Parziale putts way to 3rd Ouimet
AUBURNDALE — Matt Parziale worked the overnight shift with the Brockton Fire Department and didn’t get home until 7:45 yesterday morning. He got a couple of hours of sleep and headed to Woodland Golf Club for the final round of the 50th Francis Ouimet Memorial Golf Tournament.
Turns out he didn’t need much sleep.
Parziale shot 1-under par to finish 7-under for the threeday event, becoming only the second three-time Ouimet champion. Bobby Leopold finished 2 strokes behind.
“Today was kind of the same round I played at Brae Burn,” said Parziale, referencing the first-round venue in West Newton where he shot 1-under. “I didn’t play great, but I putted good the whole three days and that was the difference.”
Yesterday, Parziale was at even par through 10 holes, birdied Nos. 11 and 12 and bogeyed 13. He parred 14, 15 and 16 and on 17 delivered the dagger: a birdie putt from the fringe of the green on the 378-yard, par 4.
“I putted good all three days,” said Parziale. “I made a great putt on 17. That was a long one. That’s kind of the only reason I hung in there today.”
Parziale’s biggest day came Thursday when he shot 5-under in the second round at The Country Club in Brookline.
Parziale said the first time he played in the tournament in 2006, he just wanted to make the cut.
“I was thrilled the first time I was able to play,” he said. “And then I was lucky enough to win in 2009 and then again in 2013. I never thought I’d win one, never mind three.”
Already in 2017, Parziale has won the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship, Amateur Invitational and the Massachusetts Amateur. He credits his success to more practice.
“I put a lot of work in early in the year which is unlike me,” said Parziale. “I’m playing good rounds. Even when I’m not hitting it good I am scoring well and that is the key.”
In the women’s division, Jacquelyn Eleey, a rising senior on the Georgetown University women’s golf team, shot par to take home the title. It’s her second firstplace finish in two weeks after winning the New England Women’s Golf Association Championship last week.
“It feels good to have back-to-back victories,” said Eleey. “I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and I had a lot of tap-in pars which was good. To have won is great. It’s awesome.”
Jim DiBiase won the senior division after shooting 3-over-par for the tournament. He had a big advantage in yesterday’s final round — as a member of the club he’s played Woodland numerous times.
“I was able to manage my game a little bit better here,” DiBiase said.