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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The RI Amateur came down to two putts. Here's how Mike Calef clinched his victory
BARRINGTON — Mike Calef was able to coax home the two putts he absolutely needed to make on Friday. Not much else was finding the hole for him during the afternoon 18 in the title match at the 120th State Amateur at Rhode Island Country Club. The tables turned just in time for Calef to deny Jake Bauer what would have been a rally to his second championship. Advertisement Calef rolled in the tying birdie on the 34th hole and a clutch par to win the 35th, edging his way in front. A solid par from the right rough on the 36th — the uphill par-4 18th that climbs back toward Nayatt Road — clinched a 1-up victory for Calef against a fellow competitor with Portsmouth ties. Bauer lost the first three holes in the morning 18, didn't take his first lead until the 23rd hole and retained that advantage as the action shifted to the shores of Narragansett Bay. The left-hander got up and down out of a greenside bunker to stay 1 up at the par-4 15th, but Calef took the initiative from left of the cup on the following hole. 'Putts weren't really dropping for me, but we just kind of stuck with it,' Calef said. 'Finally made a really good one on 16 — that was great. And then to make one on 17 was fantastic.' Both players hit the green in regulation at the 401-yard par-4. Bauer missed his birdie chance while going first. Calef was up next with an opportunity on a similar line to his putt in the morning 18, and this time he played a touch less break. He pumped his right fist as the ball disappeared into the cup, and Calef was level going to the signature par-3 17th. Advertisement 'I wanted to play a little less break anyway,' Calef said. 'The wind was going to move it to the left. I played a straight putt.' Both players came up short of the elevated green at the following 145-yard tester, with Bauer finding the front bunker and Calef sitting down in some thick rough. Bauer finished about 15 feet below the hole after blasting out and Calef chipped to four feet above, setting up a slippery par putt. Bauer couldn't knock his home while settling for bogey and Calef — with some help from caddie Bob Murphy — managed to find the bottom again. 'He might be the best green reader I've ever met,' Calef said. 'And I've played with some good ones.' Calef started the morning 18 on fire, including a spectacular birdie putt at the par-4 second that curled at least five feet from left to right. Bauer eventually cut the deficit to 1 up before a bogey at the 18th sent him into the lunch break on a sour note. It seemed like Calef could have a chance to pull away early. Advertisement Bauer had plenty to say about that on the back side, starting with a sharp birdie at the downhill par-4 first and playing nicely from there. He jumped ahead with a routine two-putt at the par-3 fifth and again with a nice birdie at the par-5 12th. Bauer jabbed the air with his left fist while connecting from about 20 feet right of the hole, and Calef faced a bit of a gut check into the last few holes. 'If I was making bogeys and doubles, the train could have come off the tracks quickly,' Calef said. 'I was playing steady golf out here. That was my plan; Jake was just playing better.' Murphy nearly wasn't around for the conclusion on this ideal weather day that featured clear views of all three nearby bridges. His son, Matt, is getting married this weekend, and this was initially scheduled to be strict family time. Calef kept making his way through the 32-man match play field and Murphy kept pushing off his expected departure — including an extra stolen hour on the final day. 'We didn't know if he was going to leave on 15 or on 16,' Calef said. 'He said, 'All right, I've got to go on 17.' Then he said, 'No, I'll go on 18.' ' Advertisement Bauer extended the drama to the limit while attempting to match the crown he earned in 2018. Calef instead became the 18th man to win the Amateur here and the third in the last four decades, joining Billy Andrade (1983) and Brad Valois (2006). He outlasted a match-play field that included eight past champions and persevered through some scorching weather over the opening three days, adding this victory to the pair of state amateur titles he captured in Massachusetts in 2012 and 2013. 'There's so much history here,' Calef said. 'To have a little bit of my piece of history here at Rhode Island Country Club, I'm ecstatic for that.' bkoch@ On X: @BillKoch25 This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Mike Calef beats Jake Bauer to win the RI Amateur on June 27
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Which Portsmouth golfer will win the RI Amateur? The winner will be decided Friday
