2024 Season Ends in Fine Fashion
By Joe McDonald
RIGA Senior Writer
PAWTUCKET – The 2024 championship season is complete.
It ended with Kirkbrae Country Club winning the Robert Mulligan Interclub Team Championship Tuesday at Pawtucket Country Club. Kirkbrae’s Nick Salvatore, Larry Lafauci, Tom McCormick and Michael Hamilton finished 12-over to win the 22-team event.
“It’s awesome,” said Salvatore, who served as team captain since he won Kirkbrae’s club championship. “We had a pretty good day with Tommy, Mike and Larry. Everyone knows they’re great players, so it’s good to get the win for everybody and for Kirkbrae. It’s an awesome club and we all tried our best to bring it home for Kirkbrae. I’m really happy for us.”
Kirkbrae is always well represented during state tournaments and it finished the season strong.
It was also impressive that Connecticut National’s team still competed in the Mulligan only a day after the club suffered a fire and lost its clubhouse, so kudos to Dave Jones, Brian Bardier, Jeff Clang and Nick Hedden.
Below is a recap of our championship season. Thanks to all who competed and we look forward to 2025.
119th STATE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
History was made in 2024.
Bobby Leopold, of Wannamoisett CC, outlasted Michael Hamilton, of Kirkbrae CC, in 39 holes during the 119th State Amateur Championship at Warwick Country Club. Leopold claimed the State Amateur title for the fifth time, including back-to-back years.
It was also the third time in the last four years he’s been crowned champion. He is a step closer to history. He became only the fourth player to win the State Amateur five times, joining Daniel Fairchild, Robert W. Allen and Cameron P. Quinn. Fairchild posted six state championships between 1907 and 1921, while Allen won five times between 1949 and 1960. Quinn, who is considered by many to be one of the best local amateur golfers of all-time, won in 1956, 1962, 1966, 1967 and 1971.
“We all strive to play to his level,” Hamilton said after the two walked off the course after 13 grueling hours. “He does it at the state level, at the regional level, at the national level, so we all strive to be where he is and when you see the type competitor he is, and also how good of a guy he is, it’s tough because he’s never going to give you anything and that’s how (championship match) was. I made five birdies on the second 18 and I still didn’t win the match.”
Leopold said the feeling is mutual for his opponent in the championship match, and of his five State Amateur victories, this one was the toughest for several reasons.
“Mike played great,” Leopold said. “It was a really good match. This was by far the hardest. Mike’s like playing myself, but he hits it a little further than I do and there are times I think if I was a little taller, I could hit it as far as he does. I don’t’ think I’ve come up against such a tough opponent. Mike threw everything he had at me. It was just a hell of a day.”
75th FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The team of Mike Caparco and Jamie Lukowicz, of Agawam Hunt, produced an incredible 69-62 – 131 (11-under) to win the championship at Rhode Island Country Club. Lukowicz is a past State Amateur champion (2020), Mid-Amateur champion (2014, 2015) and Stroke Play champion (2018). After several attempts with other partners, he finally lands the Four-Ball Championship with Caparco, a first-time RIGA winner.
“If feels great,” Caparco said after their victory. “I felt going into this tournament if we played our best golf there could be only a couple of teams that could compete with us. We came pretty close last year, and played good the year before and we finally got it all together this time.”
31st SENIOR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP (GROSS)
Chris O’Neill and Brian O’Leary needed a little bit of Irish luck to capture the 31st edition of this championship at Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club. Thanks to an outstanding 40-foot putt by O’Neill, they outlasted the teams of Peter Alofsin/Luke Hyder and Chris Roloff/George Potsidis to win the championship on the second playoff after each team finished tied at 4-under for the tournament.
