Kirk Hanefeld & Greg Farland Capture NEPGA Pro-Pro Match Play Championship

LINCOLN, Rhode Island – Kirk Hanefeld (Salem CC) and Greg Farland (Marlborough CC) captured the 2019 New England PGA Pro-Pro Match Play Champions knocking off four-time defending champions Troy Pare (Ledgemont CC) and Jeff Martin (Wollaston GC) 2&1 in the championship match on May 15 at Kirkbrae Country Club.

Hanefeld and Farland knew they would need birdies in bunches to knock off Pare and Martin, and came out of the gates firing, making birdie on their first four holes to build an early 3-up lead. The teams traded birdies on the fifth, sixth, and seventh holes, leaving Hanefeld and Farland 2-up through seven.

“We knew we were going to have a struggle today with Troy and Jeff,” Hanefeld said after the championship match. “They’re a great team and have been for a long time. My partner certainly played awesome today. Greg came through in the clutch this afternoon.”

The pair built the lead back to 3-up through 13 holes, but Pare and Martin would not go down without a fight, winning the 14th with a birdie to get to 2-down. After both teams birdied the 16th, the match was dormie heading to the 17th with Hanefeld and Farland 2-up. Hanefeld and Farland both missed the green, but Hanefeld chipped to within inches of the cup and par was conceded. Pare and Martin both gave their birdie attempts a run, but neither converted, giving Hanefeld and Farland the 2&1 win.

“To play a team like Troy and Jeff we knew we were going to have to make some putts, and we did this afternoon,” Farland said. “The putter got hot today and Kirk is always in the hole which makes it easy to get aggressive with the putter and anybody can make some putts when you’re playing with this guy. It was a lot of fun out there.”

2019 NEPGA Pro-Pro Match Play

Semi-Final Match Results

Jeff Martin (Wollaston GC) & Troy Pare (Ledgemont CC) defeated Tom Tobey (Sandwich Hollows GC) & John Hickson (Bath CC), 2 & 1

Final Match Results

Kirk Hanefeld (Salem CC) & Greg Farland (Marlborough CC) defeated Jeff Martin (Wollaston GC) & Troy Pare (Ledgemont CC), 2 & 1

www.nepga.com

(CREDIT: New England PGA Staff)