ENFIELD, New Hampshire –Liam Friedman, of Nashawtuc Country Club, persevered through tough wind and rain to shoot a winning score of four-under-par 68 at Montcalm Golf Club in the New England PGA Avidia Cup Finals on Tuesday October 2. The Avidia Cup Finals takes the top 54 finishers from all of the NEPGA’s stroke play events and awards the winner as the player with the most aggregate points.
Cold was the best way to describe every player who walked into the clubhouse at Montcalm following their round. It was hard not to be, considering the 50 degree temperature and rainy conditions plaguing Enfield, NH.
Friedman wasn’t immune to the temperatures, but channeled his energies to the task at hand: being the best golfer on the course. He got off to a great start, making a birdie on the mammoth 374 yard par-4 first hole. He had a less than stellar rest of his front nine, making two more bogies on the fourth and sixth holes to turn through nine at one-over-par.
As the rain really began to pick up on the back nine, Friedman’s game rose to the occasion. He started from the tenth hole with three straight birdies and holed out on the 15th to make an eagle. A 31 (-5) on his back nine was really what propelled him to success. He finished with a total score of 68 (-4), just edging out David Jankowski, PGA (Orleans GC) who shot 69 (-3).
Even in tough conditions, Friedman found some joy in the round.
“I just kept my nose to the grindstone really, and tried to keep the ball in the fairway, hit it close, and make some putts. I had a lot fall on the back nine that really helped, but it was a lot of fun out there to play,” said Friedman.
Jankowski hit the ball well on Tuesday as well. Much like Friedman, he came out strong, making three birdies on the front nine holes, on four, six, and nine. With only one bogey on the front, he made the turn at two-under-par.
However, his back nine didn’t quite match the final nine holes that Friedman played. He had an eagle on the 12th, and birdied 14 as well, but finished just one stroke short on the day of Friedman and finished fourth in the Avidia Cup.
As the final event in the Stroke Play Series, the overall Avidia Cup standings are reset prior to the day’s Championship round, Friedman just happened to play well enough both on Tuesday and throughout the Stroke Play Series Season to finish as both the day’s and Avidia Cup Champion.
October 2, 2018
2018 New England PGA Avidia Cup Stroke Play
Montcalm Golf Club
Enfield, NH
Par 36-36–72
Stroke Play
1 Liam Friedman, Nashawtuc CC: 37-31–68 -4
2 David Jankowski, Orleans CC: 34-35–69 -3
T3 Cory Mansfield, Montcalm: 36-36–72 E
T3 Mike Haas-Zanghi, Nonesuch River GC: 37-35–72 E
T3 Kirk Hanefeld, Salem CC: 35-37–72 E
T6 John Paesani, Bay Club at Mattapoisett: 35-38–73 +1
T6 John Hickson, Bath CC: 35-38–73 +1
T6 Rick Karbowski, Auburn Driving Range: 37-36–73 +1
T6 Brendon Ray, Point Judith CC: 38-35–73 +1
T6 Nicholas Jagoe, Allendale: 40-33–73 +1
T11 Daniel Hemme, Myopia Hunt Club: 38-36–74 +2
T11 Chip Johnson, Hatherly CC: 38-36–74 +2
T11 Shane Drury, Swansea CC: 39-35–74 +2
T11 Danny Kish, The Atkinson Resort: 37-37–74 +2
T11 Scott Hickey, Cyprian Keyes GC: 37-37–74 +2
T11 Greg Yeomans, Bay Club at Mattapoisett: 35-39–74 +2
T11 Adam Kolloff, Pure Drive Golf: 38-36–74 +2
T11 Matt Zdon, Belmont CC: 38-36–74 +2
T11 Jeff Martin, Wollaston GC: 35-39–74 +2
T11 Robert Bruso, Blackstone National GC: 37-37–74 +2
T21 Dan Gillis, Nabnasset Lake CC: 40-35–75 +3
T21 Greg Farland, Marlborough CC: 39-36–75 +3
T21 Steven Hausmann, Hausmann Golf: 37-38–75 +3
T21 Matthew Bradbury, Crotched Mtn. GC & Resort: 36-39–75 +3
T21 Brett Smestad, Rochester CC: 40-35–75 +3
T21 Leon Oliver, Bath CC: 39-36–75 +3
T21 Frank Dully, Kernwood CC: 39-36–75 +3
T28 Rick Durocher, Cyprian Keyes GC: 37-39–76 +4
T28 Christopher Carter, Hillview: 41-35–76 +4
T28 Eric Barlow, Winchester CC: 37-39–76 +4
T28 Shawn Warren, Falmouth CC: 37-39–76 +4
T32 Ben Egan, Bay Club at Mattapoisett: 41-36–77 +5
T32 Brenden Mitchell, The Country Club: 38-39–77 +5
T32 Todd Scarafoni, Bass Rocks GC: 40-37–77 +5
T32 David Dionne, Beverly Golf & Tennis: 37-40–77 +5
T36 Ronald Coiro, Salem CC: 39-39–78 +6
T36 John Rainone, North Kingstown GC: 38-40–78 +6
T36 Dan Venezio, Portland CC: 37-41–78 +6
39 Robert Bradley, Brockton CC: 40-39–79 +7
T40 Richie Hasenfus, Needham GC: 38-42–80 +8
T40 Jeff Seavey, Samoset Resort: 42-38–80 +8
T40 Gregg Richbourg, Cape Cod National GC: 40-40–80 +8
43 Nick Desjardins, Brae Burn: 42-39–81 +9
T44 Kevin Wood, Salem CC: 39-44–83 +11
T44 Ae Cahill, GolfTEC – Natik: 42-41–83 +11
T44 Jeff Atkinson, Belmont: 41-42–83 +11
T44 Bryan Kienke, Cohasset GC: 40-43–83 +11
T48 Dan Van Heest, Brae Burn: 42-42–84 +12
T48 Stephen Clancy, Granite Links GC: 44-40–84 +12
T48 Steven Field, Blue Hill: 41-43–84 +12
51 Brian Moskevich, Manchester CC: 43-42–85 +13
52 David Sibley, Larry Gannon: 44-42–86 +
Senior Division
1 Kirk Hanefeld, Salem CC: 35-37–72 E
T2 John Paesani, Bay Club at Mattapoisett: 35-38–73 +1
T2 John Hickson, Bath CC: 35-38–73 +1
T2 Rick Karbowski, Auburn Driving Range: 37-36–73 +1
T5 Chip Johnson, Hatherly CC: 38-36–74 +2
T5 Shane Drury, Swansea CC: 39-35–74 +2
T7 Dan Gillis, Nabnasset Lake CC: 40-35–75 +3
T7 Greg Farland, Marlborough CC: 39-36–75 +3
T7 Leon Oliver, Bath CC: 39-36–75 +3
T7 Frank Dully, Kernwood CC: 39-36–75 +3
11 Rick Durocher, Cyprian Keyes GC: 37-39–76 +4
T12 Todd Scarafoni, Bass Rocks GC: 40-37–77 +5
T12 David Dionne, Beverly Golf & Tennis: 37-40–77 +5
14 John Rainone, North Kingstown GC: 38-40–78 +6
T15 Richie Hasenfus, Needham GC: 38-42–80 +8
T15 Jeff Seavey, Samoset Resort: 42-38–80 +8
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