News Release

For Immediate Release: May 5, 2008

Headline: Androlewicz & Smith Lead Following Day 1 of State Four-Ball Championship

Franklin, MA – For the first time in recent memory, weather did not play a starring role during the first round of the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship.

Under sunny and warm skies at Franklin Country Club in Franklin and Maplegate Country Club in Bellingham, a pair of golfers played impeccable golf en route to a one-shot lead over the field. The team of Raymond Androlewicz (Webster-Dudley GC) and Dale Smith (Webster-Dudley GC) pieced together a low round of 7-under par 65 today to lead a field of 200 two-person teams heading into the second and final round of play.

Androlewicz and Smith, as well as the other 199 teams competing in this year's event, will return to Franklin Country Club and Maplegate Country Club on Tuesday for a second and final round of play. Teams that competed at Franklin CC on Monday will play Maplegate CC on Tuesday and vice versa.

Typifying what it means to play partner golf, Androlewicz and Smith finished with four birdies apiece on the day. After starting their round with a birdie on the 376-yard, par 4 10th hole, the duo proceeded to register two birdies and one bogey to make the turn at 2-under par 34. It was on their back nine where they turned on the heat. Androlewicz paced his team by posting a birdie on the 515-yard, par 5 1st hole and two straight pars. Smith then took over by playing 2-under par golf through the next three holes. Androlewicz capped off the low round by making birdies on the 6th and 7th holes.

One back of the leaders with a score of 6-under par 66 is the team of Ronald Laverdiere (Hickory Ridge CC) and Keith Burch (Crumpin-Fox Club). Also competing at Maplegate Country Club this morning, the duo managed their round perfectly from the start as Laverdiere's two birdies – on the 10th and 15th holes – were complemented perfectly by Burch's seven pars. The front nine was where the pair made their move up the leaderboard. Following a Laverdiere birdie on the 1 st hole, Burch found his groove by making three birdies – on the 3rd, 4th and 8th holes – down the stretch to cap off the blemish-free round.

Sitting in a three-way tie for third place with scores of 4-under par 68 are Jack Kearney (Elmcrest CC) and Bill Barry (Elmcrest CC), Paul Nunez(Longmeadow CC) and Joe Henley (Longmeadow CC) and James Ryan (The Orchards GC) and Tim Tunstall (Worthington GC). Led by Barry's four-birdie performance, the team from Elmcrest Country Club finished their round with six birdies and two bogeys. Meanwhile, Nunez spearheaded his team's impressive performance by shooting a 3-under par 69 on his own ball and Ryan and Tunstall combined for four birdies and zero bogeys.

Other notable finishers sitting within striking distance of the leaders are 2007 Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Champion Philip Smith (Vesper CC) and his partner Mike Bushnell (Mount Pleasant GC) and nine-time MGA Player of the Year and two-time champion of this event Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Michael McCarthy (Woodland GC).