Hartford

9:50
Chris Taylor/Patrick Norden
Rick Hughes/Chris Clark

10:00
Greg Hardy/Cooper Hardy
Andy Mellow/Dexter Bucklin

10:10
Charlie Carr/Steve Lyon
Dan Peraza/Toby Jasmin

10:20
Bob Donahue/Tim McCarthy
Tim McNeil/Jack Lamborghini

10:30
Zach Taylor/Austin Taylor
Charlie Arnold/Breck Taylor

10:50
Chris Lincoln/Jay Harvey
Dan Fitzgerald/Bob Jacobs

11:00
Mark McCaddin/Rick Wetmore
Dom Candido/Brian Tracy

11:10
Kevin Appleton/Dave Doyle
Ben Gardner/Jason Gardner

11:20
Jim Keane/Kevin Sullivan
Tom Keane/Kevin Johnson

11:30
Thomas Keane/Kevin Keane
Eric Maskwa/Brendan Joosten

11:40
Dan Cole/Matt Keane
Chris Keane/Dillon Sass

11:50
Tyler Kelly/Jared Rice
Todd Becker/Matt Madore

12:00
Alex Robinson/Patrick Norton
Jon Vogel/Mark Loranger

12:10
Alex Lazerowich/Jeff Lazerowich
Craig Maguire/Mike Sullivan

12:20
Scott Sinclair/Joe Roblee
Tim Wyand/Grant Kelly

12:30
Dan Campbell/Nick Trottier
Stuart Williams/Eric Wales

12:40
Dave Cioffi/Ron Cioffi
Mike Noonan/Charlie Mandrachia

12:50
Nate Choukas/Ben Hayes
Greg Genest/Steve Considine

1:00
Terry Hall/Jeff Frechette
Nick MacDonald/Shane MacDonald

1:10
Gary Smith/Matt Lane
Cody Dodds/Ryan Bergeron

The Tommy Keane – An Appreciation

READY TO JOIN IN THE FUN?

Click the Entry Application (below) to enlarge (you may have to click it a second time), fill it out and mail it with the entry fee to Alex Kirk, Hanover Country Club, 36 Hilton Field Lane, Hanover, NH 03755.