BARRINGTON — This upcoming final match at the 120th State Amateur will double as a battle for Portsmouth bragging rights. Town native Jake Bauer and current resident Mike Calef will meet Friday morning in a 36-hole showdown for the crown at Rhode Island Country Club. Bauer and Calef each won quarterfinal and semifinal matches on a Thursday when the weather proved considerably more merciful than earlier in the week. Mike Calef hits a drive at Rhode Island Country Club during the state amateur tournament on June 26. Bauer ironed out his swing in time to stop Ryan Marcantonio in the morning, 2 and 1, before surging in the afternoon to take out Ryan Porter, 4 and 3. Calef went birdie-par on the last two holes of his first 18 to edge Joey Iaciofano, 1 up, and controlled the back side to turn the tables on Ryan Dacey, 2 up. Advertisement 'I just really had to stay patient with myself and sort of know, 'This is going to be my miss for today,' ' Bauer said. 'Sort of plugged my way around the course.' 'The golf course is hard,' Calef said. 'There are some holes where par is good. You just have to play your way around.' The sizzling heat that sapped the field through the opening three days gave way to a typically fresh breeze off Narragansett Bay, and all six matches played crossed Nayatt Road to the four holes along the water. Calef made a pair of twos at the par-3 17th, some timely execution that helped him keep Iaciofano from pulling even and Dacey from pushing the afternoon 18 to the limit. Bauer won the par-4 15th to snap a tie with Marcantonio and got up and down from behind the green to eliminate Porter. 'You know it's going to be a long week,' Calef said. 'You know there are ebbs and flows. I really should thank my wife for letting me play all day every day.' Advertisement 'For me, it's a little bit of a fun game I play in my head,' Bauer said. 'You're not looking to get into match play and shoot a specific score and go low. Each hole is individual.' Jake Bauer tees off during the state amateur tournament at Rhode Island Country Club on June 26. Bauer is the lone survivor among those who topped the field through two rounds of stroke play, qualifying as the No. 2 seed. Calef was comfortably inside the match play cut with twin 74s on Monday and Tuesday, two strokes ahead of a six-man playoff for the last pair of 32 spots. Porter posted a 1-up victory Thursday morning against defending champion Bobby Leopold and ensured someone else would become the 18th man to win here, a list that includes Billy Andrade (1983) and Brad Valois (2006). Bauer captured the 2018 version the last time he entered this event, prevailing in the title round at Ledgemont. The left-hander has split residences in recent years between Boston and the Rhode Island area but was a Johnson & Wales-Miami recruit after a strong high school career with the Patriots. His local roots were readily apparent through the white Matunuck Surf Shop hat Bauer wore throughout the fourth day of this event. Advertisement 'He's a great guy,' Calef said. 'I'm looking forward to it. He's a real good player.' Calef was a back-to-back Massachusetts amateur champion in 2012 and 2013 before a move to Texas. His family now lives just a few short minutes from his home club at Wanumetonomy, and Calef found he had plenty in common with Bauer when they were grouped together in a recent U.S. Open local qualifier at GreatHorse. They'll be alongside one another again for a 7:30 a.m. start. 'I didn't even know he lived in Portsmouth,' Bauer said. 'He told me his neighborhood and I was like, 'I know where that is.' It's a really small world.' bkoch@ On X: @BillKoch25 This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Portsmouth golfers Jake Bauer, Mike Calef battle for RI Amateur title
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
As golf takes over the summer headlines, these were the top sports stories of the week ending June 28
◘With the completion of the spring high school sports season, all eyes can now turn to the summer sports, especially golf. To get things started, we republished several very popular golf stories from last year by Eric Rueb. The first was his story on the five of the best public golf courses in Rhode Island. Newport National led the way, despite its cost. It was followed by Meadow Brook Golf Club in Richmond, Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam, Connecticut, Country View Golf Club in Burrillville, and Valley Country Club in Warwick. Newport National Golf Club in Middletown. ◘We reprised another Rueb story from last year listing the five courses he hasn't played but are on his bucket list. "Wannamoissett Country Club is a favorite, even though it beats me up every year at the Northeast Amateur Media Day," he says. "I haven't played it in over a decade, but I knocked Rhode Island Country Club off the list when it was host to the CVS Charity Classic. My favorite course in the state might be Wanumetonomy Golf and Country Club." Here's his list of other courses he wants to play: The Misquamicut Club, Watch Hill; Shelter Harbor Golf Club, Westerly; Warwick Country Club, Warwick; Point Judith Country Club, Narragansett; Sakonnet Golf Club, Little Compton. Dominic Mazza of Classical chips a show to the fourth green. La Salle Rams and Classical Purple in high school golf at Triggs Memorial on April 29 2024. [Kris Craig/The Providence Journal] ◘This year, Rueb wrote about five, must-play courses in the state. The good news is that there are plenty of options outside of private golf. There are some truly terrific public tracks throughout the state (and some just over the borders), and while Rhode Islanders are terrified to drive 45 minutes anywhere, there is no distance a true golfer won't travel to play someplace that can provide an experience. Advertisement I've rekindled my relationship with Triggs and, based on a round played there last September, says Rueb, you have to experience the course if you haven't already because it's a playing experience not many of the public or private courses can match. The star of the show is the layout. It's 