A historic weekend has simply come to an in depth. The Doug Flutie Jr. Basis for Autism simply hosted the biggest by autism, for autism music pageant on the earth. As part of the weekend of festivities, the Basis’s STARS of the Spectrum Golf Tour held its second match of the 12 months at Granite Hyperlinks in Quincy, Massachusetts.
What went down this weekend goes past profitable and shedding. A golf neighborhood is forming inside the Flutie Basis, and I’ve had the prospect to witness the makings of it. Our golfers spent your complete weekend collectively and it was an unbelievable bonding expertise for them.
“Each time I see these guys, it’s like coming dwelling to household,” golfer Ian Kelley mentioned. “We carry out the most effective in one another. Now we have loads of enjoyable collectively. We chortle. We smile. We speak. It’s identical to dwelling.”
That didn’t change the truth that the competitors on the golf course was nearer than ever. Preserve studying to learn how your complete match unfolded, and what’s subsequent for the tour. Word that the match was scored utilizing web rating, which displays all scores described under (except in any other case specified).
Steele enters with a bang
Daniel Steele is the tour’s latest golfer, and it was unknown how he’d stack up with the competitors. Nonetheless, Steele put himself within the lead inside only a couple holes after a birdie on gap 1 and a par on gap 2.
It was clear early on that even when Steele didn’t find yourself in 1st place, he’d be proper within the warmth of the competitors all through the day. Steele has been training along with his dad for hours at a time, and it seems to be paying off!
Steele’s success continued after his early lead with this robust strategy shot on the third gap.
Issues get tight
Steele remained close to the highest of the leaderboard for a lot of the match, however issues acquired very shut very quick. As the 2 hour mark of the match approached, 9 golfers sat inside 3 strokes of one another on the leaderboard. This included a 4 approach tie for first place between Steele, Thomas Cleek, Tyler Lagasse, and Carter Bonas. A birdie by Lagasse on the third gap was a driving think about his early success:
Ryan Lewis additionally put up a formidable begin and was simply 1 stroke out of first place by way of 7 holes. See my interview with Lewis carried out on the STARS of the Spectrum Music Pageant on Saturday under:
Klumb’s birdie streak
By 6 holes, Klumb was 3 strokes out of first place, which had him in ninth on this insanely tight leaderboard. Nonetheless, Klumb acquired right into a groove down the stretch of the entrance 9 and birdied three consecutive holes to take the lead. Right here’s a few pictures from Klumb’s ninth gap efficiency:
Klumb’s day had not began off on the strongest notice, as he double bogeyed the primary two holes to begin +4. Nonetheless, his spouse and plus-one on the course, Sara Klumb, helped him keep calm and centered down the stretch.
“My spouse Sara advised me to recenter myself and neglect about these two holes, after which I acquired right into a groove,” Klumb mentioned.
Klumb had a formidable whole of -1 on Holes 3-9. This stretch positioned Klumb atop the leaderboard on the halfway level, and set the stage for Klumb to have his shot at a prize.
8:30 Group speeds to the end
The 8:30 tee group on this match consisted of Anthony Adelizzi, Bonas, and Kelley, and this trio was taking part in considerably sooner than our different two tee teams. Because the 8:40 and eight:50 teams had been simply starting the again 9, the 8:30 group was within the homestretch.
Kelley was lagging behind the pack in his first 9 holes, ending the entrance 9 +12. Nonetheless, Kelley turned it on within the again half with birdies on 4 out of the 9 holes. Right here’s just a few pictures from his birdie on the par 5 gap 17:
Kelley was -3 on the again 9 to complete the day with 80 web strokes (+9). This led the 8:30 tee group. Try my post-round interview with Kelley right here:
Adelizzi and Bonas additionally completed robust, contributing to the quick tempo of this group down the stretch. Right here’s a putt from Bonas and an extended drive by Adelizzi that helped them out in the previous few holes:
Along with competing in golf, Bonas ran a desk promoting his personal merchandise at Saturday’s STARS of the Spectrum Music Pageant. I caught up with him about his sales space and his efficiency on the occasion:
Whereas the 8:30 group had an excellent day, the 8:40 group was arguably performing even higher, they usually had two holes remaining as soon as the primary group was performed.
