Daigneault Sets Wilbraham Country Club Course Record
DAIGNEAULT SETS NEW COUNTRY CLUB OF WILBRAHAM COURSE RECORD
By Russ Held
Neil Daigneault of Ludlow feels very comfortable
using a new putter.
And wait 'til he breaks it in - he hasn't had to use it that much.
Daigneault needed only 22 putts while firing a 7-under-par 65 to set the course record from the white tees at Country Club of Wilbraham July 22.
"I have so much confidence with it," Daigneault said of his Odyssey Black Series Mill putter.
Good thing for the putter, because Daigneault had never played the newer back nine at CC of Wilbraham, and he hit only 10 greens in regulation.
Daigneault made six birdies and an eagle, after starting on the 12th hole in the shotgun tournament.
Daigneault birdied four of his first five holes, including two on putts in the 20-25 foot range.
"I started to think about it a little, being 4-under after five," Daigneault said. "I just wanted to make it to the front, where I knew the golf course."
Daigneault followed his hot start with five straight pars, the last
three coming courtesy of saves from five feet.
His only bogey came at the par-4 fourth hole, when he missed a 10-foot putt to drop to 3 under.
Daigneault, who plays out of Chicopee CC, then eagled the par-5 sixth hole, with a 25-foot putt, and followed with birdies at No. 7 (15 feet) and No. 8 (5 feet).
"I knew if I parred in, I'd better my personal best by two strokes," Daigneault said.
Daigneault then parred out to cap the round.
"I had 22 putts, didn't chip in, so I had only four holes with more than one putt," said Daigneault, whose previous best was a 5-under-67 shot at Ludlow CC.
Daigneault capped his week by teaming with Brett Williamson to win the Ludlow CC Junior Four-Ball Wednesday. They defeated former Minnechaug Regional High teammates Steve Campfield and Brock Slattery, 4 and 3, in the championship division final.