Oppenheim settles for second
To say the least, it was an exhilarating weekend on the Korn Ferry Tour for Andover golf pro Rob Oppenheim.
After missing nearly all of 2023 with an injury, Oppenheim flexed a bit this past weekend, finishing second in the Club Car Championship at The Landings in Savannah, Ga.
While the performance is a clear indication that Oppenheim is back healthy, being so close to a win but being denied – losing in a sudden-death playoff – is one that the veteran will need to rebound from.
On the positive side, it solidifies Oppenheim’s position on the Korn Ferry Tour points list at No. 18 as the heart of the summer schedule approaches.
The Top 25 at the end of the regular season slate immediately qualify for 2025 PGA Tour cards.
Minor League Update
Camps have broken in Florida and Arizona and the minor league baseball season is completely in full swing around the country.
Here’s a look at where the locals have landed:
Former Merrimack Valley Conference rivals Cam Devanney (Central) and Jacob Wallace (Methuen) have landed together as teammates on Kansas City’s Triple-A club in Omaha.
Devanney, an infielder, is hitting .259 in the early going, while Wallace, a reliever, is 2-0 in a three appearances out of the pen.
North Andover’s Max Burt, a Northeastern infield product, is back at Double-A Somerset (N.J.) in the Yankees system.
Catcher Dom Keegan of Methuen and Central Catholic, the No. 5 rated prospect in the Tampa Bay system, is at Double-A Montgomery (Ala.).
Keegan’s Central teammate Steve Hajjar will start the year at advanced Single-A Lake County in the Cleveland system.
Phillips Academy product Thomas White, a prized pick of the Marlins last summer, dazzled in his debut at Single-A Jupiter (Fla.), working 3.2 shutout innings of three-hit ball, striking out six as the opening day starter.
Former Wake Forest righty Sean Sullivan of Andover, a second-round pick of the Rockies last summer, has wasted no time zooming up the ranks in the pros.
Sullivan, the No. 14 prospect in the Rockies’ system, opened the year at advanced Single-A Spokane and absolutely dealt in his debut. He fanned 13 in six shutout innings.
Windham righty Brandon Dufault, in the Angels system, opened the year on the 60-day injured list.
Thoughts on Roger
It was truly sad to hear this past week of the passing of Roger Fuller, the Methuen High track coaching legend.
As former Ranger standout Jim Giarrusso noted to me:
“Coach Fuller had a special relationship with the guys who ran distance events, but he was equally as caring for those on the team who did sprints or field events. His athletes saw how much he cared about the sport, and it pushed them to do their best. There wasn’t a nicer person in the Methuen High building during my time as a student-athlete than Coach Fuller. He truly was the best.”
I first met Fuller in my teens. He was the architect and perennial champ (of course) in the Newburyport Yankee Homecoming Doubles Tennis Tournament back in the mid-1980s.
I barely knew him then, but the guy oozed class. He was at a much higher level as a tennis player than me, but he treated all with such respect.
I will always remember that. He will be missed for sure.