A Useless Warmth within the 8:40 Group
Because the 8:30 group completed, the 8:40 tee group (consisting of Vincent Egan, Klumb, Lewis, and Steele), had been starting to catch as much as them. Heading into gap 17, Steele led the pack, however Klumb was proper on his tail. On this gap although, it was Vincent Egan who took the highlight.
After touchdown just some ft from the opening in 2 strokes on a par 5, Egan landed this putt that positioned himself proper into the combo:
With a stroke subtracted on account of handicap, Egan completed the opening with a web albatross.
Heading into the ultimate gap, Steele narrowly led at +5, with Egan and Klumb proper behind at +6 and +7, respectively. Nonetheless, Steele needed to decide up his ball after double bogey, and Egan simply barely missed the opening on a putt from the perimeter, leaving him with a tap-in for bogey. Klumb’s par was sufficient to make it a three-way tie for the lead because the 8:40 group completed their day. Nonetheless, the 8:50 group nonetheless had one final likelihood to catch up.
Lagasse proper on high three’s tail as 8:50 group wraps up
Because the 8:50 group (consisting of Lagasse, Cleek, and Peter Condon) headed into gap 18, Klumb, Egan, and Steele had completed their days at +7 within the prior group. Tyler Lagasse stood proper behind at +8. A Lagasse birdie would flip this three approach tie right into a 4 approach tie, and an eagle would win him the match outright. Whereas it could be an uphill battle, Lagasse nonetheless had an opportunity to win this entire factor.
Sadly, this last gap was robust for everybody within the 8:50 group. Lagasse was capable of handle par with a robust putt, however would have wanted to chip in for birdie to have an opportunity on the high 3 on this match.
Lagasse completed in 4th place as he remained at +8, and the tour’s tiebreaker guidelines can be used to settle the three-way tie on the high earlier than closing ceremonies.
Cleek and Condon had been barely behind Lagasse on web rating, however Cleek led the pack on gross rating, capturing an 83. Condon additionally put up a pleasant efficiency, ending with a web +14.
“[I felt like my performance] was fairly strong,” Condon mentioned. “It was enjoyable taking part in with Thomas and Tyler.”
Klumb comes out on high, wins trophy belt
After the golfers’ scores had been put by way of tiebreakers, it was decided that Scott Klumb had completed in 1st, adopted by Steele in 2nd and Egan in third, placements that had been introduced at a closing ceremony held on the stage at Six Strings Patriot Place. Steele and Egan every obtained a trophy made by Gregory Chabolla from Gregory’s Particular Creations. The chief in gross rating from every tee group (Kelley, Egan, and Cleek), gained extra trophies from Gregory.
Because the match’s winner, Scott Klumb gained a customized trophy belt from TrophySmack.
I had an opportunity to meet up with Klumb at Jersey Mike’s the day after the win. Try the total interview right here:
Whereas Klumb completed with the victory, it was a robust day for all 10 of those golfers, and the closing ceremonies had been a possibility to have a good time every considered one of their accomplishments. Beneath is the match’s leaderboard that was introduced stay.
Whereas the match had concluded, the weekend had solely begun for these golfers.
Golfers take pleasure in weekend of STARS of the Spectrum festivities, stay up for what’s to return
The golfers had the prospect to spend extra time collectively over the following couple days, grabbing a meal at Jersey Mike’s and going bowling the day after, and making an look on stage alongside myself on the STARS of the Spectrum Music Pageant.
On stage, the golfers had a chipping competitors for the prospect to win Jersey Mike’s or a Get Air outing for varied autism charities. I had the prospect to do play-by-play for the competitors with STARS Fest emcee Britini D’Angelo as my colour commentator.
These golfers are all very excited to see one another when the following in-person match takes place in 2025. Within the meantime, the 2024 season might be accomplished with two distant tournaments: one on a neighborhood golf course of the golfer’s alternative, and one at a golf simulator. Who’s within the working for the season title to this point? Try the up to date season leaderboard to seek out out:
Personally, I’m very proud to have been concerned within the group and protection of this match, and stay up for remaining concerned. I’d prefer to thank the Doug Flutie Jr. Basis for Autism for making this all doable, and our golfers, households, volunteers, and host golf programs for every thing they’ve performed for this tour. Extra is to return very quickly.
