10 Quotes that Defined the 2021 Rhode Island Golf Season
Throughout the course of the 2021 golf season, GolfNewsRI interviewed dozens and dozens people involved in the game of golf in Rhode Island.
From rising stars to current stars to golf course architects, the 2021 season had it all and GolfNewsRI was there to provide some of the best the best coverage around.
With that said, we thought it would be cool to sum up the 2021 season by using some of the great quotes that we got from interviews and podcasts.
Below are the ten quotes that defined the 2021 Rhode Island Golf season:
10. The LPGA Amateur RI Chapter helps women learn the game of golf, Mary-Kate O’Leary discusses:
“It is an amazing group of women who are willing to connect, have patience and teach you along the way and help you belong. The 140 members range from new golfers to those that want to just play with their friends weekly, to competitive golfers that compete against other states.”
9. Golf Course Architect Andrew Green on Wannamoisett, which he is renovating:
“There is a great picture of the third green, that I used to stare at all the time, just thought it was the most amazing short par-3. Great golf courses tend to have them and this one is legendary. But when I walked the property, I was stunned by the variety of golf shots that you are asked to play. It’s a very small piece of ground, par 69, and you hit every club in the bag, your challenged by every shot, it’s a phenomenal test of golf.”
8. Special Olympic Champion Chris Lussier on trying to qualify for the Rhode Island Amateur:
“It would really show that my game has improved from Special Olympics to now. If I qualify, it would prove to fellow special Olympians that if you reach high enough anything is possible.”
7. A big Women’s Junior Amateur win for Kylie Eaton:
“I wasn’t playing that well at the beginning, but I was making putts to stay in it. Then holes 12-14 were the biggest stretch for me, I started to play a lot better. Then from there, I was pretty confident going into the last four holes.”
“I look up to Patrick {Welch} and Davis {Chatfield}. What Davis did at the Four-Ball was cool. Hopefully, I can get to that stage. That’s what I’m looking up too and that’s my goal right now.”
“I’ve been in this incredible slump I would say for the last six years or so. Last time, I think I won anything was 2015, I believe, maybe 2016. That was the last time I played a full schedule where I played in all the USGAs, all the big time national amateur events and all the state stuff. I took a step back for a year or two, but ever since then I have been struggling. Now I’m trying to hit balls again, see what happens. I’m just trying to find it, hopefully I do.”
4. Davis Chatfield on bouncing back from a 7 in final round of Northeast Amateur:
“One really bad shot. I just hit the wrong club, I forced a 5-wood, and I should have hit 3-wood. I shouldn’t have done that. “I played really well, I’m happy with how I bounced back after that, it’s tough to do after the second hole of the day. So I was happy with how I battled today, obviously wasn’t my best, but still ended up being a solid round.”
3. RI’s Will Dickson turns Pro:
“{Georgia Tech}Coach came to me and talked to me about it {staying in school}, but I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought because it was undoubtedly clear in my mind what I wanted to do. I felt I was old enough and experienced enough to just go for it. I’ve been through a lot the last four or five years and decided to move on.”
2. Andrew O’Leary continues to play in RI Amateur, despite its terrible ranking:
“I really like the tournament, I would like the chance to win another State Amateur, I think it’s just a really cool feat. I also feel a sense of loyalty to Bob Ward and all the RIGA guys, Jim McKenna and Joe P, I just kinda like seeing them at least once a summer and interacting with them since they have been good to me in the past. I just don’t want to completely leave them in the dust. I fee like I owe that to them at least.”
1. Bobby Leopold on winning his 3rd RI Amateur:
“This is special. I mean the first couple of times, not that you don’t appreciate it, but you don’t realize how hard it is. The last seven years, it’s been difficult, guys here are good, every time I go up against someone its a tough match. To me, this kind of validates practicing and playing. I still got it and I can still compete.”