Mass. Players of the Year: Brennan, Carey, Frodigh earn honors
Colin Brennan
NORTON, Mass. (Nov. 27, 2012) -- Colin Brennan (Indian Ridge CC) — a senior at Johnson & Wales University (FL) — was named the 2012 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year.
The MGA Player of the Year Point System recognizes competitors who perform well in MGA, NEGA, USGA and other selected regional events during the course of the season.
In July, the 23-year-old from Andover advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2012 Massachusetts Amateur Championship, where he was co-medalist at the championship proper; he was one of four to finish 36 holes of stroke play at even-par 140 at Tedesco Country Club, along with Dan Falcucci (Cyprian Keyes GC), Mike Calef (Brockton CC) and Jack Whelan (Myopia Hunt Club).
Brennan won his first two matches, before losing in the quarterfinals to Ben Spitz (George Wright GC), 1 up. In the 2011 Massachusetts Amateur Championship, Brennan earned medalist honors by three strokes.
Later in July, he posted a T5 finish in the 2012 New England Amateur Championship with a score of 71-69-72-76—288. In August, Brennan chalked up two impressive wins, while setting records in each event.
In the North Shore Amateur Golf Championship, he shot a 7-under-par 65 to set a course record at Far Corner Golf Course (on the 18-hole Fox and Heron combination course); his 72-65—137 final score resulted in a four-stroke victory.
He went on to win the Tarlow Invitational at Thorny Lea Golf Club with a tournament-record score of 8-under 132 (68-64); his six-stroke win included a 6-under-par 64 to set the tourney record for a low round. Brennan is the 22nd competitor to win the Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year honor since the award was introduced in 1976.
Brennan finished with finished with 689 points, while Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich GC) was second with 542 points. Nine-time Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) came in third with 538 points.
Michael Kim |
SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Carey (Dennis Pines GC)
Kevin Carey (Dennis GC) added another honor to his already-impressive golf resume.
Following a season in which he enjoyed success on the local, regional and national levels, Carey was named the 2012 George M. Cohen MGA Senior Player of the Year. He finished the year with 695 points, which was 350 points more than his closest competitor.
Carey began the senior amateur season in May with a victory at the Massachusetts Senior Four-Ball Championship. It marked the second straight season that Carey won that title with partner Ray Richard (Willowbend).
In September, Carey finished T12th at the 2012 New England Senior Amateur and then finished 2nd in the Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship.
In October, he advanced to the Round of 32 in the USGA Senior Amateur and then competed for the victorious Team Massachusetts in the 2012 Tri-State Matches.
Michael Kim |
JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Patrick Frodigh (Dedham C&PC)
Patrick Frodigh (Dedham C&PC) won his first MGA Championship this season and followed that up by being named the 2012 Christopher Cutler Rich MGA Junior Player of the Year.
Frodigh, the senior captain of the boys' golf team at Westwood High School, won the 2012 Massachusetts Junior Amateur in August by a four-stroke margin with a score of 4-under par 67-73-69—209.
During that critical final day of competition, Frodigh capped off a memorable week of golf by firing his approach shot on the 358-yard, par 4 18th hole to four feet. He drained the birdie putt – his 12th of the championship – to earn the right to have his named etched on the Charles E. Mason Trophy.
It marks Frodigh's second title in the previous 10 months as he won a Future Collegians World Tour event held at Notre Dame University in October 2011.
The left-handed player also won the 2012 New England Junior PGA Championship. He also has received All-Scholastic golf honors from both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.