By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
CARIBOU – Ralph Michaud of Presque Isle and a member at Aroostook Valley Country Club in Fort Fairfield, shot a three-under-par 69 in Sunday’s round to come from behind and win the 27th Annual Cary Classic Benefit Golf Tournament, held at Caribou Country Club over the weekend.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
Caribou native and current Raleigh, N.C. resident Randy Hebert hits a drive on the second hole Sunday during the Cary Classic golf tourney. Hebert was third gross in the men’s first division.
Michaud’s 36-hole total of 144 was four strokes better than Phil Pelletier, also of Presque Isle and last year’s tournament champion, and seven ahead of Randy Hebert, formerly of Caribou and now residing in Raleigh, N.C.
The women’s champion was Betty Deveau, who totaled a 160 for her two-day total. She came in three shots ahead of runner-up Vi Kemp. Last year’s champion, Emily Jose, was the leader after the first day of play with a 78.
The tourney serves as a fundraiser for the Jefferson Cary Foundation. Nearly 100 golfers participated in this year’s event.
“Thanks to our many generous sponsors we have been able to keep our registration fee low,” said Mary Harrigan, executive director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation. “ I don’t believe there is another tournament anywhere that offers a free practice round of 18 holes, two days of tournament play with 18 holes each day, more than $8,000 in prize value, a complete steak dinner, a $25,000 hole in one chance and a unique embroidered polo shirt for every registered golfer along with a rich ‘goodie’ bag presented to each golfer at registration and all for $85 if you are a non-member and $75 if you are a member of the Caribou Country Club.”
In addition said Harrigan golfers get to play on one of the finest nine-hole golf courses in the state.
“The conditions at the Caribou Country Club were outstanding,” said Harrigan, who works with volunteer members of the Jefferson Cary Foundation Board to plan and run the annual tournament. “The staff at the country club work so hard for this event and it showed in the quality of the greens, fairways and just the entire course.”
Staff photo/Kevin SjobergEmily Jose, last year’s women’s champion, inspects her drive on hole No. 2 of Sunday’s round.
A great number of individuals and organizations are involved in helping to sponsor the Cary Classic. Time Warner Cable has served as the major corporate sponsor over the past six years and Pam Scheppele, president of the Jefferson Cary Foundation Board of Directors announced that the Company has agreed to remain the major sponsor for the next three years.
“This tournament has become the largest fund raising event for our foundation”, said Scheppele. “The generosity of so many sponsors, particularly our major sponsor Time Warner Cable, has helped us to raise thousands of dollars for the benefit of various projects at Cary Medical Center. We want to thank all of our sponsors for their help and we are very excited about maintaining Time Warner Cable as our major sponsor for the next three years.”
A special feature of the tournament is the participation of Ron Morrill, the son of the late Reid Morrill of New Sweden. Each year, on the first day of the tournament, the Morrill family offers a hole-in-one competition and a closest to pin competition to raise money for the Reid Morrill Scholarship Fund. The fund is managed by the Jefferson Cary Foundation. In 2011, the first scholarship will be awarded. Reid Morrill was the only golfer to actually hit a hole-in-one at the Cary Tournament.
Kris Doody, RN, and Chief Executive Officer at Cary Medical Center who has played in the tournament over the past 15 years, said that the tournament has a very special sentiment attached to it that makes it special for all involved.
“This tournament has grown to reflect the culture of Cary Medical Center,” said Doody. “All of our tournament champions have said it is one of the finest tournaments they play in and it just generates a good feeling. We are proud to draw some of the finest golfers in the region and so grateful to all the players, many of whom have played each year in our tournament history.
“Over the past two years, our medical staff has sponsored the tournament dinner. This year it was done in honor of Dr. Cesar Siruno, who sadly suffered a major stroke in 2008 and subsequently developed a cancer and died on Jan. 1, 2009. Dr. Siruno played often in the Cary tournament and was a divisional winner. He is very fondly remembered by his colleagues, his patients and the entire community. We could feel his presence at our tournament and he will always be a part of this annual event.”
The tournament is one of few remaining where each player plays their own ball throughout the 36-hole event. Jeff Jose, the club professional at Caribou Country Club and a former tournament champion and who has been associated with the Cary Classic for many years, pointed out that the nature of the event makes for some exciting and competitive play.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
Betty Deveau eyes her putt attempt on hole No. 1 during Sunday’s round of the Cary Classic. Deveau placed first among women in the event.
“We have a very exciting format of play for the Cary Classic. While this year, Michaud took some of the drama out of the conclusion by shooting a 69 on Sunday, we had some very low scores and quality golf,” he said.
Jose also pointed to a youth angle to this year’s event.
“We had a 12-year-old playing in the tournament this year, Robbie Watson of Fort Fairfield, who finished first low net in the Div. II. We also had Erik Anderson, an 18-year-old from Caribou win first low net in Div. II,” Jose added. “We hope this competitive play by these young people will encourage more of them to get involved.”
The top-four in each of the divisions of play were as follows:
Men’s Div. I, gross: first, Michaud, 144; second, Pelletier, 148; third, Hebert, 151; and fourth, Brent Hatchard, 155. Net: first, Anderson, 136; second, Dennis Sargent, 138; third, Curt Anderson, 139; and fourth, Jamie Wyman, 142.
Men’s Div. II, gross: first, Mike Gagnon, 152; second, Ellis Pelletier, 161; third, Evan Waddell, 165; and fourth, Harold Tardy, 165. Net: first, Watson, 133; second, Greg Dickinson, 138; third, Brad Potter, 139; and fourth, Eric Brown, 141.
Men’s Div. III, gross: first, Rick Hallowell, 169; second, Dan Hersey, 171; third, Dale Plourde, 172; and fourth, Mike Green, 172. Net: first, Adam Flynn, 140; second, Jarrett McLaughlin, 140; third, Mike Beaulieu, 141; and fourth, Mark Desmond, 143.
Men’s Div. IV, gross: first, Carl Anderson, 174; second, Brian Jones, 181; third, David Winslow, 183; and fourth, Elmer Gunnerson, 185. Net: first, Josh Bell, 134; second, Peter Doebener, 137; third, Keith Ireland, 139; and fourth, Alex Dickinson, 141.
Ladies’ Div. I, gross: first, Deveau, 160; second, Kemp, 163; third, Jan Hochhlzer, 167; and fourth, Judy Dombroski, 176. Net: first, Bern Michaud, 136; second, Emily Jose, 140; third, Lupita Albert, 140; and fourth, Kathy King, 147.
Ladies’ Div. II, gross: first, Jessie Thompson, 152; second, Shirley Cote, 204; third, Angela Hebert, 209; and fourth, Flo Siruno, 244. Net: first, Janice Beaulieu, 135; second, Kris Doody, 141; third, Mary Lee Anderson, 152; and fourth, Stephanie Flagg, 180.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
TOURNEY CHAMPS – Winners in this year’s Cary Classic Golf Tournament included, from left, Mary Harrigan, executive director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation; Jessie Thompson, women’s Division II first low gross; Ralph Michaud, overall tournament champion, men’s Div. I first low gross; Carl Anderson, men’s Div. IV first low gross; Pamela Scheppele, president of the Jefferson Cary Foundation board of directors; Erik Anderson, men’s Div. I first low net; Betty Deveau, women’s champion and Div. I first low gross; Mike Gagnon, men’s Div. II first low gross; Robbie Watson, men’s Div. II first low net; and Kris Doody, RN, CEO, Cary Medical Center.
