The Rhode Island Country Club golf championships proved to be historic last Sunday, as a brother and sister won the men’s and women’s club championships for the first time in RICC history. 

Harry Dessel won the men’s club championship and his sister, Lily, won the women’s title. Dan Cregan captured the Flint Championship, and Mitch McTaggart won the Michael McCampbell Junior Club Championship.

The day began with the first half of the Men's Club Championship Final, featuring two talented and accomplished players. Jason Calhoun, the Director of Golf at Brown University, squared off against Harry Dessel, who recently finished his first year on the Lafayette University men’s golf team. 

Dessel took an early lead with a par on the first, but Calhoun would make birdie on the third hole to square the match. Both players started off slow, each carding a couple bogies in the first few holes. 

Calhoun won the fourth and then birdied the fifth to take a two hole lead. Calhoun made a long putt on hole six for his third birdie of the day. Calhoun reacted with a fist pump after what appeared to be a 3-up lead through six holes. 

However, Dessel matched Calhoun with an important birdie to remain two down. Dessel cut into Calhoun's lead after making an incredible eagle on the eighth hole to cut the deficit to one. But Calhoun took a 2-up lead again on hole nine, after a fortunate bounce gave him his fifth birdie of the day. Calhoun shot an impressive 33 on the front; Dessel with a 36. 

Dessel, 2 down at the turn, knew there was a lot of golf still to be played. Dessel stayed patient and started the back nine with 4 pars. Calhoun slipped up on the 11th, making bogey and losing the hole. Dessel squared the match on hole 14, after hitting another approach to inside three feet, just as he did a day earlier to defeat Ben Morgan. Calhoun and Dessel crossed the road all square and would finish the first 18 holes of the match even.

Calhoun and Dessel started the second half of the Men's Club Championship just as they began the day, all square. This time, Calhoun won the first hole with a par and left Dessel one down through 19 holes. They halved the next two holes with pars. Dessel squared the match on hole 4 after sticking his approach and making birdie. 

After 27 holes, Dessel had a 2-up lead that he was not willing to give up for the remainder of the match. He won the 10th hole with a par after a bogey from Calhoun. They both left themselves long par putts on 11. Calhoun poured his in, putting the pressure on Dessel. But Dessel answered Calhoun to stay 3-up. Calhoun left his approach on hole 12 short, failing to get up and down, giving Dessel a 4-up lead through 30 holes. 

Dessel began pulling away from Calhoun. They both found the putting surface in two shots on hole 13. Dessel with a 20-foot slider from behind the hole and Calhoun with a 15-footer up the hill. Calhoun had been scrambling the previous six holes to stay in the match and finally had an opportunity to make birdie and cut into Dessel's 4-up lead. But in match play, you always have to assume your opponent will make his putt. And that's what Dessel did. Dessel knocked in his 20-foot slider and reacted with a fist pump of his own, stripping away Calhoun's opportunity to win the hole. Calhoun was unable to convert his birdie try, giving Dessel a 5-up lead with 5 to play. 

After an errant tee shot on hole 14 from Calhoun, Dessel was able to close out the match, defeating Calhoun 6 and 4 and earning himself his second Club Championship title.

Women’s Championship

Nancy Chaffee earned her spot in this year's final yet again with her customary steady play. Lily Dessel earned a spot in the final with a win over Claire McTaggart.

In the championship match, Dessel got off to a quick start with a 2-up lead through two holes. That turned into a 3-up lead through four, and then a 4-up lead through six. Dessel seemed unstoppable. Dessel won holes eight and nine, giving herself a 6-up lead on Chaffee at the turn. Dessel finished the front 9 with a plus-one score of 37 with only one bogey. 

Dessel found herself with an opportunity to join her older brother as club champions on the 12th hole. Chaffee missed her par putt, leaving Dessel with a 3-foot putt to win the match. She proceeded to knock it in, defeating Chaffee 7 and 6, giving Dessel her second club championship title.

Flint Championship

Teeing off right behind the Men's Club Championship were the finalists for the Flint Championship. Dan Cregan faced off against Bill Fischer, two players who have played some fantastic golf so far this summer. Cregan got off to an early 2-up lead through two holes with pars. Cregan parred the next four holes to take a commanding 5-up lead through 6. Cregan would go on to defeat Fischer and win the match 7 and 6.

Michael McCampbell Junior Club Championship

In the final Super Sunday match of the day, long-hitting Mitch McTaggart took on young VJ Malik in the Michael McCampbell Junior Club Championship. McTaggart was determined to play his best and win after losing in the finals to Rocco DiMatteo in 2021. He found himself 1-up through the first three holes against VJ, who was putting up a great fight. But McTaggart was able to defeat him 9 and 7 and win.