Leopold Holds Early Lead 

SEEKONK – Last summer, after a 36-hole battle for the State Amateur Championship, Mike Calef and Jake Bauer stood on the 18^th green at Rhode Island Country Club and shook hands. 
 
Fortunately for Calef, he finished with a 1-up victory. On Monday, for the first time since last July, they were in the same pairing for Round 1 qualifying of the 121^st edition of this championship at Ledgemont Country Club. 
 
“It was awesome,” said Calef, who posted an even-par 71. “Jake’s the best. Last year, the finals against Jake was a fun day the whole time and I was lucky enough to come out on top, but the thing that stuck out to me last year was we finish, and it flipped in the last second, and Jake had a chance to be down, or upset with himself. Instead, he took a minute to talk to my kids, and play with my kids, and give my son a golf ball. That stuff will stick me with and he’s the best in my book. So, to (play) with him (Monday) I consider myself lucky. We had a really nice group, and Jesse (Hellring) is a great kid, too.” 
 
Bauer, who won this championship in 2018 at Ledgemont CC, said when he first read the pairings, it brought a smile to his face. 
 
“Mike and I have seen each other a lot since we battled it out last summer,” explained Bauer. “I grew up in Portsmouth. He lives in Portsmouth, so we keep it pretty light. I was really looking forward to playing with him, because sometimes when you play with someone who has a record like he has it elevates your game.” 
 
Bauer, along with Max Jackson, shot 2-under 69 and finished Round 1 only two strokes behind the leader, Bobby Leopold, who carded 4-under 67. The five-time champion understands the importance of starting strong, and despite tough weather conditions, he did what he does best and charged to the front of the pack. 
 
“I had no expectations coming into this, but I know how quickly it can get away from you if you don’t keep it in front of you and play your game,” he said. “You can play too defensive sometimes, so I knew I wanted to get out to a good start.”
 
Leopold carded an eagle on the first hole and followed that with three more birdies on the front. With the rain pounding the players relentlessly, Leopold posted only one more birdie on No. 17 and finished with only his second bogey of the round.
 
“It was on and off,” he said of the weather. “We got really lucky for our first nine holes; it was pretty good. We had the umbrellas out for bits and bobs, but once we turned onto 10 it was a deluge. I grabbed towels from my car on 13 because all the other ones were completely drenched. Just really, really hard to keep the club in your hands, and the back nine here is harder than the front, and you’ve got some really hard holes coming in, so you’re just trying to get it on the green, make par and get out of there. There were some times I could have made some more birdies, but I wasn’t trying to make them. Just get me in the house as quickly as possible.” 
 
Leopold is attempting to tie Daniel Fairchild’s record of six state championships, which he earned between 1907 and 1921. Leopold, of Wannamoisett CC, is the best amateur player of his generation in Rhode Island and would like to add to an already impressive resume. Along with Leopold and Fairchild, Robert W. Allen and Cameron P. Quinn are all five-time winners of the State Amateur. Allen won between 1949 and 1960, while Quinn, who is considered by many to be one of the best local amateur players of all-time, won in 1956, 1962, 1966, 1967 and 1971.
 
“That would be unbelievable,” Leopold said of tying the record. “I always forget if I’m tied, or if I’m one behind it; I actually don’t know where I am because I keep telling my wife if I get the record I’ll retire, quit and do something else. She’s like, ‘no, you won’t.’ It’s always in the back of your mind, but at the end of the day it’s just another tournament where you’re trying to go out there and do your best. I love golf but it’s not the be-all, end-all of life. My kids don’t care if I shoot 67 or 77 because they’re still happy to see me. It gives me a different attitude when I come out and play.” 
 
Round 2 of qualifying continues Tuesday, beginning at 8 a.m. 

Understandably, people ask why the Rhode Island State Amateur Championship is played in Massachusetts. At one time, Ledgemont Country Club was an extension of Valley Country Club, so both clubs were grandfathered into the RIGA. Also, if a club is within three miles of the Rhode Island border, it is allowed to join the RIGA. There are a few clubs in Massachusetts and Connecticut that are RIGA members, including Ledgemont, Segregansett, Crestwood, Connecticut National and Quinnatisset.