GREENLAND – Jabe Felch had competed in the Seacoast Amateur golf tournament on a handful of occasions going into Friday’s 44th edition of the storied Seacoast golf championship.
Up until this year, Felch, a member at The Oaks Golf Links in Somersworth, had never made the cut. But on Sunday, Felch found himself playing in the final group and being one putt away from winning his first Seacoast championship.
More: McLaughlin captures third Seacoast Amateur golf championship in three-way playoff
Entering the 18th hole in Sunday’s third-and-final round at Breakfast Hill Golf Club, Felch had a one-stroke lead on Nick McLaughlin. Felch missed a five-foot putt that would’ve won the tournament. He ended up bogeying the hole and McLaughlin parred, setting up a three-way playoff with Harvin Groft.
Felch, Groft and McLaughlin played the 18th hole again to begin the sudden-death playoff. Felch and Groft both bogeyed the hole, while McLaughlin parred, winning his third Seacoast Amateur golf championship.
“That putt (in regulation) hurts, it was just a short putt and I putted good all day,” said Felch, who had just two bogeys all Sunday, both coming on 18.
Felch birdied the par-4 15th hole and took a one-shot lead over McLaughlin, who carded a double bogey. Felch held the lead until the 18th hole.
Felch, in his best Seacoast Am finish, tied for second with Groft with a three-day total of 220. He carded a first-round score of 77 on Friday at Portsmouth Country Club, and a 70 on Saturday at Pease Golf Course before Sunday’s round of 73.
“I struggled hitting off the tee, but I hit my irons, wedges and putted really well,” Felch said. “It was fun, and I had a good time. Just wish I could’ve won … I just missed that last one on 18 which hurt; four-footer, five-footer, whatever it was, just pulled it. “
Felch credited a lot of his success this weekend to being familiar with all three courses.
“It was a good setup, I am familiar with Portsmouth,” Felch said. “My father was a member at Pease, so I grew up playing there, and I usually always shoot well at Breakfast Hill, so it was like the perfect storm of courses for me, really.”
Felch said he doesn’t even know if he’s broken 80 before in his previous Seacoast Amateur appearances but put in extra work and preparation gearing up for this weekend.
“Just working on stuff when I went out to play,” he said.
And there was something else that was a slight change for Felch in recent weeks.
“I started wearing two gloves, maybe three weeks ago,” Felch said. “My hands were getting sweaty. I don’t think I’ve ever shot over a plus-6 since wearing the gloves, so I just stuck with it.”
Keith Stone, a member of Pease Golf Course, had a five-stroke lead after Friday’s first round, and held firm to capture his first Tony Loch Senior Championship.
Stone shot an 11-over 225 over the three days, outlasting Tony Fournier (231), Joel Johnson (231), John Mumford (237) and Kevin Doherty (240).
“It was really fun playing at three different golf courses,” Stone said. “I think I actually won on Friday to tell you the truth, because I had such a good round at Portsmouth.”
Stone shot 73 at Portsmouth Country Club on Friday, and followed with a 75 on Saturday and a 77 on Sunday.
“Today, I just played how I should play the course,” Stone said. “I didn’t play that great, but I played the course and didn’t think about the lead.”
Stone said he treated Sunday’s final round like the New Hampshire Amateur that he will be competing in next week.
“Tournament golf is just so much fun to play in,” Stone said. “If you get complacent, bad golf happens … it was great (to win). I’m excited and it feels good to win. Any time you win something, it’s exciting.”
Playing in his first Seacoast Amateur Golf Championship, 14-year-old Grey Gagnon of Portsmouth proved he belonged.
After making the cut on the number Gagnon, a rising sophomore on the Portsmouth High School golf team, went out and shot an even-par 71 on Sunday. The only player who went lower was Harvin Groft who posted a 1-under 70 to get himself into a playoff.
Connor Allard was the only other player to shoot 71.
“I wasn’t really sure about how the competition was going to be,” said Gagnon, who is believed to be the youngest player to tee it up in the Seacoast Am. “It’s good. It’s strong.”
Gagnon’s round Sunday consisted of birdies at 1 and 3 and bogeys at 15 and 17. After hooking his drive on 1 into the trees he got a fortuitous bounce and made birdie.
On 3 he chipped out of the left rough to within 15 feet and made the putt for another birdie. He then made 11 straight pars before the bogey at 15.
“I like multi-day events,” Gagnon said. “Just with the best players in the Seacoast is a good test.”
He shot 81 the first day at Portsmouth Country Club and 77 on Saturday at Pease, his home course.
“It was fun,” Gagnon said. “I’m definitely going to do it next year. It’s just fun meeting all the new players from around the Seacoast that I never really met before and just playing in a full-field tournament with the best players from around here is really good.