31st SENIOR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP (NET)
The Senior Four-Ball Net Championship is one of the most popular events on the RIGA circuit. This year’s field enjoyed two perfect days at Agawam Hunt and the winners took advantage of the conditions. The team of Tommy o’Oliveira and Richard Rotelli shot 58-67 – 125 (13-under) en route to the championship, outlasting second-place finishers Edward Caputo and Mark Lapin by two strokes.
WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Emily Brooks became a two-time winner of the championship after defeating Morgan MacLeod, 1-up, Aug. 9 at Wannamoisett Country Club. It was an outstanding match by both competitors and finished with Brooks winning her second state title, matching her 2021 victory at Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club, which is her home course.
“It’s surreal right now,” Brooks said after winning her second title.
In the Net Division Championship, Jill Lancaster, of the USGA/Rhode Island Golf Club, defeated seasoned veteran, Mel Hebert, of Glocester Country Club, 5&4.
SENIOR AMATEUR/STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Angel MacLeod, of Wannamoisett CC, became a two-time Senior Amateur champion with her victory at Pawtucket Country Club. She shot an 81 (8-over) to claim her second title. She also won in 2023 at Kirkbrae Country Club.
Kylie Eaton, of Kirkbrae CC, shot even-par 73 to win the Stroke Play Championship at Pawtucket CC to add to an already impressive resume.
105th JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Lily Dessel etched her name alongside the likes of Olivia Williams, Kylie Eaton, Gianna Papa and Lauren Dohoney as state champions. Dessel, 17, of Barrington, defeated Williams, a two-time champion, 4&3, to claim the state championship at Pawtucket Country Club.
“It feels really good. I really wanted to win this one,” Dessel said. “Coming into it I wanted to stay confident in my mindset and stay steady throughout the week. That was my plan and (in the final) I wanted to get an early lead and it worked out pretty well. I felt really good coming into today and I really wanted to win this one. I know Olivia is a really good player and we play a lot together, so definitely someone I wanted to beat. I’m pretty happy about it, but she’s fun to play with and it’s always a good match.”
On the boys’ side, many expected Max Jackson, of Pawtucket CC, to become the first junior player to win four consecutive titles, but he lost his quarterfinal match to Ian Dunham, of Fenner Hill. So, that meant there would be a new champion in 2024 and Jesse Hellring, of Miami Beach, Fla., earned that distinction. He defeated Brayden Dickinson, of Jamestown Golf Club, 3&2, for the win.
“It just feels so great,” Hellring said. “It was a good day and awesome to win. Brayden’s great. He’s the nicest guy in the world, good player and hits it really well. It was great playing against him.”
Hellring, 17, spends his summers with his grandmother, who lives in Smithfield, and this was his first RIGA event. He’s also a a member at Wannamoisett Country Club.
66th SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
North Kingstown Golf Club was the setting for impressive victory by John Drohen, who needed three playoff holes to defeat Bruce Heterick. Both golfers finished the two-day championship 71-73 – 144 (4-over) until Drohen, of Alpine CC, won in the playoff. Bill Vine, of Crestwood CC, shot 69-76 – 145 to win the Super Seniors division, while Thomas Evans, of Shelter Harbor GC, carded a 72-80 – 152 to win the Legends division.
41st STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Larry Lafauci defeated Mike Caparco in a sudden-death playoff to post victory at Ledgemont Country Club. Lafauci narrowly won, but grinded through the 36-hole round on the second day before finishing in a tie with Caparco (2-over), which forced a playoff hole. In the Senior Division, Darren Corrente shot 3-over (69-76 – 145) en route to victory.
26th JOHN P. BURKE MEMORIAL
It was only a matter of time before Austin Cilley won the RIGA circuit. He finally broke through with a playoff victory over Jonathan Pannone at Green Valley Country Club. Cilley shared co-medalist honors after Round 1 with Jeff Delucia (6-under 66) on a near-perfect day at Newport CC. Conditions changed during Round 2 and Cilley’s lead dwindled and needed to par No. 18 to finish 1-under overall and force a playoff with Pannone. Cilley won on the second playoff hole.
David Marshall, of Quinnatisset Country Club, shot a two-day total of 67-75 – 142 to claim the Senior Division title.
31st MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHP
The Misquamicut Club’s Brendan Lemp finished the two-day championship 65-69 – 134 to post the victory on his home course. Lemp was the medalist after Round 1 and held off a late surge by Newport Country Club’s John Hayes, who shot a 64 during Round 2 to finish 3-under for the championship. Lemp made an incredible 40-foot birdie putt from off the green on No. 17 to improve to 4-under. He finished with a par on No. 18 to win his third-career RIGA championship, including 2009 Junior Amateur and the 2015 John P. Burke Memorial.
The conditions were perfect for the two-day championship. Temperatures soared towards the 80s, the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The wind was nearly non-existent as the American, Misquamicut Club and RIGA flags hugged the flag pole atop the property. It felt more like a mid-summer’s day than Oct. 22-23. Safe to say, and the players agreed, it was the best two days of the entire club season.
“It’s a phenomenal piece of land. The weather has been unbelievably good. You couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Bruce Heterick, who won the Senior Division of the championship. “The golf course is great. You’ve got all the history with (architects) Willie Park, Tom Bendelow, Seth Raynor and Donald Ross. It’s just a pleasure to play. It’s in such great shape and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a place you can’t get bored of playing day after day.”
Overall, Heterick is pleased with the overall season.
“It was great,” he said. “The RIGA events I played – State Am, Senior Am and Mid-Am – were wonderful. I played good golf in those. We were very lucky with the weather at Warwick CC, North Kingstown GC and here. (The RIGA) runs good tournaments and the fellowships great. I played with four really good people over the last two days and I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
61st NORTHEAST AMATEUR
Newcomer Anthony Delisanti won the 61st edition of this championship is dramatic fashion. He needed five playoff holes to defeat Bryan Lee at Wannamoisett Country Club. Delisanti posted rounds of 64-68-71-62 – 265. It was the first time the Northeast Amateur needed extra holes to decide the winner since Justin Shin beat Jordan Russell in a 3-hole aggregate playoff in 2012.
44th U.S. SENIOR OPEN
The State of Rhode Island and Newport Country Club did itself proud during the summer when it hosted the 44th U.S. Senior Open.
Richard Bland outlasted Hiroyuki Fujita in a four-hole playoff to win the championship. Afterwards he stood on the green, glanced out at the water with the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy in his hands.
“It’s been absolutely fantastic,” Bland said of his week-long experience in Rhode Island. “What a beautiful place to come play golf. The course, as soon as I saw it, I loved it. The town is such a great place to just go out, get a coffee and watch the world go by. What a beautiful part of the world. Hopefully I can come back soon.”
Rhode Islanders Billy Andrade, Brett Quigley and Brad Faxon were the de facto hosts for their golf brethren and all three were proud to showcase their home state.
“Simply amazing,” Andrade said after the championship. “Everything I imagined would happen, happened. It was an unbelievable course, setting, Rhode Island, Newport, it just makes me feel very proud to be a Rhode Islander.”
The entire championship experience for Rhode Island, Newport Country Club, the USGA, the RIGA, players and fans was so incredible that there’s been preliminary discussions about another event returning to the Ocean State.
TIME FOR R&R
It’s been a trying calendar year for RIGA legendary starter Joe Pieranunzi. He battled and won a few battles against cancer this season. He’s a true ironman at 85-years-old and all the players love and respect Joe P. Normally, he’s disappointed when the season ends, but he’s ready to decompress, rest and prepare for 2025.
“I enjoyed this season,” Joe P said. “I’ve been enjoying it for 25 years. Now is a case of I’m going to wind down – mentally and physically. This is something I’ve been doing for a long time and I love it, but I’m glad this season is over and I’ve never said that before. My intention is to rest and get ready for next season.”
See everyone in 2025.