By: Stephen Hanjack
WORCESTER, Massachusetts (September 30, 2025) – Winning a championship is always special, and as many of golf’s greats have stressed before, the venue has the ability to elevate that level of joy to unmatched heights. On Tuesday, Brendan Hester (Pleasant Valley CC) surged past overnight leader Jim Patterson (Orchards GC) before holding off Dean Godek (Agawam Municipal GC) to take home the 65th Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship at Worcester Country Club.
For Hester, the fact that Tuesday’s victory took place just a mile from where he grew up, and at one of the most historically rich golf clubs in the country, made for a moment he’ll cherish forever.
“I circled (it) on the calendar a long time ago when I saw that it was at Worcester,” said Hester. “And I was turning 55 so yeah, it’s just such a special thing.”
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To start the day Jim Patterson held a one shot lead over Brendan Hester, with a bevy of players stacked, just a few strokes behind them. In the early going, it was Steven Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) and Worcester member T.J. Ryan (Worcester CC) that started some noise with birdies and eagles alike. Ryan would tail off later in the day, but Tasho held strong, piecing together a 75, good for a T3 finish.
Shortly after the early noise faded off, a two-man race began to from, between Patterson and Hester. One of the defining moments in the round came at the 8th hole. After seeing Patterson struggle with the wind and miss the green on the 175 yard par-3, Hester stepped up and hit a towering 7-iron to 15 feet. While the birdie putt evaded the hole, the two-putt par was enough for the outright lead thanks to the double-bogey that Patterson would eventually make.
In the group ahead, Dean Godek had also made a classy par on 8, and sitting at +3, was just 3 back of Hester’s lead. At that point, it felt like the 2-man race was turning into a 3-man race.
As the groups made their way across the train tracks, it was Godek who would make the next big move. With a long birdie putt from just off the green on the 11th, Godek pulled within 2. A short while later, Hester and Patterson would struggle mightily on the hole, both making double-bogey. At that point, Hester and Godek were tied atop the leaderboard, and the event switched back to a 2-man race.
As the clock struck 3:33 p.m., Godek made a birdie 3, on the par-4 14th, giving him the outright lead for the first time all day. Moments later, and a hole behind, Hester found himself in a terrible lie at the bottom of the front right bunker.
“I was plugged in the bunker on 13,” said Hester. “I actually thought about playing it way over to the right, because it could go up on the back tier. It’s impossible to two putt (from up top) so I felt like I had enough speed to be able to get down there and get it up. It just came off perfect. But I think I hit it to about four or five inches. So that worked out.”
The par save would prove to be monumental later in the round.
Still tied, and playing the 17th hole, Godek stepped up and hit a perfect drive. Or so he thought.
“So I hit a perfect drive. Thought I was gonna be perfect condition,” said Godek. “I was gonna be like, down there. I hit it exactly how I wanted to. And then the official said it just, hit (the undulating fairway), and then it just trickled left into the bunker.”
The unfortunate bounce led to a bogey. Then on 18, Godek missed the green left with his approach, leaving a near impossible up-and-down. The par putt would slide by the edge and give Hester a 2-shot cushion as he was making his way down 17.
After making a second-straight up-and-down for par on 17, Hester found himself in a much more comfortable position that he anticipated, holding a 2-shot lead on the 18th tee.
“It feels pretty good with a two shot lead,” said Hester of his comfort playing the 18th. “So it was a lot more comfortable than maybe a one shot lead. So it was good to hit a couple of good shots and finish it the right way.”
With a rowdy crowd surrounding the 18th green, Hester finished in style, spinning his approach shot to just a few feet away.
A stress-free two-putt would put the finishing touches on a memorable week for Hester.
“It’s been fun to play the 55 and over stuff, for sure. Yeah, no doubt. And it’s been great to experience, you know, seeing old friends,” added Hester. “So that’s really what it’s about, is the camaraderie we have.”
Worcester Country Club boasts a historical pedigree matched by few clubs in the country. Worcester’s rich history is highlighted by the notable events it has hosted: 1925 U.S. Open, the inaugural Ryder Cup in 1927, and the U.S. Women’s Open in 1960.
In Volume II of The Massachusetts Golfer, we took a look beyond the club’s storied past, highlighting the way that Gil Hanse’s recent restoration work set the course for Worcester to retake its place among the nation’s best.
Donald Ross’ original design 1914 has been painstakingly restored, his brilliance found quite literally underground and resurrected. The result is a polished, golden age masterwork that stands the test of the modern game. We look forward to sharing the full story, in print, in your mailbox, this fall.
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