Headline: Local Pro Rob Oppenheim Leads Way Heading Into Final Round of 2009 Massachusetts Open Championship
Belmont, MA —For the first time in days, the heaviest rain clouds sailed away from Metro Boston area and the players competing at the 100th Massachusetts Open Championship at Belmont Country Club took full advantage of the calm weather.
One professional and one amateur currently lead the way and will be paired together on the final day in hopes of capturing the Clarence G. Cochrane Memorial Trophy. Following today's second round, the 150-player field was reduced to the low 46 scorers. Only those players will return to Belmont Country Club on Wednesday to compete in a third and final round of 18 holes at stroke play.
Professional Rob Oppenheim (Orlando, FL) was one of those players who caught fire today as he posted a day-low score of 6-under par 65. The Andover native and 2002 Massachusetts Amateur champion currently leads the field with a two-day total of 6-under par 136.
"I haven't been able to play in this event for the past few years so it's nice to come home and compete," said Oppenheim, whose family lives on the third hole of Indian Ridge Country Club. "This is a tournament that you always want to win or play well in. In the past, I have put too much pressure on myself because you have so many friends and family watching you."
The pressure and crowd of spectators he had following his group this afternoon certainly didn't get to Oppenheim as he found a rhythm with the putter, especially on his final nine holes. After making the turn at 2-under par 34, Oppenheim drained a 50-foot birdie putt on the always challenging 362-yard, par 4 10th hole and was off and running. He finished with four birdies on that back nine for a phenomenal score of 4-under par 31.
"[The putt on Hole 10] went up and over a ridge and I was just trying to lag it as close as I could," said Oppenheim who also managed to make birdie on the 565-yard, par 5 9th hole after sending his second shot into the greenside bunker. "It's nice to make a putt to get some momentum. Once you do that, you start to swing better and you have confidence that you can get up and down for par or birdie."
Oppenheim is no stranger to playing competitive golf in Massachusetts and across the country for that matter. After all the 29-year-old advanced to the Round of 16 at the 1999 U.S. Amateur Championship and enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Rollins College where he was a four-time All-American and was named the 2002 NCAA Division II Player of the Year after leading his team to the national championship. As a professional player, he has played events on several tours including the PGA, Nationwide, Canadian, Hooters, Cleveland, New England, Tar Heel, and Moonlight.
For the second straight day, Ben Spitz (The Harmon Club) leads all amateurs with a two-day score of 4-under par 138. Spitz was on fire on the front nine as he made five birdies to make the turn at 5-under par 31. Although he gave a few back on the back nine – he carded bogey on the 394-yard, par 4 13th and 192-yard, par 3 15th holes – he is well positioned to become the first amateur to win the title since Kevin Quinn (Charles River CC) accomplished that feat back in 1999.
"It would be awesome to win as an amateur" said Spitz, a University of Rhode Island graduate who currently works for the Boston-based Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. "This is the first competitive round that I have played all year. I am not gunning for a special number… I am just going to go out there tomorrow and have fun."
Another player who moved up the leaderboard on day two was Jason Parajeckas (Pleasant Valley CC), who posted a score of 5-under par 66 for a two-day total of 3-under par 139. His round today featured four birdies on the front nine and two birdies and only one bogey on the back nine.
"I was just completely in a zone today," said Parajeckas. "I didn't put myself into any trouble today and didn't get ahead of myself. I was just taking it hole by hole."
First-round leader Matt Donovan (Pittsfield, MA) was unable to hold his lead but he is well in the mix after carding a 1-over par 72 this afternoon.
"It was a much different day for sure. It's a grind and it wasn't easy," said Donovan, who carded a 3-under par 68 on Monday. "I am hitting it really good but the putter went a little cold today."
Donovan struggled on the front nine by making two bogeys, but he rebounded well during his final nine holes by making just one bogey and two birdies. His second birdie of the day came on his final hole – the 565-yard, par 5 9th hole. The putter finally heated up as Donovan sank a 20-foot birdie putt which will no doubt give him confidence heading into the third and final round of play.
"I didn't expect to maintain a lead today to be honest, but I'm looking forward to playing hard tomorrow," said Donovan, whose best finish in this event came back in 2003 when he finished third place overall.
