Tag: class-of-2019

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Inductee

Thomas J. Leonard, Jr.

Thomas J. Leonard, Jr.

Thomas J. Leonard Jr. was born in Nashua, New Hampshire in 1918. The son of 1922 New Hampshire State Amateur Champion Thomas J. Leonard Sr, “Tommy” won his first state title in 1937, with the New Hampshire Junior Championship. In 1939, he embarked on what would be a record-breaking streak of State Amateur titles. When World War II broke out, Tommy served as a pilot in the European Theater for two and a half years. After the war, he returned to golf, winning six consecutive titles from 1947-1952, for a total of eight State Amateur titles. In 1947, Tommy became the first amateur to win the New Hampshire Open Championship.

He played in six US Amateur Championships, including the 1948 Amateur in Memphis, where he lost in the second round, in 21 holes, to Julios Boros.  Boros went on to become a PGA tour standout.

One of Tommy’s ambitions was to win a New England Amateur Championship. Although that crown eluded him, he reached the finals twice, the semi-finals twice and the quarterfinals three times.

Tommy Leonard’s record of eight State Amateur titles held for 48 years, until it was beaten by fellow New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Meilcarz, at Bretwood Golf Club in 2000. His record of six consecutive wins still stands today.  

Thomas J. Leonard Jr. set the bar for amateur golfers in the Granite State.  Based on his accomplishments, the New Hampshire Golf Association Player of the Year Award is in his name.

 

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Inductee

Philip Pleat

2019 New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame Phil Pleat

Phil Pleat

Phil is the most decorated male golfer in New Hampshire having won a total of twenty New Hampshire Golf Association titles in years ranging from 1981 to 2017.  In those 37 years, he collected three New Hampshire Amateur titles (1981, 1985, 1997), eight New Hampshire Mid-Amateur titles (1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2011, 2012), three New Hampshire Stroke Play titles (2002, 2003, 2005), and six New Hampshire Senior titles (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017).  Accompanying those accomplishment, he has been named the New Hampshire Thomas J. Leonard Jr. Player of the Year three times and the New Hampshire Senior Player of the Year six times.

On a regional basis, Phil won back-to-back New England Senior Amateur Championships in 2016 and 2017.

Twenty is a common number in Phil’s accomplishment as he has competed in twenty USGA championships over the years.  Notably, he finished runner-up in the 2011 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship held at Kinloch Golf Club in Virginia.  Some of his more memorable experiences have come from competing alongside his son, James, in the 2012 U.S. Amateur Championship and as Four Ball partners in the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four Ball Championship.

Phil joins his father-in-law, Thomas J. Leonard, Jr. as an inductee into the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame.

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Inductee

Laura Shanahan-Rowe, LPGA

Laura Shanahan-Rowe, LPGAWith accomplishments spanning both the amateur and professional side of golf, Laura Shanahan-Rowe is well-deserving of this honor.  On the amateur side, one of her greatest accomplishments is winning the 2001 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, becoming the first female in New Hampshire to win a USGA event.  She also took home titles at the New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association Championship in 1999 and 2002 and the New England Women’s Golf Association Championship in 2002. 

Professionally, she has competed in numerous LPGA events and The Legends Tour events, gathering Top-3 finishing spots along the way.  In 2008, she won the LPGA T&CP (Teachers and Club Pros) Championship held at Pinehurst.  Regionally, she won the 2014 and 2016 New England Women’s Open and finished second in the 2004 Massachusetts Women’s Open.  She competed in the inaugural USGA Senior Women’s Open in 2018 and again in 2019, with a top 20 finish, which earns her an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Senior Women’s Open. 

Still competing around the country, Laura finished second in the Senior Division of the LPGA T&CP Championship this year and headed to French Lick, IN to compete in the LPGA Senior Championship just before the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. 

Currently, she is a sought-after Teaching Professional at Sagamore Golf Center in North Hampton, NH, a role which she has been in since 2009.

 

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Inductee

Stan Lencki, Sr., PGA

Stan Lencki, Sr., PGA

Stan Lencki, Sr., PGAStan Lencki’s service to the game of golf as a PGA Professional for over 50 years has earned him his place in the NH Golf Hall of Fame. 

Stan served as an Assistant Golf Professional under Joe Makara at Manchester Country Club from 1956-1979.  From there, he took over the position of Head Golf Professional at MCC from 1979-2000.  In May of 2000 he was honored with a “Lifetime Achievement” award from the New England PGA and presented a lifetime membership to MCC for his 50 years of service. 

Additionally, a permanently endowed McDonough Scholarship was named in his honor and in 2001, the McDonough Foundation created the Stan Lencki Distinguished Service Award.  He was well-known for frequently declining to be honored by the New Hampshire Chapter of the NEPGA for its “Teacher of the Year” and “Professional of the Year” awards, but finally accepted the “Professional of the Year” honor in October of 2000 upon the announcement of his retirement.