- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,245,826
- Reaction score
- 59
PAWTUCKET – Joey Iaciofano added another golf title to the family trophy case and Adriana Eaton collected her latest individual honor in what has been a strong career to date.
Those were your champions Friday, July 31, at the 107th Junior Amateur, a perfect summer morning at Pawtucket Country Club. Iaciofano captured the boys division with a 3-and-2 victory over Ishaan Catone and Eaton took home the girls division thanks to a 4-and-3 triumph over Claire McTaggart.
Iaciofano joined his grandfather, Joe, and his father, Joe, in the ranks of Rhode Island Golf Association winners. Eaton continued a standout summer after wrapping up four decorated years as a high school star.
“Last year really motivated me to come back,” Iaciofano said. “That was just really disappointing.”
“She forced me to play my best,” Eaton said. “I’m really happy right now.”
Iaciofano lost in last year’s final to a Florida high school teammate, with AJ Colonna carding a birdie at the 18th hole to secure a 1-up victory. Both play their junior golf in Rhode Island during the summer, and Iaciofano earned himself a second chance here after surviving a 20-hole semifinal with Roland Gibson. Iaciofano made birdie at two of the last four holes on the front side to take a 2-up lead on Catone, an advantage he never relinquished.
“I was really hitting it well,” Iaciofano said. “Once I got that one birdie to go in it gave me a little bit more momentum.”
Iaciofano erased a bogey at the second with a birdie at the par-4 sixth and added another at the par-5 eighth, coaxing home a sliding putt from above the hole. That gave him a little cushion to absorb a bogey at the 10th, and Iaciofano played his last six holes in 1-under. He rammed home a clinching birdie putt from underneath the cup at the par-4 16th after Catone holed a beautiful chip shot from the left side of the green.
“I could at least give it some speed,” Iaciofano said. “I didn’t have to worry about running it by. I didn’t see much break and played it dead center.”
Iaciofano’s grandfather was part of four Senior Four-Ball champions from 1996 to 2000 – the first with partner George Peters, the last three with Brad Faxon Sr. His father notched back-to-back Amateur titles in 1997 and 1998, the second coming against future professional Mike Capone. Iaciofano now stands alongside them after recovering from a hand injury that forced him to withdraw from the Amateur earlier this summer.
“Finally, just to get this one, it means a lot,” Iaciofano said.
Eaton’s match with McTaggart ended one hole earlier, with Eaton stuffing an iron shot to within 10 feet at the par-3 15th. That sealed an even-par finish on the day after playing her first eight holes in 2-over. Patience and consistency were the keys for Eaton after McTaggart opened the door a crack with a pair of bogeys on the back nine.
“The big thing is just experience,” Eaton said. “I’ve played a good amount of competitive golf, so as the years keep going you get better and better with the pressure.”
Eaton added this title to a win at the US Challenge Cup World Series of Junior Golf in June and the three girls individual Interscholastic League crowns she claimed with Moses Brown. She opened with a 5-under 66 while cruising to her last championship with the Quakers in the spring at Cranston Country Club. Eaton will take a gap year in Florida starting this fall while sifting through her academic and athletic options for 2027-28.
“I kind of just live in the moment,” Eaton said. “I’ll appreciate this win for a little bit, and then I have the Northern Junior early next week – it's just focusing on that. But it’s definitely nice.”
Drew MacLeod stormed to the boys First Division top spot with a 6-and-4 win over Brayden Huoth. The two-time Interscholastic League champion with La Salle rebounded nicely after missing the cut through Monday stroke play, racking up four birdies through 14 holes. MacLeod carded two straight to finish off Huoth, who plays out of Ledgemont Country Club.
Thomas Beauregard earned himself a late 13th birthday present by cruising to the Boys U-14 crown with a 7-and-6 win over Ben Fenster. He was the No. 4 seed out of stroke play and didn’t reach the 18th hole in any of his four matches. Beauregard eliminated top seed Camden Fontaine in the semifinals and met a fellow Aquidneck Island entry in Fenster – they play out of Montaup and Wanumetonomy, respectively.
