Top 10 Moments of 2023
By Joe McDonald
RIGA Senior Writer
PROVIDENCE – It was a phenomenal 2023 season for the RIGA. Despite Mother Nature wreaking havoc with all the rain she supplied, it was still a successful year of golf in the Ocean State.
While we’re excited about the 2024 season (we’re still in the planning and scheduling stages), it’s a good time to reflect on 2023. We witnessed some impressive performances and storylines, so we decided to rank our Top 10 moments.
No. 1: Bobby Leopold won the 118th Rhode Island State Amateur Championship with a victory over Harry Dessel July 14 at Montaup Country Club. It was the fourth time Leopold won the event, becoming only the sixth person to accomplish the feat, joining Daniel Fairchild, Robert W. Allen, Cameron P. Quinn, John Burke and Brad Valois.
“I can’t really believe it,” Leopold said. “I won it here in 2014, and if you asked me if I could do it again, I’m not sure I could be honest and say that I could. I found something this week, something I’ve been working towards the last couple weeks. I played well at the Northeast (Amateur), and even though I got absolutely drummed by the young kids, but I love it here. I love this golf course. I love playing Rhode Island events and to put my name up there again is just special. It really is.”
This year, he dominated start to finish. It wasn’t even close. He did everything right. In fact, he only lost seven holes during match play. His putting was on point, too. He defeated Dessel, 9&8, Friday to secure the state championship.
No 2: The 2023 Rhode Island Golf Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Night was staged Dec. 12 at Kirkbrae Country Club. Nearly 300 people attended the event as Paul Kenyon, Fred Bruno, the Adamonis family, Betty Mines and Harry Kenworthy were inducted.
Rhode Island golf legend, Brad Faxon, made it a point to attend the event and shared many great stories about Kenyon and Bruno.
No. 3: Olivia Williams, a junior at La Salle Academy, and a member at Potowomut Country Club, became the first player to win both the Junior Amateur Girls’ Championship and the Women’s Amateur Championship in the same year. She’s also won the Junior Amateur Girls’ title in back-to-back seasons.
In 2023, Williams outlasted Adriana Eaton, 3&2, to win the Women’s Amateur Championship at Kirkbrae Country Club. As the defending junior champion, Williams defeated Kyle Eaton, 1-up, at Ledgemont Country Club. Overall, Williams finished the season with 620 points en route to her first the Player of the Year award.
No. 4: This is the third consecutive season Max Jackson, a senior at La Salle Academy, won the Boys' Junior Player of the Year Award. He earned a total of 705 points in 2023. Jackson also became a three-time champion when he won the 104th Junior Amateur Championship by defeating Sebastian Carlsson in 20 holes at Ledgemont Country Club. Jackson also finished as a semifinalist at the 118thRhode Island State Amateur Championship at Montaup Country Club. In fact, he defeated three previous champions to reach the semifinals, including Tommy McCormick, Kevin Silva and Brad Valois. Jackson will attend Rutgers University in the fall and play golf.
No. 5: Harry Dessel finally became a Rhode Island Golf Association state champion in 2023. Dessel, 20, of Rhode Island Country Club, outlasted Tyler Cooke to win the Rhode Island Stroke Play Championship at Valley Country Club.
Dessel waited a long time for this victory. He was the runner-up three times in the Rhode Island Junior Amateur Championship, runner-up in the 2021 Stroke Play Championship, and runner-up in the 2023 Rhode Island Amateur.
Dessel made one of the best shots of the season during the Stroke Play Championship.
His tee shot on the par-3 12th hole flew the green and landed on the 16th green. He made an incredible green-to-green shot over the cart path and landed it a few feet from the hole to save par. He played a total of three tournaments this season and finished with 660 points to earn Player of the Year. Dessel’s also a two-time Junior Player of the Year (2019 and 2020). Currently, he’s a sophomore at Lafayette College and stars on the golf team.
No. 6: Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club won the inaugural Distinguished Club Award, presented by the RIGA.
The award is given in recognition of “Exceptional Dedication and Commitment to the RIGA.” Wanumetonomy has gone above and beyond the past two seasons to support golf in the Ocean State. It hosted both the State Amateur and Women’s Amateur championships in 2022, along with the Women’s Four-Ball Championship in 2022 and 2023. It also hosted the Endicott Cup, and a RIGA Weekly Invitational in 2023.
No. 7: Montaup Country Club celebrated its centennial anniversary in grand style in 2023. It hosted the 118th Rhode Island State Amateur Championship this year and it was ready to host this historical tournament.
Known as a blue-collared club, Montaup experienced its share of lean times during its 100 years. It was nearly sold seven times, but now Montaup is 500 members strong and there’s a 250-person waiting list.
No. 8: It was a fantastic summer for Adriana Easton, Kylie Eaton and Olivia Williams. Not only did all three enjoy individual success, the trio proved to be great teammates.
The girls represented R.I. and won the New England Junior Amateur Team Championship at Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire. Kylie Eaton was the girls' overall tournament winner.
No. 9: Nick Dunlap enjoyed one of the greatest seasons for an amateur golfer and it all started at Wannamoisett Country Club.
Dunlap drained an incredible, 20-foot putt on the 18th hole to win the 61st Northeast Amateur Invitational in a classic, come-from-behind victory.
Dunlap also won the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship, the 123rd North & South Amateur Championship, and helped Team USA with the 2023 Walker Cup at St. Andrews in Scotland. He was also a member of the 2023 World Amateur Team. He also qualified for the U.S. Open.
No. 10: Since it was such a successful 2023 season, it's tough to narrow down all the great storylines. So, No. 10 is a tie between Kirkbrae's Lisa Corrigan and Wannamoisett's Darren Corrente.
Corrigan competed in seven RIGA events this season and made the most of them, finishing with a total of 273 points.
She won the Women’s Amateur Net Championship on her home course in August, beating Triggs’ Trish Labossiere, 2-up. As Corrigan sank her winning putt on No. 18, a huge gallery of fellow Kirkbrae members celebrated the victory. It was Corrigan’s first time playing in a RIGA championship.
Corrente won his first Senior Amateur Championship when he defeated Segregansett’s Bruce Barboza in five playoff holes en route to victory at Pawtucket Country Club. It was Corrente's sixth attempt to win the tournament and he finally broke through.
