Newport Country Club shines at the US Senior Open.
NEWPORT — The State of Rhode Island, Newport Country Club, the United States Golf Association and the Rhode Island Golf Association are proud to present an impressive 44th US Open Senior Championship.
It was an incredible week here and no one was disappointed. After COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 41stst With the US Senior Open being held here, many were unsure if the USGA and NCC would be able to bring the championship back to this legendary venue. The decision was not long in coming and the championship was postponed until 2024.
Rhode Islanders Billy Andrade, Brett Quigley and Brad Faxon were the de facto hosts for their golf brothers and all three were proud to represent their home state.
“Just incredible,” said Andrade after finishing the championship match at even par with rounds of 64-74-71-71 – 280. “Everything I imagined happened. It was an incredible course, Rhode Island, Newport, it just makes me very proud to be a Rhode Islander – for sure.”
Quigley finished 2 over par with rounds of 70-68-70-74 – 282.
“It’s been an incredible week,” Quigley said. “The show here in town, here in Rhode Island, has been fantastic. Rhode Island and the golf course have put on an incredible show and Rhode Island should be proud. It’s been really cool.”
Despite a two-hour delay on Sunday morning and a 3pm halt to play, Mother Nature cooperated earlier in the week. Players and fans enjoyed perfect weather during practice rounds, and Thursday and Friday were spectacular as well. Saturday was a bit foggy and Sunday was a challenge. Finally, play resumed at 8am on Monday and finished in near-perfect conditions. The only thing missing was the gallery. It was a ticketless event and due to course conditions, it was only open to accredited staff and guests.
Still, it was impressive to see Richard Bland outlast Hiroyuki Fujita in a four-hole playoff to win the championship. Bland made an incredible up-and-down move out of the bunker on hole 18, saved par, and won the championship. He finally stood on the green, looking out at the water with the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy in his hands.
More: Richard Bland wins the US Senior Open with a dramatic finish at Newport Country Club
“It was absolutely amazing,” Bland said of his week-long experience in Rhode Island. “What a beautiful place to play golf. I was immediately drawn to the course when I saw it. The city is a great place to just go out, have a coffee and watch the world go by. What a beautiful part of the world. Hopefully I can come back soon.”
Overall, Newport has shined. Every time you are on the grounds it feels like you are stepping back in time and the US Senior Open has added another epic chapter to Newport Country Club.
“What better place to spend a week than Newport, Rhode Island? How beautiful is this place? There are some pretty cool golf courses in the world, but I’m not sure there’s a better one than this one,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan.
The Newport Country Club has hosted a total of five USGA championships. The first US Amateur and US Open tournaments were held here in 1895, the US Amateur in 1995 and the US Women’s Open in 2006. The iconic clubhouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is the perfect setting for players and fans.
Charles Blair Macdonald won the first US Amateur, while Horace Rawlins recorded his first US Open victory here.
Tiger Woods won his second of three consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships here in 1995. He was only 19 when he defeated Buddy Marucci 2-0. Fans flocked to the historic facility to get a glimpse into the future of golf. It was a championship of epic proportions and fans were thrilled with what they saw. In 2006, Annika Sorenstam won her third U.S. Women’s Open when she defeated Pat Hurst by four strokes in an 18-hole playoff at Newport CC.
Bland can now add his name to that impressive list.
Another historic moment occurred this week. It was an almost unbelievable feat when Frank Bensel hit two consecutive hole-in-ones on Friday. First he hit an ace on hole 4 (159m) and then repeated the magic on hole 5 (189m), using a 6-iron both times. Unfortunately, since he was in the first group eliminated for round 2, not many people were able to witness the event. It was even too early for the television cameras, so there is no footage of his two aces. Bensel, 56, donated his club, ball and glove to the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, NJ
“To even think that something like this could happen was unbelievable,” said Bensel.
More: Are you in Newport for the US Senior Open? Here are some things to do while you’re there.
Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona served as honorary chairman of the championship this week. He received the invitation last November and, as he is retiring for the first time in his baseball career, it allowed him to attend the U.S. Senior Open. He attended Friday’s round and was impressed with the players and the course. Francona was able to play the course in May and shot an 83. He wanted to stay for the weekend but had to be there because of family commitments.
“I was honored to be asked and thrilled to be able to do it,” Francona said. “I continue to be so impressed with how the entire Champions Tour seems to not only enjoy what they’re doing, but embrace it.”
Newport CC manager Chris Coen and his team received praise from players and fans throughout the week. Conditions were repeatedly described as perfect and the course did not disappoint.
“It’s fantastic,” Quigley said of the course. “Chris and his team have been incredible this week. The course is perfect. The greens are great. The fairways are great. Everything is as it should be.”
Tournaments, especially championships of this magnitude, are almost impossible to run without the help of volunteers. People from all over the country came forward to volunteer, and this week a total of 1,100 were on duty.
“Volunteering at the U.S. Senior Open was a great experience,” said Bill Graves of Attleboro, who worked as a steward and is a member of Kirkbrae Country Club. “What struck me about the players was that these guys are human beings – just like us. They are incredibly talented golfers, but they have the same conversations on the course that we do. They love the game and are happy for each other when a competitor hits an incredible shot.”
“It was also a highlight for me to meet other volunteers who had come to Newport from all over the country to participate. Hearing their stories and seeing how impressed they were with the legendary golf course and the city of Newport was great. It was also special to be able to help the USGA in a very small way. It was a great experience all around.”
The 45th The US Senior Open will be held next June at Broadmoor Golf Club on the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs. Good luck, because the experience in Rhode Island and at Newport Country Club will be hard to beat.
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