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Meet the winners of the Rhode Island Junior Amateur golf tournament
Continue reading...
Those were your champions Friday, July 31, at the 107th Junior Amateur, a perfect summer morning at Pawtucket Country Club. Iaciofano captured the boys division with a 3-and-2 victory over Ishaan Catone and Eaton took home the girls division thanks to a 4-and-3 triumph over Claire McTaggart.
Iaciofano joined his grandfather, Joe, and his father, Joe, in the ranks of Rhode Island Golf Association winners. Eaton continued a standout summer after wrapping up four decorated years as a high school star.
“Last year really motivated me to come back,” Iaciofano said. “That was just really disappointing.”
“She forced me to play my best,” Eaton said. “I’m really happy right now.”
Iaciofano lost in last year’s final to a Florida high school teammate, with AJ Colonna carding a birdie at the 18th hole to secure a 1-up victory. Both play their junior golf in Rhode Island during the summer, and Iaciofano earned himself a second chance here after surviving a 20-hole semifinal with Roland Gibson. Iaciofano made birdie at two of the last four holes on the front side to take a 2-up lead on Catone, an advantage he never relinquished.
“I was really hitting it well,” Iaciofano said. “Once I got that one birdie to go in it gave me a little bit more momentum.”
Iaciofano erased a bogey at the second with a birdie at the par-4 sixth and added another at the par-5 eighth, coaxing home a sliding putt from above the hole. That gave him a little cushion to absorb a bogey at the 10th, and Iaciofano played his last six holes in 1-under. He rammed home a clinching birdie putt from underneath the cup at the par-4 16th after Catone holed a beautiful chip shot from the left side of the green.
“I could at least give it some speed,” Iaciofano said. “I didn’t have to worry about running it by. I didn’t see much break and played it dead center.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Iaciofano’s grandfather was part of four Senior Four-Ball champions from 1996 to 2000 – the first with partner George Peters, the last three with Brad Faxon Sr. His father notched back-to-back Amateur titles in 1997 and 1998, the second coming against future professional Mike Capone. Iaciofano now stands alongside them after recovering from a hand injury that forced him to withdraw from the Amateur earlier this summer.
“Finally, just to get this one, it means a lot,” Iaciofano said.
Eaton’s match with McTaggart ended one hole earlier, with Eaton stuffing an iron shot to within 10 feet at the par-3 15th. That sealed an even-par finish on the day after playing her first eight holes in 2-over. Patience and consistency were the keys for Eaton after McTaggart opened the door a crack with a pair of bogeys on the back nine.
“The big thing is just experience,” Eaton said. “I’ve played a good amount of competitive golf, so as the years keep going you get better and better with the pressure.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Eaton added this title to a win at the US Challenge Cup World Series of Junior Golf in June and the three girls individual Interscholastic League crowns she claimed with Moses Brown. She opened with a 5-under 66 while cruising to her last championship with the Quakers in the spring at Cranston Country Club. Eaton will take a gap year in Florida starting this fall while sifting through her academic and athletic options for 2027-28.
“I kind of just live in the moment,” Eaton said. “I’ll appreciate this win for a little bit, and then I have the Northern Junior early next week – it's just focusing on that. But it’s definitely nice.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Drew MacLeod stormed to the boys First Division top spot with a 6-and-4 win over Brayden Huoth. The two-time Interscholastic League champion with La Salle rebounded nicely after missing the cut through Monday stroke play, racking up four birdies through 14 holes. MacLeod carded two straight to finish off Huoth, who plays out of Ledgemont Country Club.
Thomas Beauregard earned himself a late 13th birthday present by cruising to the Boys U-14 crown with a 7-and-6 win over Ben Fenster. He was the No. 4 seed out of stroke play and didn’t reach the 18th hole in any of his four matches. Beauregard eliminated top seed Camden Fontaine in the semifinals and met a fellow Aquidneck Island entry in Fenster – they play out of Montaup and Wanumetonomy, respectively.
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Meet the winners of the Rhode Island Junior Amateur golf tournament
Continue reading...
