Harry Dessel Birdies 18 to Win RI Stroke Play Championship
Harry Dessel rolled in a two-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the Rhode Island Stroke Play Championship at Valley Country Club on Wednesday.
“It feels great. Three times I lost in the finals of the Junior Amateur, finished second in this tournament before and obviously lost in the finals of the Am this year. So to finally break through and win a RIGA event, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Dessel told the media after the round.
Dessel and Tyler Cooke were tied at three-under par heading into the final hole when Dessel stuck it close and rolled in the putt.
“In the past, especially this year in college, I would miss like two of those a round. So I was really made sure I hit a good putt there,” said Dessel.
This is the second straight year in which the runner-up at the RI Amateur bounced back with a win at the RI Stroke Play Championship just a few weeks later.
Dessel lost to Bobby Leopold in the Rhode Island Amateur Championship match back in July and now comes back with this win.
Dessel’s Final Round
Dessel got off to a hot start in the final 18 holes with three birdies on the first five holes.
However, back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes saw him fall back of leader Tyler Cooke.
The former Moses Brown star would string together a handful of pars, including an amazing up and down on 12 from the 16th green, before a bogey on 15 would have him be two shots back.
Dessel would bounce back with a birdie on 16, while Cooke would bogey 17 to fall into a tie for the lead.
Cooke made par on 18, while Dessel made birdie.
Senior Stroke Play
Rhode Island legend Paul Quigley won the Senior Stroke Play Championship by one shot over Brian O’Leary.
Quigley finished at three-over for two rounds.