Hanefeld’s putting powers him to title Massachusetts pro earns 3-stroke win

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PORTLAND – Kirk Hanefeld of Bolton, Mass., has an arrangement with the people who run The International Golf Club where he is an assistant pro.

“I can play in as many tournaments as I want,” he said. “I haven’t taken advantage of that opportunity as much as I could have.”

That may be good news for the rest of the New England pros as Hanefeld shot a 7-under-par 65 at Riverside Municipal Golf Course on Saturday to win the 87th Charlie’s Maine Open for the second time in three years.

Hanefeld finished with a three-day total of 20-under 196, three strokes ahead of runners-up John Connelly of Oregon, Ohio, and Rob Oppenheim of Andover, Mass.

Connelly, who started the day tied with Hanefeld, shot a 68, while Oppenheim, the second-round leader, posted a 69 for their 199s.

Hanefeld’s score was one off the Maine Open record set by Mike San Filippo in 1991.

William Link IV of Acton, Mass., was fourth at 201 after shooting a 66 Saturday. He was followed by Rich Parker of Lebanon, N.H., Todd Westfall of Clendenin, W.Va., and Jerry DiPhilippo of Gorham at 202. Parker shot 67, Westfall 68, and DiPhilippo 69.

Low amateur was Will Robinson of Cumberland, who just graduated from Greely High School in June. He posted a 69 Saturday for a 206, beating Jesse Speirs (67-208) of Bangor by two strokes.

Hanefeld put all of the credit for his win in one place.

“For me, the difference between 5 under and 20 under is putting,” he said.

The evidence to back it up was on his scorecard.

He jammed in a 20-foot birdie putt on the first hole to stay one behind Oppenheim, who also birdied, then rolled in an 18-footer on the second hole to tie for the lead.

Hanefeld grabbed the lead on the fourth hole, a 167-yard par 3, by draining a 12-foot downhill putt for his third birdie in four holes.

He led the rest of the way, but it was a one-stroke margin on both Connelly and Oppenheim until they went to the back nine because all three parred the last four holes on the front.

Hanefeld opened it up on the next two holes.

“I made a good three on 10, and I stiffed it (knocked his approach shot close) on 11,” said Hanefeld.

On the short par-5 10th, Hanefeld sank about a 14-foot putt for eagle, while Oppenheim birdied and Connelly parred. Hanefeld birdied 11, also, but Connelly parred it and Oppenheim made bogey, and the lead ballooned to four shots.

“My only hiccup came on the next one when I three-putted,” said Hanefeld. “I felt pretty comfortable coming in.”

He birdied the par-5 13th and par-3 15th, parred the rest, and nobody could catch him.

“He never made any mistakes,” said Connelly. “We all played solid. He was just better.”

Connelly birdied 16 to get within three, and Oppenheim birdied 16 and 17 to do the same, but simple pars by Hanefeld were good enough to win.

“I had chances for birdies today. I think putting was the letdown,” said Oppenheim, the leading money-winner on the Cleveland Golf Tour this year.

“When that went in,” said Hanefeld of his 10-foot birdie putt on 15, “I had a four- or 5-shot lead, and I knew, unless I threw up on myself, I was going to win.”

Hanefeld was a little surprised that his 65 was the day’s best round.

“I thought it was going to be lower than that,” he said. “After what was shot the first two days, I expected to see a 62 or 63.”

Hanefeld also won his previous tournament, the Rhode Island Open at the end of July.

“I was 14 under,” he said, then paused. “I won by six.”

These successes have him looking ahead to qualifying school for the Champions Tour for players 50 and over.

Hanefeld said, “If I can shoot 20-under every time …”

Connelly, who was also runner-up in the ’99 Maine Open when Kyle Gallo defeated him a sudden-death playoff, wishes him well.

“I’d like to win this sometime. Maybe he’ll stay home next year,” said Connelly, smiling.

MAINE OPEN

At riverside GC, Portland

Final Results

(a-amateur)

Kirk Hanefeld 67-64-65-196

Rob Oppenheim 67-63-69-199

John Connelly 64-67-68-199

William Link IV 68-67-66-201

Rich Parker 69-66-67-202

Todd Westfall 69-65-68-202

Jerry Diphilippo 66-67-69-202

Brent Wanner 63-69-71-203

Brennan Webb 64-71-69-204

Jeff Gallagher 69-69-67-205

Jim Salinetti 67-70-68-205

Justin Goodhue 64-71-70-205

Marc Lawless 68-68-69-205

Joe Cunninghan 71-67-68-206

a) William Robinson 64-73-69-206

Shawn Matthews 71-70-66-207

Jim Hallet 69-69-69-207

Mike Baker 69-69-69-207

a) Jesse Speirs 69-72-67-208

Sean Gorgone 70-70-68-208

Joey Iaciofano 68-70-70-208

Mark Digiacomo 70-67-72-209

Matt Donovan 69-66-74-209

Jimmy Burke 71-71-68-210

a) Mark Plummer 72-70-68-210

Kevin O’Connell 69-71-70-210

Scott Ford 69-72-70-211

Greg Sandell 66-74-71-211

David Spitz 71-68-72-211

a) Ricky Jones 71-68-72-211

a) Keith Patterson 70-70-72-212

Ken Lewis 69-70-73-212

James Jones 69-69-74-212

Joe Clark Jr 65-71-76-212

Don Robertson 74-69-70-213

Deane Beman 73-68-72-213

Bob Darling Jr 68-72-73-213

George Goich 67-73-73-213

a) Thomas Bean 74-72-68-214

a) Jason Gall 70-74-70-214

David Cummings 69-73-72-214

Scott Guild 75-68-71-214

Corey Brigham 70-72-72-214

Joshua Truman 73-68-73-214

Mike Ryan 72-71-72-215

a) Lance Libby 70-73-72-215

a) John Bauman 73-71-72-216

Derek MacAllister 72-71-73-216

Bennett Steele 70-72-74-216

a) Marc Merrill 71-72-74-217

a) Gary Manoogian 76-70-72-218

Barry Dear 74-69-75-218

a) Bryce Fearon 72-71-75-218

Josh Allard 72-71-75-218

Ron Bibeau 69-72-77-218

a) Eric Higgins 73-73-73-219

a) Corey Poulin 71-71-77-219

Bob Tramonti 69-73-77-219

a) Brian Schindler 73-72-76-221

a) Keegan Fennessy 74-71-76-221

a) James Veno 70-75-77-222

a) RJ Ochs 72-74-79-225