THE FOURTH ANNUAL JOE MERRILL INVITATIONAL GOLF CLASSIC

Scarborough, Maine, 8/12/00.

The fourth installment of the historic Joe Merrill Invitational Golf Classic (JMI 2000) proved to be a record-shattering event. Under partly cloudy skies that defied the dire predictions of rain, a course softened by the wettest summer in recent memory yielded unprecedented low scores under some intense competition.

Team Higgins, a foursome of strapping young gentlemen appearing for the second time after failing to field a full squad the previous year, led the assault on the storied Willowdale Golf Course. Behind the steady play of Drew Turnbull and Dave, whose last name escapes me, the Higgins team fired a total of 153 under the best-two-balls-of-four format, shattering the tournament record by six strokes and besting the second-place finishers, Team Kwiatkowsky, by eight (also a tournament record). Brock Kwiatkowsky, the captain of the team bearing his name, realized that the core of his team needed some help if they hoped to contend. And help he did find in the person of Mark Hall, the first professional ever to enter this event. Mr. Hall shot a 74 to brake the long-standing tournament record, previously held by Drig Fournier, by one stroke and capture the coveted Cup bearing Fournier's name, symbolic of the low gross score for the tournament.

Led, as always, by the Brothers Matero, Team Matero, heretofore perennial runners up after capturing the inaugural event, followed with a 163, good for third place. Despite missing the crown once again, Tim Matero continued to fill out his golfing paraphernalia with a variety of JMI 2000 prizes, thanks to his long drive and closest-to-the-pin awards. Team Fournier led the second division teams, finishing fourth with a disappointing 169. The disappointing play of Drig Fournier, who struggled to an 87, cost the team any real chance to compete. Following in fifth place was Team Collins, a beefy crew indeed who came in at 172. Last place, alas, was left to Team Merrill, captained by Joe Merrill, the tournament's visionary, who once again failed to field a squad of effective ringers. As putt after putt failed to fall on hole after hole, the heroic struggle was lost, and the Merrill foursome staggered in at 173.

All in all it was a grand day of competition, as not only did the winning records fall, but the scores on the high end of the spectrum were also lower than ever. Evidence Team Merrill and the Sandbagger Award, captured by Dave Fournier at 116, the first time no player in the tournament exceeded 120.

Following are team and individual scores and awards:

Team Higgins (Team Score 153):

Dave Marr	80
John Higgins	108
Bill Higgins	105
Drew Turnbull	77

Team Kwiatkowsky (161)

Earl Conrad	106
Colt Kwiatkowsky	102
Mark Hall	74
Brock Kwiatkowsky	98

Team Matero (163):

Scott Sancomb	112
Tim Matero	84
Dave Matero	86
Doug Austin	107

Team Fournier (169):

Dave Fournier	116
Don Fournier	93
Drig Fournier	87
Alan Lippman	106

Front: Chris Fournier, Dan Fournier (caddies)

Team Collins (172)

J.P.	110
Greg Collins	94
Russ	89
Frank	99

Team Merrill (179)

Joe Merrill	105
Rick Martel	100
Paul Fazio	103
Rich Stanley	91

Individual Awards:

Award	Winner	Prize
Long Drive, #2	Drew Turnbull	Golf Shirt
Closest to the Pin, #7	Tim Matero 15' 3"	Downeast Energy Vest
Long Drive, #10	Tim Matero	15 Top Flites
Closest to the Pin, #15	Greg Collins	Putting Pal
Sandbagger	Dave Fournier, 116	"Golf is not a Game of Perfect"
MVP (spread vs. teammates)	Mark Hall, 24 strokes	JMI 2000 Hat
Drig Fournier Cup (low score)	Mark Hall, 74	Drig Fournier coffee mug

Mark Hall, Tim Matero, Greg Collins, Drew Turnbull

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