Ryan Gay is gearing up for what will be a busy summer playing golf across the Northeast and Canada. A Pittston native and graduate of Gardiner Area High School, Gay went pro a couple years ago after winning three Maine Amateur championships in four years.
“My schedule is really starting to get busy,” Gay said.
This week, Gay played the Cape Cod Open. On Wednesday’s opening round, Gay shot a 3-over par 74 at the Old Barnstable Fairgrounds course. While he wasn’t happy with his score, Gay made the cut for Thursday’s final 36-hole day at Hyannis Golf Club.
“It was really windy in the afternoon. Wind was a huge factor,” Gay said Wednesday night.
Gay shot a 77 on Thursday to finish the tournament at 151.
Gay plans on playing each New England state’s open tournament this summer, as well as some PGA Canada qualifying tournaments. Gay hopes to play well enough to earn a sponsorship, as well as a spot on one of the mini-tours, the Web.com tour, PGA Canada, or PGA Latin America, which plays throughout South America.
“I’d really like to go down there. There’s a lot of Americans playing there,” Gay said. “It would be fun. It would be a good experience.”
Gay plans to play in two Maine tournaments in July, the Greater Bangor Open (July 22-25 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course) and the Charlie’s Maine Open (July 27-28 at the Augusta Country Club). Last year, Gay shot a one-under 69 to finish the Maine Open tied for 20th. Gay has played more rounds at Augusta than any course in Maine. When it comes to playing tournaments there, that experience is good and bad.
Playing midweek with friends, when the pin is usually placed right in the middle of the green, is a lot different than tournament play, when the course is playing tougher, Gay said.
“I’ve been playing (Augusta) since I was 7. I think I put a little more pressure on myself,” Gay said. “I start to press too much. It’s going to be tougher and I need to accept that and use my course knowledge to my advantage. I just need to put a couple good rounds together and give myself a chance to do well.”
Prior to the two Maine tournaments, Gay plans on playing the Quebec Open in mid-July.
Gay won his first Maine Amateur title in 2008 at Biddeford-Saco Country Club. He won back-to-back Maine Am titles in 2010 (Kebo Valley Golf Club) and 2011 (Portland Country Club). Gay was runner-up to Jesse Spiers at the 2009 Maine Am, played at Martindale Country Club.
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The Samuel C. Leigh Memorial golf tournament is June 27 at Natanis. The tournament benefits the Samuel C. Leigh memorial scholarship.
A United States Marine and a Messalonskee High School graduate, Leigh was killed in 2009 when the plane on which he was a crew member was struck by a U.S. Coast Guard plane off the coast of San Diego.
The Samuel C. Leigh scholarship provides higher education assistance for graduates of Messalonskee and Forest Hills high schools. The tournament is a four-person scramble format. The entry fee is $360 per team or $90 for an individual. Check in is 10 a.m., with an 11 a.m. shotgun start.
Prizes will be awarded for overall score (first, second and last place), as well as awards for closest to the pin, longest drive, straightest drive, and longest putt. For more information or to register online, go to majorleighmemorialscholarship.com. The cutoff date to enter is June 20.
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The Maine State Golf Association’s Father/Son Championship is Sunday at Natanis. The tournament is a two-man, alternate shot format.
Last year, 46 teams participated. Dan and DJ Honan tied for the win with Jim and Scott Stone, with a gross score of 75. Along with the overall winners, there are awards given by age groups.
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Chip shots: Sable Oaks of South Portland won the MSGA club championship last Sunday at Belgrade Lakes. Sable Oaks finished three strokes ahead of 2014 champ Martindale… The First Tee of Maine Invitational tournament is Monday at The Woodlands Club in Falmouth. Registration is at 11 a.m., with a noon shotgun start.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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