By Dalton Balthaser

 

NORTH KINGSTOWN – Ian Thimble has been a professional since he was 21. 

 

Throughout all of the trials and tribulations, Thimble continued to persevere.

 

Wednesday at North Kingstown Golf Course (par 70, 6,269 yards), he got back into the winner’s circle.

 

Thimble, aided by two clutch birdies on the final four holes, is the 90th Rhode Island Open champion. 

 

Thimble carded consecutive 66s to finish at 8 under and win by two shots over new professional Davis Chatfield of Wannamoisett Country Club who finished at 6 under.

 

“It means a great deal,” said Thimble, 32, of Boston, Mass. “It feels great. This is my second state open victory. I am from New England so winning any state open in this area means a lot.”

 

Austin Cilley of Button Hole Golf Club and Teddy Murphy of The Aquidneck Club shared low amateur honors at 2 under.

 

Thimble won the Mass Open back in 2014 at Weston Golf Club.

 

Heading into the final round, Thimble was in a share of the lead with Chatfield and two others. After he played his first 11 holes, he had a two-shot lead. He played the first 11 holes in 3 under.

 

“Today, I wanted to put my energy into things that I can control,” said Thimble, of George Wright Golf Course. “In the past, I got wrapped up in what everyone else was doing. Having those learning experiences helped teach me what works best for me in tournaments.”

 

Like any champion, there comes a time throughout the round where there is a do-or-die situation that wins them the tournament.

 

For Thimble, that was a 6-iron from the left rough behind some trees on No. 15 (par 4, 416 yards).

 

“I prefer to play a draw,” said Thimble. “For some reason, I can cut my 6-iron well. It was a perfect number for it, and I hit it exactly as I wanted to. It worked out. At the time, it was a huge birdie.”

 

He knuckled that 6-iron from 190 yards to six feet to get to 7 under and keep his one-shot lead after Chatfield birdied the same hole.

 

After pars on Nos. 16 (par 4, 405 yards) and 17 (par 4, 325 yards), Thimble approached the last (par 3, 160 yards) with a one-shot lead.

 

“I just wanted to end the tournament,” said Thimble. “I knew birdie would pretty much do it. It’s a 9-iron. There was no need for me to think. Once I made the putt, it was pure relief. It has been a long time since I won a golf tournament. All that failure makes this worth it.”

 

He rolled in an eight-footer for victory and a $5,000 winners’ check.

 

“I am such a different player,” said Thimble. “I am a better all-around player than I was. I used to play on emotion and that didn’t work out at all for me. I wasn’t tough when I turned pro. I let a lot of things get to me. When I wasn’t playing well, I had a hard time letting it go. I try to see more of the positive in golf now.”

 

Whenever Thimble comes home, he finds his game. He’s ready to expand his horizons and prove to himself he can make it to the PGA TOUR.

 

“I know I am good in New England,” said Thimble. “I just need to take that mentality elsewhere. I need to believe in myself. This goes a long way in helping me find that belief.”

 

Senior Division

 

Charlie Blanchard was inducted into the Rhode Island Golf Hall of Fame back in 2015. 

 

Usually that means your best golf is behind you.

 

But for Blanchard he loves to keep chasing and keep pushing himself.

 

This year, the RIGA instituted the Senior Division of the Rhode Island Open to give more senior professionals a chance to compete.

 

“I am glad the RIGA decided to have a Senior Division of the Open,” said Blanchard, 57, of Warwick. “It is tough for us seniors to be able to compete with guys that play and practice every day. It was a welcomed idea.”

 

Blanchard found a way to do what he has done his whole career, win. This time claiming the Senior Division of the #RIOpen by one shot over Artie Wilson of Valley Country Club.

 

Blanchard finished at 2 under for the tournament.

 

“I am fortunate,” said Blanchard, of Wannamoisett Country Club. “I know where it’s going so I don’t have to grind as much as I used to on the range. But even if I wanted to hit a lot of balls, I don’t have as much time as I used to. I haven’t been playing that much either. I only played two rounds in July. It is nice to get back in competition.”

 

For a brief period, he was two shots behind Thimble after making birdie on No. 10 (par 3, 174 yards) and was making a run at the last Major missing from his RIGA trophy case. 

 

“I was trying to chase the leaders,” said Blanchard. “I just didn’t make the birdies coming in. It just didn’t work out, but I am pleased to win the Senior Division.”

 

Blanchard is the golf coach at Bryant University and turned professional six years ago. He collects the winner’s check of $1,200.

 

“I figured it was time to go to the next level and challenge myself,” said Blanchard of turning professional. “I had done well in Rhode Island and across the country as an amateur. I wanted to compete against guys I never competed against. I miss competing with the guys in Rhode Island but it’s a new chapter for me.”

 

Had Blanchard won the Rhode Island Open today he would have been the first player to win the RIGA’s four majors. Amateur, Stroke Play, Mid-Amateur and Open.

 

But he’ll keep giving it a go. 

 

“It was nice to be able to get another victory,” said Blanchard. “Winning never gets old. It’s nice to get that feeling again.”