BROCKTON, Mass – Over three days, three courses, 54 holes and some hostile weather conditions, the high-profile father-son team of Steve Tasho Sr. and Steve Tasho Jr. pulverized the competition in the 81st edition of the Brockton City Four-Ball, winning by a whopping 14 strokes over the runner-up team of Jason Cook and Sean Fitzpatrick, while setting a few records along the way.
The father-son duo from Easton posted a 22-under par total for three days, which began with an insane 59 at D.W. Field Golf Course on Friday June 21, that included 9 birdies and one eagle. The pair shot 4-under 68 at Brockton Country Club, then blew the field away again with a 7-under 63 in the final round at their home course Thorny Lea.
It was a memorable and somewhat emotional weekend for Steve Tasho Sr., a two-time State Amateur champion (1981 & 1985), with a prominent three-decade long resume of wins in top amateur events throughout New England.
“It’s always nice to win, but it’s extra special to win with your son as a partner,” said Tasho after signing his scorecard of 63 at Thorny Lea’s scorer’s table. “We both played great all three days. We hit a lot of greens and had a lot of looks at birdie and converted quite a few. The first round 59 set us up to be in control, but sometimes it hard to follow a crazy round like we had on Friday. It was a team effort that worked out fine.”
For Steve Jr., a senior at Bryant University, the win tops one of the best golfing weeks of his young career. On June 17 he qualified for the 2019 Mass Amateur, held at Plymouth CC, with medalist honors of 1-under 69 and will advance to The Country Club July 15-19. Steve Sr. also qualified shooting 1-over 71 and will be in the field for the Bay State’s premier amateur event.
“We started strong today with a few birdies early and just kept focus,” said Steve Jr., who has been working with swing coach Shawn Hester to get his handicap down to scratch. “We’ve won a few father-son tournaments together but the competition here keeps getting better, so it’s nice to come out on top.”
Team Tasho took a five-stroke lead into the final round over 2017 and 2018 champions, Steve Burak and Jason Clary. The team, and many others, struggled mightily at Thorny Lea due to tough pin placements and other factors not conducive to low scoring. They shot 4-over 74, for a three-day 6-under par total of 206 and T-3.
Paired together for the first time, Jason Cook of Brockton CC, and Sean Fitzpatrick of George Wright GC, fired solid rounds of 66-70-68-204 for an 8-under total.
The group of five teams at T-3 included Brockton CC pro Rob Bradley/Ryan Riley; Greg DiBona/Matt Montt; Bill Jones/Greg Brastow; Armando Rosa/Bruce Barboza; and Burak/Clary.
Thorny Lea head pro Tim Watroba and Jeff Wojtuski finished fourth at 5-under par.
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The Field Division had a new winning team but familiar names – Brad Steever and Mike Bryan – who lost in a playoff last year to Joe Izzo and Tom Butler. The longtime friends put together rounds of 70-68-72-210 total to edge Nick Carter and Billy Argus’ 2-over par 54-hole total of 214.
“We came here wanting to win after losing a playoff last year and we are both very happy about the way it ended,” said Mike Bryan, whose last major win was a club championship title at George Wright GC in 2004. “The course played tough today so we are happy shooting 72 in the final round.”
Brad Steever is a part time recreational golfer with a 6 handicap and full-time police officer. He was thrilled with the victory but knows the team has graduated and will play in the Seeded Division next year.
“It’s always nice to win and we’ll take time and enjoy it,” Bryan said while holding his new glass vase given to each winner. “Next year we’ll be back and ready to compete with the big boys in the Seeded Division and we’ll be ready for the challenge.”
Rounding out the top-5 teams are Josh Gurman/ Bill Spellissy at 215 for third place. While Gerry Squires/ James Ashcroft and Kurt Calderwood/Ed Gianni posted 216 for T-4.
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