Ouimet Fund honors Jacobsen

Peter Jacobsen was in his element last night.

No, he wasn't on the golf course, where he has made his living.

But he was among golf fans, which is where he feels most comfortable.

Honored as the 11th winner of the Francis Ouimet Award for lifelong contributions to golf, the 52-year-old PGA Tour veteran was the featured guest at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

Close to 1,400 people attended the Ouimet Scholarship Fund's 57th annual banquet, and in Jacobsen, they heard one of the PGA Tour's grandest ambassadors, a player who always felt it was important to mingle with corporate sponsors and paying patrons.

Now playing primarily on the Champions Tour, Jacobsen won seven tournaments in a PGA Tour career that is in its 30th year. The wins span from his first in 1980 to his most recent, just three years ago when he was the 49-year-old victor in Hartford.

Jacobsen said the Ouimet Award was particularly gratifying because he considers himself a historian and knows of the impact Ouimet had with his stunning victory in the 1913 US Open at The Country Club in Brookline.

''I love to play golf, I love the competition," said Jacobsen. ''But I also love the stories within the game."

Slowly but surely, the NEPGA is getting closer to crowning its pro-pro match-play champions for 2006. Rained out May 2, the semifinals were held yesterday at LeBaron Hills CC in Plainville, but the final had to be postponed. Frank Dully of Kernwood CC in Salem, paired with Gary Young of Pleasant Valley CC, rolled in a 25-foot birdie at the 18th hole to secure a 1-up win over Sue Bond (Weekapaug CC in Westerly, R.I.) and Beth O'Kelly (Black Rock CC in Hingham). In the other semifinal, the gents from Bay Pointe CC in Onset, Mick Herron and Tom Tobey, beat Terry O'Hara (Cyprian Keyes) and Scott Hickey (Norton CC), 2 up. A date for the championship match has not been set.

The second and final round of the State Four-Ball was washed out at Dennis Highlands yesterday. The round will now be played on the Cape Cod course June 26. Defending champions Steven and Peter Alminas of Elmcrest have a one-shot lead.