18 holes of Donald Ross brilliance. You're tested from tee to green and every hole gives you a different experience. There are blind shots, wide open fairways, elevation shifts and greens both large and small. ◘The Rhode Island Amateur was the top story at the end of the week as Mike Calef was able to coax home the two putts he absolutely needed to make on Friday. Not much else was finding the hole for him during the afternoon 18 in the title match at the 120th Amateur at Rhode Island Country Club. The tables turned just in time for Calef to deny Jake Bauer what would have been a rally to his second championship. Calef rolled in the tying birdie on the 34th hole and a clutch par to win the 35th, edging his way in front. A solid par from the right rough on the 36th — the uphill par-4 18th that climbs back toward Nayatt Road — clinched a 1-up victory for Calef against a fellow competitor with Portsmouth ties. Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images ◘With the NBA season coming to a close last weekend, the Boston Celtics wasted little time reshaping their roster for next year. Boston traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team deal also involving the Brooklyn Nets. Atlanta will receive the 7-foot-2 Porzingis and a second-round draft pick; the Nets get Hawks guard/forward Terance Mann and their No. 22 pick; and the Celtics gained Atlanta forward Georges Niang and a second-rounder, per the report. On Monday, the Celtics also sent two-time All-Star guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, and got Anfernee Simons, a 26-year-old shooting guard, as well as two second-round draft picks from Portland. The Porzingis trade means Boston will save a projected $180 million in tax penalties, ESPN reported. Advertisement ◘Be sure to keep up with all the local sports news daily on and sign up for our Sports Newsletters and alerts here. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The top sports stories for the week ending June 28
Fox News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Providence City Council approves mailers teaching residents how to resist ICE operations
The city council in Rhode Island's capital is backing the distribution of "Know Your Rights" mailers to residents instructing them on how to deal with law enforcement amid the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. Households in Providence will receive a card in English and Spanish advising them of their constitutional rights if confronted by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It instructs residents not to open the door unless officers present a valid warrant signed by a judge. The lower portion of the card can be cut, kept in a wallet, and presented to immigration enforcement, a news release announcing the campaign states. "The Providence City Council is partnering with organizations that represent our diverse community to promote safety and inclusion in the face of fear and uncertainty that pervades our city's immigrant communities due to the reckless cruelty of the Trump administration," Council President Rachel Miller said in a statement. "For nearly 400 years, immigrants have been and continue to be vital to Providence," she added. "The Council stands together to say immigrants are welcome here and to encourage every member of our community to educate themselves about their constitutional rights and where to find help if they need it." The council worked with more than a dozen local immigrant rights and advocacy groups on the mailer. The city has spent $17,000 on the mailers, a spokesperson for the council told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Rhode Island Republican Party for comment. The mailers are in response to the Trump administration's illegal immigrant operations targeting those living in the United States illegally. Democrats have denounced the operations, arguing they separate families and put communities at risk. Los Angeles saw multiple days of riots earlier this month after ICE agents arrested multiple illegal immigrants, many with criminal records, during several operations in and around the city.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Wealthy residents fuming over controversial RI real estate tax
Swifties, sun-seekers, and second-home millionaires — brace yourselves. Rhode Island just approved a controversial new real estate tax that's got wealthy seasonal residents fuming and threatening to pack up their beach chairs for good. Locals are calling it the ' Taylor Swift tax,' and yes — it could even hit the pop star's Watch Hill mansion. The proposed tax — which would impose fees that could soar into the six-figures for many — would apply to second homes worth $1 million or more that aren't used for at least six months a year. Even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy — a self-proclaimed Swiftie — joined the chorus of opposition, warning it could set off a dangerous trend among other Northeastern states. 'We don't like that tax,' Portnoy said. 'Now, I don't have any houses in Rhode Island, but I got some pretty close. I don't like those states getting the ideas.' Lawmakers say it's aimed at generating new revenue from properties often vacant for most of the year. Other famous celebrities who have real estate in Rhode Island and would get hit by the tax include Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Judge Judy Sheindlin. But critics argue it unfairly targets families and individuals who have spent decades summering in Rhode Island — and contribute to the economy without draining local resources. Local realtor and lifelong Watch Hill resident Geb Masterson said Rhode Island residents are so angry they're threatening to go elsewhere if the bill becomes law. 