This time, Naumec able to complete task

With two successful days of golf completed at Oysters Harbor Club and Hyannisport Club, a little rain couldn’t put a damper on the 49th annual Francis Ouimet Memorial Tournament when it returned to its traditional home of Woodland Golf Club in Newton for yesterday’s final round.

Matt Naumec of Great Horse made the 3-shot lead he built on the Cape stand up, with birdies on two of the final three holes to shoot 1-over 73 and capture the Championship Division at 6-under 209.

The Boston College sophomore delivered a clutch, doublebreak putt on 16 to create a 2-shot swing when playing partners Doug Clapp of Old Sandwich and Jacob Leavitt of Cattail Creek in Maryland bogeyed. Clapp and Leavitt finished in a four-way tie for second at 3-under 212 with Ryan Tombs of Manchester (N.H.) CC and Damon Salo of Bretwood (N.H.).

“(On No. 16) I was able to birdie and it really was a momentum changer for me,” Naumec said. “I was struggling to make a birdie. To make a putt or drop a putt. I was making good putts with good pace, but they weren’t dropping. I was able to make about a 20-footer with a double breaker and it put me in the mindset that I maybe had a chance (to win) even with not knowing where I was and having a great mindset going in (to the final day). Unfortunately, I bogeyed 17, but followed that up with a birdie on 18.”

Peter French (Maplegate), last year’s Championship winner, finished at even par and tied for 12th. In 2015, he had roared back with a final round 66 to take down Naumec, who again led after the first two rounds entering Woodland.

“I was joking around with Frenchie about that,” said Naumec about being able to win this year after failing to get the job done in 2015. “He came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations’ and I said to him ‘ Hey, man, at least you didn’t go crazy on me this year.’ We both played great last year and it would’ve meant a lot to me to win this in my first year, but coming back and performing again means a great deal.”

Dennis Pines’ Joe Walker II won the Lowery/Senior Division after finishing in the top three the past three years. Walker finished with a three-day total of 4-over 219 thanks to a 3-over 75 yesterday to beat Dave Houghton of The Captains by 3 strokes.

In the Women’s Division, Shrewsbury High graduate Julia Ford (Cyprian Keyes) took home the championship by defeating Abigail Hood (Bass Rocks) and Jackie Gonzalez (Charles River) in a three-hole sudden death playoff after they tied at 3-over 75.

It was the second victory in three years for Ford in the oneday Ouimet women’s division. She will attend the University of Virginia in the fall.