Headline: Long at Last... Chris and Maxine Harney Capture Championship Division of the Massachusetts Father & Daughter Championship

For Immediate Release: August 11, 2016

Chris and Maxine Harney won the Championship Division of the MGA Father & Daughter Championship held at The Haven Country Club.

Boylston, MA — Despite a heat index that saw temperatures exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, Chris Harney (Paul Harney GC)and Maxine Harney (Ferncroft CC) were all smiles after 18 holes.

How could they not be? The father and daughter duo shot a 4-over par 76 to win the Championship Division at the 34th Massachusetts Father & Daughter Championship, held at The Haven Country Club.

The Medford natives were even at the turn after carding two birdies and two bogeys and held on by making five pars on the back nine to complete their round of 18.

For the father and daughter duo, who have been playing in the Championship Proper in each year since 2013, finally winning the event after coming so close in previous years was a feeling a long time coming.

“This year, we came out of the gates and we were two under after two. My dad made a couple of great shots in the beginning,” said the younger Harney, a rising junior at the College of the Holy Cross, where she is a member of the women’s golf team. “It feels great to finally be able to put a good round together and come out on top.”

Getting off to a good start was the catalyst for the remainder of the round.

“I think it was important to come out with a strong start," said Maxine. "My dad has been practicing a lot. I’ve been practicing a lot. Our first tee shots actually weren’t very good, so to be able to convert that into a birdie and then to make another birdie on two gave us a nice little buffer and boosted our confidence to be able to continue playing strong and playing aggressive.”

With a select drive alternate shot format, that was part of their team strategy for success that proved beneficial coming down the stretch.

“Our biggest plan and our biggest strategy was to just keep it in play,” said Maxine. “My dad is long off the tee. Even if it’s in the rough, the biggest strategy is to keep it in play on the golf course. We were both able to do that.”

Keep it in play they did. Chris and Maxine registered five pars on the back nine, including one on the par 3 17th hole that was key to sealing the victory.

After Chris hit a favorable tee shot, daughter Maxine had a putt from the edge of the green that, looking back, she would have liked back.

“He had a great shot. It ended up being short,” said Maxine. “I was putting from off the fringe. I hit it terrible. But he came back and made a six-footer. He came back and made that putt for par.”

For the team, who have been playing together each of the last six years since Maxine started playing competitively in high school, the opportunity to play together in the Father & Daughter Championship was an opportunity that could not be missed.

Maxine said, “To be able to come out here and put a really good round together means a lot. My dad and I are very close. It’s a pleasure being able to play golf with him. It’s great. This event is huge for us. We look forward to it every single summer.”

After finally winning the Championship Proper, the pressure will be on them to return to the main event and seek a repeat next year. In the meantime however, the pair will just look forward to playing more golf together.  

For complete coverage of the event, make sure to check the MGA’s website, www.mgalinks.org and follow us on social media (@mgalinks) and #MassFD.