Harry Houdini Reappears
By Joe McDonald
RIGA Senior Writer
WEST WARWICK – Harry Dessel can finally call himself a Rhode Island Golf Association state champion.
Dessel, 20, of Rhode Island Country Club, outlasted Tyler Cooke to win the 2023 Rhode Island Stroke Play Championship Wednesday at Valley Country Club. After Dessel signed his card, RIGA executive director, Bob Ward, presented the winner with a trophy and a Titleist golf bag with “RIGA Champion” embroidered on it.
“I’ve waited a long time for this bag,” Dessel said with a huge smile. “To finally break through and win a RIGA event, I’ve waited a long time.”
Dessel was the runner-up three times in the Rhode Island Junior Amateur Championship, runner-up in the (2021) Stroke Play Championship, and runner-up in the (2023) Rhode Island Amateur. He knew he was close and he finally pulled it off in grand fashion Wednesday at Valley Country Club.
“If I won, I’d be a three-time Junior Amateur champion, a Stroke Play champion and Amateur champion. I knew I was very close,” he said. “I never had a good final day and then today I finally had one . . . It was really big for my confidence. I did make the finals of the Amateur, but I got crushed in the finals. So, to actually get over the hurdle and win this tournament was big for me.”
Dessel made the shot of the day on the par-3 12th hole. His tee shot flew the green and landed on the No. 16 green. He made an incredible green-to-green shot and landed it a few feet from the hole and saved par.
“I don’t know how it got back there,” he said. “I was about 50 yards over the green to the left, and it was probably the best shot of the day.”
Dessel and Cooke were back and forth atop the leaderboard, and while Cooke carded a bogey on No. 17, and a par on No. 18, all Dessel had to do was birdie the final hole. He succeeded and accomplished his goal.
“I know I had to make birdie on 18 and I did,” he said.
As he walked off the green, his father, Bill, was waiting to give his son a big hug.
He’s returning to Lafayette College for his sophomore year in a couple of weeks, and admits the drive to Easton, Pa., will be a lot better with his new RIGA Champions bag in the trunk.