'These are people who put very little drain on Westerly and Watch Hill,' Masterson told DailyMail of two communities that will be hit hardest. 'It's just another way to go after the wealthy when the state's funds run dry... It's another nail in the coffin.' The Rhode Island House of Representatives recently greenlit the proposed $13.9 billion state budget that includes the sweeping new real estate tax, which Masterson says residents are furious over. On Wednesday, Rhode Island Gov. Daniel J. McKee put the bill in limbo temporarily, saying he will not sign nor veto the $14.3 billion state budget as it stands because 'it taxes people and raises fees unnecessarily.' 'At this moment in time there wasn't a need to raise taxes on anyone,' he said, not fully ruling out future taxes on part-time residents. Gov. McKee's move isn't the same as a veto and the bill can move forward if revised to his liking. If the budget had been vetoed, the General Assembly would have to go back into session to override the veto, or make amendments to the budget. 'This won't affect just the wealthy, everyone will be affected by this,' Masterson, the Watch Hill resident, said of the potential new tax. 'It's a lot of old families here and for years it was a sort of a quiet sleepy town, most people have been coming here for generations with their parents. 'It' sort of changed a little a little bit, new blood has been coming into the area, the Swifties, which is actually fantastic for our summer tourism industry, because they come to see Taylor's house then they stay the weekend.' Masterson says tourism industry workers will feel the burn if homeowners start to flee the area because of the big tax. 'There's not a lot of winter industry around here so when the summer crowd comes in it's supporting a lot of a lot of people,' he says. 'This will hurt them too if no one is here.' If a law does pass in the future, Swift will face her own six-figure tax on her $17 million Watch Hill estate. Swift has famously owned the mansion in the upmarket beach town since 2013 and spends July 4th there nearly every year. Under the guise of helping Rhode Island's affordability crisis, those who have 'non-primary residences valued over $1 million' will be taxed under the proposal. Overall, homeowners would face an annual surcharge of $2.50 per $500 of assessed value above the first $1 million — meaning a $3 million second home would see a $10,000 yearly fee. Swift and her beachfront estate neighbors would likely get taxed $100,000 and up based on the size of their mansions. The budget also proposes a 63 percent hike in the real estate conveyance tax, which sellers pay upon transferring property. The state says revenue from both tax hikes would go toward affordable housing projects, including the construction of low-income units and expansion of housing tax credits. Kerry Park (pictured), a senior vice president Rhode Island Association of Realtors, tells DailyMail that many people who have median priced second homes are going to get hit hard. 'We do have a lot of smaller homes that are near the ocean. Since the pandemic those little tiny places are a lot of money now and if they've been in the family for generations now they're going to have to come up with this annual tax which isn't easy for a lot of those people,' she said. Watch Hill realtor Larry Burns (pictured) warns the economic backlash of the tax will be brutal. Burns specializes in coastal and luxury properties, and says the impact of the tax will trickle down to longtime residents who are not wealthy, and to local economies. 'Rhode Island economy for the most part is driven by tourism, especially in all in New England especially coastal state like Rhode Island,' he told the Daily Mail. 'And it's really going to discourage people from buying second homes here because of the added expense.' He continued: 'There's people like Taylor Swift — people will look at her and think, 'Well, she has so much money she'll never even notice an increase like this.' 'But it's not like the residents here have inexhaustible resources. '$100,000 here might be college education for the year for a kid, or two kids.' Burns added the tax could force many to part with cherished family homes. 'There's a lot of older folks or multigenerational properties where the siblings have inherited the property, and if you keep adding expenses people end up selling because they can't keep up with the cost,' he said. Local business owner James Nicholas, who is the fourth generation of his family to run St. Clair Annex, an ice cream shop down the hill from Swift's estate (yes, she's been in the shop and is lovely), put it best. 'There's a stratum of society that can absorb that cost, but regular people, maybe they don't put an addition on the house, don't you know go to the local restaurants or they don't shop at the local shops as much, taxing them is short sighted thinking.' Whether the tax becomes law down the line remains uncertain, but Burns, the local realtor, says it could go either way. 'I don't know if they're posturing for political reasons, but this is really killing the goose that lays the golden egg,' he said.
