In their first-ever appearance on a national stage, the Old Rochester Regional High School golf team added to its 2022-23 legacy last week with a top-10 finish in the July 17-19 PGA National High School Boys Invitational Tournament.
The Bulldogs, who earned their invitation to the Frisco, Texas, event by winning the MIAA Division 2 state tournament last fall, finished in a three-way tie for ninth place with Boston College High (the MIAA Division 1 champion) and the Utah representative.
Markus Pierre, Braden Yeomans, le Gassick brothers Philip and Peter and Gabe Deblois represented ORR, as each of the 50 competing schools was limited to five players. Each team’s top-four scores were factored over three 18-hole rounds played on different par-72 courses in the area.
“We started on the hardest course,” said ORR Coach Chris Cabe, whose team began on July 17 at the Fields Ranch East Course, where Pierre and Philip le Gassick shot rounds of 78, while Yeomans shot an 83 and Deblois a 91. Peter le Gassick’s 92 was left out of the tally.
ORR was ranked 27th after the opening day, but the Bulldogs picked up their play as they went.
“The kids got down there the prior Thursday,” when Cabe said they played three practice rounds, followed by the tournament Monday through Wednesday of last week.
ORR played its Tuesday round at Tribute Golf Links, which Cabe said resembled St. Andrew’s with its wide-open fairways. Philip le Gassick led the ORR with a 1-under-par 71, while Pierre shot 72, Yeomans 75 and Peter le Gassick 78 (Deblois shot 80).
The Bulldogs climbed to 19th place overall entering the final round played last Wednesday at the Fields Ranch West Course, where Yeomans and the le Gassick brothers shot rounds of 76. Pierre shot 78, while Deblois shot 88.
The champion from Georgia had its top players finish 1-2 as individuals with respective 5-under-par and 4-under-par scores.
Leading ORR in individual scoring, Philip le Gassick’s 9-over-par total tied him for 38th, while Pierre finished 53rd overall among 312 golfers competing.
Massachusetts was also represented by Division 3 state champion Weston, which finished 29th overall.
This is the first year the PGA Nationals have been held in Frisco, Texas, home of a new PGA center and soon to host the PGA Championship major on the tour calendar.
“It will be a memory they will have for the rest of their lives,” said Cabe, who will have two of the five competitors back when the Bulldogs reconvene for the 2023-24 fall season on August 21 at The Bay Club.
Yeomans will be a senior and Peter le Gassick a junior. Rising sophomore Brady Mills, also a member of the Bulldogs’ state-championship team, will join them.
By Mick Colageo