June 17, 2011

MGA Website

Junior Travis Kellegrew (Chelmsford, Mass.) became the third UMass Lowell golfer to qualify for a major tournament this summer when he placed tied for eighth at the Massachusetts Golf Association (MGA) Amateur Qualifier at Cape Cod Country Club Tuesday.

Kellegrew, carded a three-over-par 74 and highlighted with five birdies to book his place in the 2011 MGA Amateur Championship July 11-15 at Wyantenuck Country Club in Great Barrington, Mass.

Kellegrew joins teammates Andrew Fecteau (Newbury, Mass.), a junior, and graduate Patrick Bean (Fitchburg, Mass.) who made the cut for major state tournaments this summer. Fecteau and Bean each qualified for the Massachusetts Open at Oak Hill Country Club June 27-29.

“I actually haven’t been playing much this summer, because I’ve been working. So I was really happy with a 74,” Kellegrew said Friday. “I knew the course really well because I play on the Cape a lot. I figured if I could just make my putts I’d be alright. It was short enough that I could chip and putt okay.”

Kellegrew birdied three holes on the front nine at Cape Cod CC and was two-under after seven holes. After suffering a triple bogey on the eighth hole, he regrouped on the back nine and highlighted with birdies on the final two holes.

“I tried to hit a 3-wood (on the eighth hole) and it went out of bounds,” he explained. “It’s a dog leg left and I snapped too far left. That was my only 3-put on the day. I was 3 under at the time and to jump to one over, I was pretty mad."

On the 315-yard 17th hole, Kellegrew got to within 20 feet of the pin off the tee. Instead of going for an eagle, he played it safe, putting close and tapping in easily for the birdie.

On the 330-yard 18th, he overcame a bunker shot off the tee, getting to the pin on two and finishing in three.

“When I played the practice round, I knew the last few holes were score-able,” he added. “It was real windy that day so I figured I’ve be 74 or 75, but I didn’t know how anyone behind me had finished.”

Kellegrew attempted to qualify for the Mass Amateur last year but fell short in a qualifier by three strokes. He played in the Mass Junior Tournament six years ago at Wyantenuck CC, but he said he is hoping to familiarize once again on his own before the Mass Amateur.

“It was quite a while ago,” he noted. “My plan is to get out there before the practice round. It’s 2 hours and 45 minutes away, so it will take a whole day, but I think I’ll get out there.”

Kellegrew, named UMass Lowell’s captain for the 2011-12 seasons, averaged an 80.82 for the fall 2010 but struggled to an average of an 84.91 in the spring ’11. He said qualifying for the Mass Amateur is a confidence boost.

“I don’t have the prettiest game,” Kellegrew said. “I doubted myself a lot and forced things last spring. Hopefully this is a good launching point for the rest of the summer and the fall.”