Keeping score around New England

Backing up a first-round 6-under-par 66, Steve Sokol maintained control with a 72 yesterday to post a three-stroke victory in a Golfers Warehouse tournament at Newport National GC in Rhode Island. The victory was worth $5,500. Adam Rainaud of South Hadley, who recently turned pro after a collegiate career at Louisville, shot 73 -141 to finish second, while former Hopkinton High School star Bradley Keegan closed 72 -142 to take third.

With a sizzling 33 on his homeward nine, Chip Johnson of Hatherly CC shot 3-under 69 to squeeze out a one-stroke win at Falmouth CC in the third tournament of the NEPGA Ahead Stroke-Play series. Paul Parajeckas of Pleasant Valley CC was second, while five players tied for third at 71 - John Hickson of Dick's Sporting Goods; Ed Kirby of Alpine CC; Rusty Gunnarson of Rochester CC; Aaron Marks of Misquamicut; and John Fields of Belmont CC. Parajeckas and Brian Golden of Bosse Sports & Health Club took the blind draw pro-pro with a 65 and Parajeckas earned senior honors, edging Gunnarson by a stroke.

Through four events in the summer series, Pembroke native Justin Peters is 11th on the Gateway Tour money list with $8,217. For the winter, spring, and summer seasons, Peters has played in 20 tournaments and sits 13th on the money list with $51,134. Jamie Neher of Weston is 18th with $47,394.

Cole Childs of Holliston put together rounds of 74-75-71 -220 to score a two-stroke win in the boys' 16-18 division in a Callaway Golf PGA Series tournament at Ranch Golf Club in Southwick. Branden Chicorka of Enfield, Conn., nearly came all the way back from an opening 80, but a closing 69 -222 left him two off the lead and tied for second with Dan Fanion of Westfield (75-71-76). In the boys' 13-15 division, Daniel Banks of West Suffield, Conn., finished with a 71 -221 to rally for a win over Michael Werenski of South Hadley (76 -222). On the girls' side, Kristen Garabedian of Wells, Vt., shot 73 -223 to post a five-stroke win over Christina Vosters (73) of Bethany Beach, Del.

David McAndrew of Barrington, R.I., and Rhode Island CC, finished tied for eighth with rounds of 70-71, then marched through two wins in the match-play portion of the North & South Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C. McAndrew was ousted, 3 and 2, in Round 3. Jesse Speirs of Bangor, Maine, qualified with rounds of 71-74, but lost his first-round match, and likewise for A.J. Oleksak of Feeding Hills and the University of Hartford, who was upended, 5 and 4, after getting through with rounds of 71 and 74. Peter Uihlein of Mattapoisett shot 74-74 but failed to make it into match play.

The 100th Massachusetts Amateur will commence Monday at The Kittansett Club in Marion. Starting times can be found on mgalinks.org.

Gerry Dickhaut of Waltham shot 77 to win a Tour of Greater Boston tournament at Whaling City GC in New Bedford.

Bill Hutchins of Somerville shot 76 and posted a two-stroke win in a Boston Amateur Golf Society tournament at Marlborough CC. At Sandy Burr in Wayland, there was a tie for first at 73 between Johnathan Law of Wellesley and Jeff Mucciarone of Westwood.

In the recent Women's Eastern Golf Association Amateur Championship at DuPont CC in Wilmington, Del., Tara Joy-Connelly of Duxbury shot 80-76-76 -232 to finish tied for 11th. Kerri Connolly of Duxbury shot 242 and was joint 24th. Also taking part in the three-day tournament were Mary Chamberlain of South Dennis (243), Meredith Kotowski of Marion (249), Catherine Shomo of Rutland, Vt. (258), Sarah Whitney of Hingham (259), and Alison Cowles of East Longmeadow (268).

Alison Walshe of Westford will try to defend her title when the 106th Women's North & South Amateur gets underway Monday in Pinehurst, N.C. The prestigious field will also include a number of New Englanders: Joy-Connelly, Connolly, Chamberlain, Chelsea Curtis of Mashpee, Kim Donovan of Hopkinton, and Molly Aronsson of Shelburne, Vt.

The fourth Massachusetts Senior Open gets underway today at Holden Hills CC. The winners from each of the first three previous years - Michael Grigley of Southwick, Parajeckas, and Fran Marello of Plymouth, Conn. - will tee it up in the 36-hole competition.

In a competition that began last Thursday but didn't end until the next day, Parajeckas and Mo Guttman each shot even-par 71 at Red Tail GC in Devens, then prevailed in a playoff to earn the two available spots into the US Senior Open. Chuck Frithsen of North Reading also shot 71, but was ousted in a playoff that stretched into the following morning, thanks to a suspension in play because of dangerous weather. Joe Stansberry of Minnetonka, Minn., shot 72 to secure second alternate. The US Senior Open will be held July 31-Aug. 3 at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Putting down their bats and gloves for one of their annual golf outings, longtime softball enthusiasts from Lexington showed they can transfer their talents from the diamond to the links. There were two foursomes of players who traveled to The Links at Outlook in South Berwick, Maine, and what they brought home were two memorable shots. The first was by Frank Procopio of Lexington, who used a 4-hybrid to ace the 183-yard eighth hole. Next came Rob McCulloch of Woburn, who doubled the fun when he used a wedge to make a hole-in-one at the 125-yard, downhill 14th hole. "Luckily, two of the players had cameras, so we got great photos," said Procopio, who had never made an ace. "I've been waiting a long time, over 22 years. I finally made one."

John Coughlin of Watertown used a 7-wood to ace the 188-yard eighth hole at TPC Boston.

The list of area aces includes one made by Dave Eastwood at Pembroke's 11th hole.

Kaitlin Coons of Wilbraham, a senior-to-be at Minnechaug Regional High School and a standout player out of Springfield CC, has verbally committed to the University of Indiana.

The Driving 4 Life Invitational will be held at TPC Boston in Norton Aug. 11, with proceeds benefiting the quest to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Founded in 2003 by Tom Watson and his caddie, Bruce Edwards, along with Jeff Julian and his wife, Kim, Driving 4 Life is a campaign that has brought hundreds of people into contact with the ALS Therapy Development Institute in Cambridge. Golfers who take part in the invitational will receive a one-day pass to this year's Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston. To register or for information, call 877-345-4249 or refer to driving4life.org.

More than $50,000 will be donated to support breast cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute after a one-day Jimmy Fund tournament at the Ridge Club in Sandwich called "The Queens and Kings Charity Day." Sixty-two men accepted invitations from 62 women to play.

The Louis Bailey Golf Outing at South Shore CC in Hingham raised $21,000 for the Arc of South Shore, which runs programs for children, adults, and families of those with developmental disabilities.

Compiled by Jim McCabe