Defending champion Jim Renner (Plainville, MA) will have to make a lot of birdies on Wednesday to make up for a two-round total of 9-over par 151. He finished today's round with two birdies and six bogeys for a 4-over par 75.
From The Big Break to the Comeback Kid
The comeback round of the day came courtesy of Justin Peters (Stuart, FL), who posted a second-day score of even par 71 to earn the right to return to Belmont Country Club on Wednesday. Peters, who grew up in Plymouth, made national headlines in 2003 when he won The Golf Channel's Big Break competition. On this day, Peters scored nine shots better than on Monday when he posted a disappointing 9-over par 80 under the rainy conditions.
Newly Minted and Ready to Go Pro
Two young players were looking to make some noise at their first professional tournament this week. Jon Curran (Framingham CC) and Aaron Siekierski (Heritage CC), both former junior amateur standouts here in the Bay State, recently declared themselves professional players and were looking to collect their first career checks this week.
Curran, the three-time Christopher Cutler Rich MGA Player of the Year and former Vanderbilt University star, became a professional on the first tee of his Massachusetts Open qualifier held at Hopkinton Country Club on May 19. Members from Framingham Country Club came together just one week ago to raise money to support his professional endeavors. Curran will look to make a charge on Wednesday as he sits in 11th place overall with a score of 3-over par 145.
Siekierski, who graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2008, had planned to turn professional last October but he suffered a severed a median nerve in his right hand and is still enduring a slow recovery. The 2003 Massachusetts Junior champion, who still suffers numbness in his hand, decided to turn pro just two weeks ago but failed to make the cut at the Massachusetts Open Championship this year after posting a 16-over par 158
A Family Affair
There are three unique pairs in this year's field. The father and son duo of Paul Parajeckas (Pleasant Valley CC) and son Jason Parajeckas posted identical scores of 2-over par 73 on Monday. The elder Parajeckas, 59, serves as head golf professional at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, while his son Jason is looking to make his name on the professional golf circuit. When not competing in mini-tour events, the 24-year-old graduate of the University of Connecticut helps his father at the Sutton course. While Jason will be vying for the title on Wednesday, Paul will have to watch from the sidelines after carding a disappointing 10-over par 81 on Tuesday.
George Zolotas (Ferncroft CC), who turned pro last season after graduating from St. John's University, joined younger brother Nick Zolotas (Ferncroft CC) in Belmont. The pair represents the only brother duo in the field. Both brothers unfortunately failed to make the cut this year.
The second brother duo in this year's field is Ben Spitz and older brother Brian Spitz (Black Rock CC). While Ben is looking to be the first amateur since 1999 to win the title, Brian Spitz failed to make the cut this year after posting rounds of 11-over par 82 and 4-over par 75.
Belmont Battles the Rain Machine… And Wins
Many observers – and players for that matter – were wondering how Belmont Country Club could stay open during the non-stop rain that hung over the region during Monday's first round. With more showers scheduled through to the end of Wednesday, tournament organizers are fortunate that the Belmont course is well prepared for the inclement weather.
"This could possibly be one of the only courses in the Greater Boston area that was playable during those conditions," said Jesse Menachem, MGA director of rules & competition. "The course help up perfectly and the staff did everything possible to help get the first round completed."
Part of the credit must be given to the recent course renovation. Following three years of planning, the course underwent a renovation and upgrading of the entire golf course in 2005. All of the renovation work – which included a new irrigation system – was completed in late May of 2006.
"Drainage, irrigation, tee and green construction, fairway contouring and golf cart path improvements all underwent major renovation," said Belmont Country Club superintendent Mike Rose. "We increased the size of our ponds so we are now able to control the water on our property and don't have to rely on the municipalities for sources. And we also installed a sophisticated drainage system that eliminates constant wetness."
Longtime golf professional John Fields (Belmont CC) was one of the 150 players in this year's field. His sage, pre-round advice to the field was right on target as many struggled with the challenging conditions.
"Shot values are excellent at Belmont. This course calls for every shot in the bag — uphill, downhill, sidehill, right-to-left and left-to-right," said Fields. "Hitting fairways and greens is the only way to score here. Players who find their ball in the rough will have a difficult time controlling the spin of their ball and thus will have a tough time getting the ball close to the hole."
