Dessel Achieves Lifelong Dream
By Brady Garthee
USGA Boatwright Intern
RUMFORD – It’s not every day one gets the opportunity to play in the Northeast Amateur Invitational. For Harry Dessel, playing in this tournament was both a blessing and a learning experience.
Posting a first-round score of 73 (4-over), the young phenom from Barrington needed a bounce-back second round to put himself in a spot to compete and make the cut come Friday. Those plans were postponed after logging a second round-score of 77 (8-over). Bringing Dessel to a two-round total of 150 (12-over). Friday was the day for Dessel to make a final push to make the cut and have a shot at playing on Saturday.
The front nine was Dessel’s worst enemy. Falling victim to hole No.5 and making a double-bogey, the hole was getting deeper and deeper. Ending the front-nine with a score of 37 (even par on front nine is 34). But the storm was weathered on the back nine, posting a score of 34 (even par on back nine is 35).
The final nine holes of his experience at Wannamoisett were memorable. Making par on every hole with the exception of a birdie on 14, Dessel was very efficient to end the round. He finished with a three-round-total of 221 (14-over).
His time at Wannamoisett was one that he wishes he had back. Going into the week, Harry was “playing good” and “was expecting to compete,” but he “drove it poorly.” Dessel’s game is built around his length off the tee, but most of his time on the golf course was in the rough, which made it hard to capitalize on mistakes made.
With Dessel out of contention for the weekend, the only option now is to look ahead.
After tasting the NEA once, Harry is eager to get another shot. His plan is to win the State Amateur, Player of the Year, or the New England Amateur.
But above all of the highs and lows, it was a family affair for the Dessels.
Bill Dessel, Harry’s father, made sure he took vacation from work to caddie for his son. Talking about Harry and the Northeast Amateur Invitational, Bill said, “It’s literally been a dream (for Harry). I used to take him here on Friday nights (during the Northeast Amateur) and he used to go to the long-drive contest. The fact that he’s in it is a dream.”
The Dessels were joined by a familiar face Friday.
North Carolina State’s Joe Lenane, of Dedham, Mass., has played many events when they were competing as junior golfers. For Bill Dessel, it was refreshing to see Harry and Joe paired again in tournament play. “They’ve been together since they were 10. They work so hard at it, so it’s awesome. It was great.”
Looking ahead to the future, Harry looks to correct the driving woes he had this week to get himself back on track for the rest of the summer and the fall season with Lafayette College.
“I think my misses on the first two days were really exaggerated and it kind of helped to show me what I guess technically or mechanically a flaw in my swing and to address it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The next time Harry tees it up with the RIGA will be the Rhode Island State Amateur which he will try to use the lessons learned at Wannamoisett and pass with flying colors at Warwick CC.