Ouimet golf marathon plays through rain

STOW – The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund’s 16th Golf Marathon was played on Wednesday through intermittent downpours and two inches of rain, yet most of the 40 players managed to play more than 100 holes and achieve one of the top fundraising totals ever. The Marathon was played, as always, at Stow Acres Country Club’s South Course. The event raised a total of $260,000 and the 2008 Ouimet Marathon, which is believed to be the highest fundraising Marathon in the US this year, brought the total raised since the event’s inception in 1993 to $3.4 million.Among the top 10 fundraising clubs this year was No. 7 Tedesco, represented by Mike Zmetrovich, who completed 130 holes with $10,100 in fundraising.”The players were tremendous today, playing through numerous heavy rain squalls and refusing to give up. Thanks to them and Stow Acres for allowing us to go on and be able to get to our fundraising goals,” said Ted Highberger, the Ouimet Fund president.Assistant pro Tim Watroba of the Oyster Harbors Club completed 120 holes with $25,000 in fundraising to lead all of the 40 clubs, organizations and individuals participating. Oyster Harbors has been the leading club for five of the last six years and in the top two clubs since the inception of the event. Chris Sessa, an assistant pro at The Country Club, was close behind in second at $17,000. Doug Snow of Kittansett won the total holes competition with 202 holes played, one more hole than his leading total last year.Cam Giles, a 12-year-old, played 116 holes, which included 40 pars and four birdies. Giles is the grandson of Stow Acres owner Walt Lankau and son of Stow Ares director of golf Mike Giles.The golf scoring is based on 100 holes of play. Mike Gunderson, a Ouimet Scholar from Marshfield Country Club who attended the University of Connecticut last year, was low amateur at 19 under par. Albie Bargoot of Sterling Golf Management was low net at 36 under par. Jake Leech, a 29-year-old assistant pro at Dedham Country & Polo Club, was low pro at 8 under par.The men’s longest drive winner was Snow.The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund was founded in 1949, and since that time, it has awarded $19.2 million to students who have worked at least two years in service to golf in Massachusetts. Ouimet Scholars work as caddies or in pro shop or course superintendent operations. The scholarship is a four-year renewable award and is need- and merit-based. In 2008-09, The Fund will award at least $1.5 million to approximately 300 students. Over 4,500 students have received Ouimet Scholarships since the 1949 founding, with many going on to outstanding positions of leadership in business and professional careers. The Ouimet Fund is the largest independent scholarship in New England and the second-largest “caddie fund” in the US. It is a 501 (c) (3) organization.