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| (Tour Director Andrew Dearborn and 2006 Captains Open Champion Michael Harris ) |
BREWSTER, Mass., (September 8, 2006) – Michael Harris, who finished first on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 2005, shot a 7-under par 65 on Friday to close out a four-stroke victory at the sixth annual Captains Open – his third career victory on the New England Pro Golf Tour.
The 28-year-old resident of Shorewood, Wis., and former two-time All-American at Michigan had just one bogey in finishing 19-under par – matching what is believed to be the lowest 54-hole score in the Tour’s six-year history. Harris, who took a three-shot lead into the final round, birdied four of the first six holes and was never threatened en route to the $17,150 first-place check – largest in Tour history.
Tele Wightman of Chicopee, Mass., made a 15-foot putt at the 18th to finish 15-under par. Jeff Gallagher of Henderson, Nev., finished third at 14-under.
“This was big; just awesome,’’ said Harris, who shot 65-67-65. “It was such a good week. I hit it really solid and even when I missed, I was able to get up-and-down just about every time.’’
The three-day, 54-hole tournament at Captains Golf Course in Brewster, Mass., was the eighth stop on the 2006 schedule for the New England Pro Golf Tour – the premier developmental golf tour in the country – and featured a Tour-record purse of $112,500.
Tour money leader Geoffrey Sisk of Marshfield, Mass., who made the cut on the number, shot 68 to finish joint 25th and push his season earnings to $78,078. Brent Wanner of Orleans, Mass., led four Cape Cod players with a final-round 69 that left him eighth. Jim Hallet (South Yarmouth) and Michael Carbone (Brewster) finished joint 25th, while Ken Lewis (South Dennis) took 40th.
But no one could catch Harris, who birdied three of the first four holes and four of the first six en route to matching Shannon Sykora’s 54-hole Tour record, shot at Passaconaway Golf Club in Litchfield, Mass.
“He kind of shut the door there,’’ said Wightman, who recorded his first top-10 finish of the season. “We knew going in that we were going to have to go catch him, but he separated himself pretty quickly.’’
Harris’s previous NEPGT titles include the 2003 Red Tail Open and the 2005 LeBaron Hills Open. That last title came in the middle of a remarkable three-month span in which Harris won six times – including consecutive events on the Canadian Tour. Harris made the cut in every tournament he entered last season – including the Canadian Open and Buick Open on the PGA Tour.
This season, Harris has played three Nationwide Tour events, including a tie for eighth at the Scholarship America Showdown in July. He’s played six Canadian Tour events with a pair of top-10 finishes. He qualified for the U.S. Open. His last victory came in July at the Michigan PGA Boyne Tournament of Champions.
“I tried to play very aggressive this week,’’ Harris said. “I was hitting it so well, and my short game was so good, that there was no reason for me not to shoot at just about every pin. It was a great feeling.’’
The Tour now is off for a week before heading to Montreal September 19-21 for the first Bonjour Quebec at Club de Golf I’lle de Montreal’s South Course.