10 Quotes That Defined the 2023 Rhode Island Golf Season
Throughout the course of the 2023 golf season, GolfNewsRI interviewed dozens and dozens people involved in the game of golf in Rhode Island.
From rising stars to current stars and golf executives, this past season had it all and GolfNewsRI was there to provide the best coverage around.
With that said, we thought it would be cool to sum up the 2023 season by using some of the great quotes that we got from interviews and podcasts.
In a GolfNewsRI exclusive, Northeast Golf Company’s Robert McNeil on turning Metacomet into Met Links:
“Stay positive about Metacomet because it is going to be special. It’s not a negative story anymore. It’s a positive story now, an exciting opportunity for everyone to walk away from the past and look forward to the future of what this property is going to be.”
GolfNewsRI went to Button Hole and asked Brad Faxon about the sale of Metacomet:
“We certainly didn’t get involved with that to sell it, but there were extenuating circumstances that we didn’t know about, and I can’t talk about right now.”
Bobby Leopold on winning his fourth RI Amateur Title:
“It doesn’t seem real. To be able to get it done, especially to do it again at Montaup where I won back in 2014 is crazy. I just played really steady golf all week. I Played great at the beginning and just tried to get ahead of my matches as quickly as I could and stay that way.”
“For my dad I think, from my perspective, it’s a long time coming that he has been recognized. His contributions extend beyond Rhode Island Golf. For me, this is really about him, celebrating him. He is the one that dug all the trenches and made the Challenge Cup a reality so it’s a cool night for us. Obviously, he isn’t here with us in person, but he is here with us watching over and it’s really cool.”
Brett Quigley opens up about the passing of Devon:
“Devon was like my little brother. He was born 15 years to the day after me. I was with him Saturday and I ended up leaving abruptly because something didn’t feel right. Dana is doing better now; when we spoke Sunday, we couldn’t even talk.”
Olivia Williams dominates the year, winning the RI Girls Junior-Amateur & Women’s Amateur:
“It means a lot. They are both tournaments with the best players in the state, so it means a lot to play good enough to win.”
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t going to play at all this year. I just lost my mom, my wife and I had our first baby. I wasn’t going to play at all, I just was not into it. But I had a very nice conversation with a few people, Jaime Lukowicz being one, my wife, a couple of friends and my sister and they all said the same thing, which was, ‘what do you think your mother would want you to do?’ And that answer is very easy, she enjoyed watching me play and I’m glad I can bring some recognition to her life through my golf.”
“It’s definitely not ideal. Like playing my sister, I would not want, especially in the semi, maybe in the finals. But that is just how Rhode Island Golf is going to go and how the future is going to go for us, so we better get used to it at a younger age.”
“I had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth after the High School State Championship. I didn’t really challenge Seb at all.He played really good, five-under is tough to beat, so I really wanted to get this one and keep the four-in-a-row alive for this tournament.”
Nick Dunlap wins the Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett:
“If feels great. I found out I was playing, I actually wasn’t going to play, it was a lot to get from LA to here, but I had a couple of guys convince me. I heard the golf course was really good and the tournament was unbelievable. I’m glad I went and played.”