Around Berkshire County: News & Notes: August 12^th

More than sixty of the best golfers in the Berkshires will tee it up at Waubeeka Golf Links today in the Men’s 36-hole Allied Individual Championship.

For the 3^rd consecutive year, 21-year old Donnie Troy enters the event leading the Men’s Player of the Year standings. Last year, he shot 70-73 and held off Stockbridge’s Andy Congdon by one shot at Egremont Country Club.

“I like my chances,” said Troy, who finished 6^th in the Western Mass. Amateur on Friday and earned 55 points to increase his lead to nearly 80. “I’m playing really well. I just need to get out of my way.”

Troy failed to do that on Monday in U.S. Amateur qualifying at Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford, Conn. Following a bogey-free 69 in his morning round, Troy opened with a 33 in the afternoon and played one stretch of holes birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie.

“I was like, ‘I’m in the U.S. Amateur,” figured Troy, who qualified for the 2006 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minn. But he figured wrong, shooting 40 on the back nine to fall three shots short of a playoff for the final spot.

On August 4^th, the Ladies Open at Berkshire Hills produced three hole-in-ones. Even more bizarre, two of those came from Beaver Brook member Sue McClellan, on the 13^th and 17^th holes. The other came from Hickory Ridge member Deb McCullough on the 5^th hole.

According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of someone making two hole-in-ones in one round are 12-million-to-one. The odds of someone making hole-in-ones on consecutive par-threes are 24-million-to-one. And the odds of one tournament producing three hole-in-ones, based on the Ladies Open field of 104 players, are 430 million-to-one.

Berkshire Hills’ Diane Breen and Waubeeka’s Kathy Duguay shot 2-under 71 and won the event by three shots. Three days later, they shot 74 and won the Women’s Allied 4-Ball at Mt. Anthony for their six win in seven teams events this year. Their lone non-win: a 2^nd place showing in the Sherwood Invitational on July 18^th, where they double-bogeyed the 16^th hole and lost by one.

“We compliment each other,” said Breen, who has shared the lead in the Women’s Player of the Year standings with Duguay all year.

That figures to change on Aug. 22^nd, when Berkshire Hills hosts the Allied Individual Championship. Duguay, the reigning player of the year, is the defending champion.

On August 6^th, Wahconah’s Vinne Beraldi shot a 3-over 75 at North Adams to win the 16-older division of the Junior Allied Series. He earned 40 Junior Player of the Year points. Berkshire Hills’ Tanner Jones leads the standings with 152.5 points. Wahconah's John Lovellette trails Jones 45 points.

Worthington’s Rich Racz shot 75 and won the 14-15 division by nine shots. In five events, he has two wins, two runner-ups and a third. Forest Park’s Chad Alibozek shot 86 and won the 13-under division, his second Junior Allied title this year.

Stockbridge will host the final event of the series on August 13^th. Juniors interested in playing should sign-up through the pro shop at their home club.