Purcell and Kennedy Repeat as Senior Four Ball Champions
NORTH CALDWELL, N.J. - Kevin Purcell and Robert Kennedy became the first back-to-back champions of the New Jersey State Golf Association Senior Four-Ball Championship since 2008 as they conquered the 26th edition of the event Tuesday at Green Brook Country Club in North Caldwell. Purcell made five birdies, as the team fired a 5-under par 66 to beat their closest competitors by two strokes.
“It’s great to be a champion with a friend,” Purcell said. “It makes it kind of special.”
Purcell and Kennedy got off to a strong start, carding birdies on three of their first four holes. After Purcell stuck his approach to tap-in birdie range at the ninth hole, the duo finished the front nine 3-under par. The birdies continued to fall, as Purcell and Kennedy produced two more coming in to finish 5-under par.
“It was a great day,” Purcell said. “I actually started kind of hot. I made birdies at one, three, and four. As we went on, my partner played better on the back side. We just kind of kept it going. It was fun. It was one of those days where it just worked.”
After winning last year’s event at their home club, Forest Hill Field Club, Purcell and Kennedy delivered another strong performance this year even without the home course advantage. This was the first successful Senior Four-Ball title defense since Douglas Fraser and William Care went back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.
“That’s great. Last year they said it was home cooking,” Kennedy said. “It’s good to come out and put it back on the mantle.”
The dynamic duo does it again! 🏆🏆
— NJSGA (@NJSGA1900) August 24, 2021
Kevin Purcell and Robert Kennedy of @FHFC_NJ are our 26th Senior Four-Ball Champs! pic.twitter.com/kELWCHgZoP
Two teams finished tied for second place at 3-under par: Adam Kugler and Stephen Boyd and Paul Manore and David Weiniger. In the net division, Paul Coppa and Ralph Ruggero earned the glassware by carding a net 6-under par. Coppa made a net eagle at the 18th hole to secure the Net Division title.
Tee times were delayed one hour Tuesday morning as the Green Brook staff prepared the golf course for play after the grounds received six-and-a-half inches of rain from Tropical Storm Henri.
