With 100 years of Maine State Golf Association amateur championship qualifying in the record book, it is difficult to know if the June 20-24 qualifier at Poland Spring is the longest in MSGA history.
Bill Kennedy, Golf Columnist Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
There were 113 players when that was held June 20, and after a second rain delay 37 of them decided to withdraw. That left 11 to finish the qualifier, which could not be done the next day because the course had been drenched. The course was booked solid for the weekend, so the event was completed on June 24, meaning that it took from Thursday to Monday.
Mike Doran, MSGA Director of Communications, is calling it the longest qualifier in the association’s history, but he cannot be sure because there are few records from qualifiers during the early years of the MSGA Amateur championship.
What we do know is that there were 32 qualifiers from that 113, and that they shot between 70 and 79. Will Kannegieser of Martindale shared the medalist honor with Chris King of ValHalla, each carding 70s.
Other area players who did qualify were: Larry Ross and Edwin Piiranen, both of Poland Spring, shot 74; Roger Williams of Wilson Lake had a 75; Cliff Walker of Bridgton Highlands put up a 78; Mikael Petroski of Fox Ridge and Michael Burian of Springbrook posted 79.
A surprising qualifier was Kellen Adickes, with a 76. Why was that surprising? Adickes is just 12 years old.
Again there is no record for this in the 100-years of the Maine Amateur, but it did prompt Doran to say: “He probably is one of the youngest qualifiers in the tournament history.”
It is difficult for older American golfers like this writer to believe that a 12-year-old can qualify for the Maine men’s amateur tournament, and with a score of 76. This youngster would seem to have a great golf future.
The Maine Amateur will be held July 9-11 at the Portland Country Club.
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The MSGA held its Parent/Child championship at Natanis Arrowhead on June 23 with Len Cole and son Ryan Cole of Falmouth shooting an even-par 72 in an alternate-shot format to win the title. For Len Cole, it is a third Maine major in three years, having won the Senior Amateur in 2018 and the Senior Four-Ball in 2017.
Area players in the competition were: Craig Chapman-Gary Chapman, Martindale — 82 (8th); Don Flanagan-Trevor Flanagan, Springbrook (T9); Tim Murphy-Matt Murphy, Springbrook — 87 (T18); Don Flanagan-Abby Flanagan, Springbrook — 89 (T24); Jeffrey Mertzel-Drew Mertzel, Springbrook and Prudence Hornberger-Mia Hornberger, Turner Highlands — 90 (T25).
A total of 44 teams were in the field.
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At the June 25 Women’s Metropolitan Championship, the team of Pennie Cummings (Springbrook), Kristen Kannegieser (Martindale), Kathleen Drake (Portland) and Lori Frost (St. Croix) combined for a second-place 68, one shot short of The Woodlands foursome, which won that event played at Fox Ridge.
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MSGA tournament action slows for the Fourth of July week. On July 2 there is a senior Tour event at Salmon Falls, but no Weekend Tour events. No women’s events are on the docket. So, there is no men’s action July 3-8, and no women’s competition June 26-July 8.
Once past the Fourth of July, the MSGA tournament schedule will be jam-packed through Labor Day.
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