×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

North’s Zimmerman rallies to keep crown

By Hector Longo - Sports Writer | Oct 21, 2019

Telegraph photo by HECTOR LONGO NAshua North's Bryce Zimmerman holds this year's championship trophy after successfully defending his title at Beaver Meadow in Concord.

CONCORD – After three days of golfing struggles here this summer, Bryce Zimmerman owed Beaver Meadow Country Club a little payback.

The Nashua North junior got off to a rugged start, almost destined for more disappointment there, then ripped it and played as good as it gets for his second straight NHIAA State Division I

championship.

Trailing by two shots coming into Round 2 on Sunday and four shots back on the third tee, Zimmerman hung six birdies on the board between holes 9 and 15 to blitz the field and win by two shots.

With a two-under par 70 on Sunday, Zimmerman finished at 142 (-2), two shots better than Hanover’s Jack Meehan and Salem’s Evan Desjardins, who tied for second at 144. First-round leader Jack Pepin, the NHGA Junior Amateur champ, was fourth at 146.

“There’s definitely some redemption. I historically never play well at Beaver Meadow,” said Zimmerman, who was in contention here on the same course in the State Junior Am, only to card a 78 in the final round and fade out to 11th. “Starting here bogey-bogey. I wasn’t feeling too confident about myself either yesterday. I put myself in a terrible position. But this was a whole different story.”

For holes 3-through-8, Zimmerman fought himself and the course, hunting for a plan.

He found the answer lied in his wedges and putter, which simply came alive.

“The birdie on nine started the run, and after the front nine, I was tied with Jack and trailing Evan by one,” said Zimmerman. “I knew I had to make a move. I made a great putt on 10 and great putt on 11, both like 30-footers. And then my play was stellar with birdies on 13, 14 and 15.”

Zimmerman carded the five birdies on the back side and took over as Pepin struggled. Bogeys on the 16th and 18th hardly mattered.

“That was a lot of fun going head to head there with Evan on the back nine. It feels really good to repeat,” said Zimmerman. “That was the plan heading into the tournament. Having a three-shot lead into the last hole, I had a lot of confidence.”

Zimmerman’s high school season may be done, but his golf season in it. He’ll head into the Ocean State Junior Amateur next weekend in Rhode Island and play one more event before taking his sweet swing indoors to the simulators at Nashua Country Club for the winter months.

But be assured, he’s already thinking ahead. He has the opportunity to join Laconia’s Douglas Hounsell (1949-51) and Keene’s Chelso Barrett (2010-12) as the only three-time NHIAA champs in history.

“The first thing I was thinking last year after winning was defending,” said Barrett. Three in a row would be pretty cool.”

Elsewhere in the Division I field, Alvirne’s Noah LeClair finished off his superb freshman campaign with the Broncos by placing fifth.

LeClair posted a two-day total of 74-73 – 147. At 79-84 – 163, Nashua North junior Chris McQuinn tied for 15th.

Division II

All the divisions played the individual event at Beaver Meadow on Sunday, and due to this week’s storm, the Division II tourney was only 18 holes.

Saint Thomas High School’s Owen Himmer claimed that title with a 77. Hollis Brookline High teammates Grady Sturges and Aaron Brown tied for sixth, eaching shooting 84s.

Milford’s Ryan Cavanaugh was 10th with an 87. Also competing were: T16. Ethan Cockerill, Souhegan – 97; 18. Jacob Dube, Milford – 98; 20. Quade Bell, Souhegan – 103.

Division III

Nashua Country Club’s Russell Hamel, a Pelham High School sophomore, won the Division III title at 72-71 – 143.

Brookline’s Colin McCaigue, competing for the Derryfield School, was the top area finisher, taking third in Division III at 75-75 – 150.

His Derryfield and Amherst Country Club teammate, Gunnar Senatore, of Bedford, was fifth at 73-88 – 161.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *