Two local course professionals, Mike Dugas of JW Parks in Pittsfield and Don Roberts of Waterville Country Club, played in the New England PGA Championship this week at the Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H. While neither played as well as he would have liked (Dugas tied for 36th place while Roberts missed the cut for the third and final day of the tournament), both said the New England championship is a great event.

“It’s the one tournament we all want to go to,” Roberts said. “You see your friends. You network.”

“It’s nice to see the guys and catch up with them. I’ve made a lot of good friends playing in it over the years,” Dugas said.

Roberts said he’s played in approximately a dozen New England PGA championships. Three years ago, he qualified for the national club pro championships at Hershey, Pa.

“I try to go every year, depending on what we have going on at (Waterville Country Club),” Roberts said.

This was Dugas’s fourth New England championship appearance and he’s qualified for nationals twice, last June at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and last year at the Sun River Resort in Bend, Oregon.

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The Golf Club of New England was a challenging course, Dugas said. The length of the course, 7,200 yards, coupled with strong winds on the first day, led to a lot of high scores. The average first round score was 84.5. Steep-faced bunkers also were a danger.

“If your ball ended up going into that, you might as well take an unplayable,” Dugas said.

Maine golfers did well in the tournament. Shawn Warren of Falmouth Country Club, the 2013 New England PGA winner, tied for second place with Jeff Seavey of Samoset. They were three strokes behind winner Rich Berberian.

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Team Maine had a strong showing at the New England Junior Championship, finishing third behind winner Massachusetts and runner-up Connecticut.

Recent Maranacook Community High School graduate and Natanis golfer Luke Ruffing had the low score for Maine, shooting a three-round 219 to finish in a tie for eighth place. Gavin Dugas of Maine Central Institute and JW Parks shot a 221 to finish tied for 12th.

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Other Team Maine members were Will Kannegeiser of Martindale (222), Reese McFarlane of Purpoodock (224), Drew Powell of Penobscot Valley (224), Drew Kane of Nonesuch River (236) and Daulton Wickenden of Samoset (244).

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Lawrence High School senior Kelsie Dessent won the Janet Drouin Memorial Open at Natanis earlier this week. Dessent, who also won the state junior title earlier this summer, shot a two-day score of 158 to defeat Liz Wiltshire by two strokes.

Dessent had four birdies in the tournament, and was even par of the final nine holes of day two to clinch the win.

Jean Cassidy had the low net score, 137.

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With his baseball eligibility complete, Waterville’s Josh Gaudette is ready to try a new sport. This fall, the Husson University senior will join the school’s golf team.

“I’ve got to stay competitive somehow,” Gaudette, who drove in 23 runs for the Eagles last spring, said.

Gaudette took up golf three years ago and fell in love with the sport.

“It’s a challenge to yourself,” Gaudette said.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM


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