Ouimet Memorial Right Around the Corner
As summer approaches, the highly competitive amateur golf scene in New England heats up, with 6 months of qualifiers and championships at some of the best courses the region has to offer. Right in the middle of it all is the Francis Ouimet Memorial Tournament, which will have its 42nd annual playing this July 29th - 31st.
This mid-summer staple is traditionally held at three different courses in the Bay State over three days, with the final round always played at Woodland Golf Club in Auburndale, MA – which happened to be Francis Ouimet’s home course. This year’s event will be played at Wellesley Country Club and Charles River Country Club over the first two days, two of the finer courses in the greater Boston area.
While the Ouimet Memorial has only been around for 42 years, its list of past champions is impressive to say the least. Names like Bill Mallon (1972), Brad Faxon (1980), Fran Quinn (1987), John Salamone (1993), R.D. Haskell (1995), Jim Salinetti (1999), Frank Vana (1998, 2001, 2002, 2006), and Jim Renner (2003, 2005) have all had the privilege of having their names engraved on the Ouimet Memorial Tournament Trophy.
The Richard F. Connolly, Sr. trophy is one of the most original in all of golf. The trophy was inspired by the Silver Club display at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. The Putter in the center belonged to Francis Ouimet. In the historic 1913 US Open, Ouimet’s opponents use the flanking clubs. All were gifts to the Ouimet Fund by Dr. Gary Wiren. On the left is Harry Vardon’s brassie and on the right is Ted Ray’s Mills putter. The silver balls are inscribed with the year and name of each champion. The champion is also presented with a silver ball, display stand and a photographic reproduction of the trophy with dates, courses and his daily scores.
Richard F. Connolly, Jr., a Ouimet Scholar, served as The Fund’s President from 1981-1984 and has been Chairman of the Ouimet Memorial since 1979. Francis Ouimet’s close friend Gene Sarazen served as Honorary Chairman from 1968-1999, and Arnold Palmer has served as Honorary Chairman since.
Tournament organizers expect this year’s field to be one of the strongest ever, with a who’s who of outstanding amateur players from Massachusetts and surrounding states. They will be put to the test by three top notch sites, with a chance to have their names associated with one of the greatest amateurs of all time, Francis Ouimet.
For more information on the Ouimet Memorial Tournament, contact The Fund at 774.430.9090.