Keeping score around New England

Pros

Posting a final-round 66 when no one else broke 70, Brent Wanner rolled to a stunning three-shot win in the Rhode Island Open at Green Valley CC in Providence. Starting the 36-hole finale tied for fourth and three shots behind, Wanner shot 70 in the morning to get within two of David Spitz and John Elliott, then he blitzed the field with a 5-under effort to finish at 6-under 205. Jeff Martin of Port Judith CC in Narragansett, R.I., closed 69-70--208 to take second, while Elliott (67-70-73--210) tied for third with Frank Dully of Kernwood CC (70-69-71) and Jim Renner (70-70-70). Spitz and Rod Butcher shared the first-round lead at 66, but went 71-75 and 72-74, respectively, to finish at 212 and tied for eighth.

Elliott, the one-time PGA Tour member, shot a blistering 6-under 66 to set the pace and lead a list of eight players who advanced through a New England Open qualifier at Vesper CC in Tyngsborough. Jerry Courville, a former amateur standout from Connecticut, and Tim Acquaviva of Andover shot 70 and 71, respectively, to also qualify. The New England Open will be held Sept. 12-14 at Lake Winnipesaukee GC in New Durham, N.H.

Jeff Curl of Lake of Isles CC shot a 7-under 65 for an 8-under 208 on his home course to win the Connecticut Open by four strokes over Kyle Gallo of Timberlin CC.

Backing up his opening 4-under 68 with a 72--140, John Hickson scored a two-shot victory over hard-charging Bob Darling and heralded amateur Mark Plummer in the State of Maine Championship at Sugarloaf GC. Darling, a four-time champion, had opened with a 75 before tying the course record with a 67 to make things interesting. Plummer started the second day tied for the lead with Hickson, but ended the day tied with Darling after shooting 74--142.

Three teams shot 70 to share first place in the NEPGA Pro-Lady Championship at Kernwood CC -- Dully and Tami Bane of Kernwood CC; Steve Diemoz and Nancy Diemoz of Montaup; and Jim Sherin and Dana Harrity of Abenaqui. Jack Gale and Mary Gale of Dublin Lake Club shot 72 to tie for fourth with Tom Borden and Joanne Caitlin of Winchendon.

Bill Andrews of Portsmouth CC shot 1-under 70 to edge a trio of players and win an NEPGA pro-am at Pease GC in Portsmouth, N.H.

Women

When the US Women's Amateur gets underway Monday at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind., the field will include a trio of local players. Juli Wightman-Erekson of Chicopee shot 76 to advance through a qualifier in York, Pa.; Susan Choi of Natick prevailed with a 77 at Duxbury Yacht Club; and Alison Walshe of Westford fired a 68 for medalist honors in Lexington, N.C.

Four locals were among 10 who got through a qualifier at The Country Club in Brookline and earned spots into the US Senior Women's Amateur. Roberta Hunt of North Attleboro, Carol Clarey of Seekonk, Bonnie Catto of South Hadley, and Susan Bianchi of Boston will all be teeing it up in the national event Sept. 1-6 in Sunriver, Ore.

Juniors

Antonio Grillo of Farm Neck GC on Martha's Vineyard became the first back-to-back winner of the Massachusetts Junior Championship since Rick Karbowski did it in 1971-72, beating Josh Salah of Gloucester by one shot yesterday at Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston. Grillo, who won by 10 strokes last year, finished with a par 72 for a 216 total. Taylor Fontaine of Pleasant Valley CC finished third after a final-round 69.

Peter Uihlein of Mattapoisett, who last week advanced to the quarterfinals before being ousted in the US Junior Amateur, has been named to his third consecutive Canon Cup, the American Junior Golf Association's premier team event. Uihlein will represent the East, which is playing the West team at Ooltewah, Tenn.

Kim Donovan of Hopkinton finished tied for 25th, while Brittany Altomare of Shrewsbury was T-29 in the annual Betsy Rawls Girls' Championship in Malvern, Pa.

Thomas McCarthy of Tolland, Conn., shot 70-72-73--215 to squeeze out a one-stroke win over Michael Kania of Haverford, Pa., and Mark Pollak of San Antonio in the AJGA Fidelity Investments Junior Classic at Tedesco CC in Marblehead. The girls' competition was won by Eunae Jo of Ridgewood, N.J., who shot 230 and prevailed in a playoff over Kaitlin Drolson of California.

At the Optimist International Junior Championships in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Alex Daley of Hudson finished joint 32d in the boys' 16-18 division. In the girls' 14-15, Allison Eleey of Quincy was T-35.

Charity events

If it's August, it's time for the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund's annual marathon, scheduled for Wednesday at Stow Acres CC's South Course. The 14 previous editions have raised $2.8 million, making it the leading fund-raising golf marathon in the United States with 590 players having played 75,376 holes. More than 40 golfers representing Massachusetts golf clubs and organizations are in the field.

The Cadillac Invitational will be held Aug. 27 at Granite Links GC in Quincy and proceeds will benefit Art beCAUSE, a foundation that funds research dedicated to exploring environmental causes of breast cancer. For information, refer to artbecause.org.

Amateurs

John McNeill of Stow shot a 2-under 70 at Blissful Meadows GC in Uxbridge to win a Boston Amateur Golf Society tournament.

In a Tour of Greater Boston tournament at Granite Links GC in Quincy, Steve Doherty of Brockton shot 74 to earn a four-stroke win.

Compiled by Jim McCabe