Jack Fader and Thomas Woessner are first cousins but basically consider themselves brothers.

They’re that close.

They’re also close in ability, sharing similar handicaps.

On Monday, they found themselves in an unfamiliar position as first-time finalists in the Old Lyme Country Club men’s club championship.

And, like brothers, they traded not only golf shots but good-natured verbal ones as well during the fiercely competitive match.

The 26-year-old Fader, who grew up in Old Lyme and attends law school at UConn, earned his first club title, as well as bragging rights, with a 2 and 1 win.

“It was funny,” Fader said. “We’re so close. I played the most amount of golf with Thomas, so we were laughing that it was going to be the two of us (in the final). Didn’t really know what to expect.

“People following us wasn’t necessarily something that I was looking forward to. It’s a lot easier to play golf without anybody watching. But, I got used to it. It was fun.”

Early on, both golfers dealt with the first-time jitters before settling down.

The scheduled 18-hole match remained tight throughout, and that came as no surprise.

“Jack and I have probably played this golf course hundreds of times against each other,” Woessner said. “It usually goes down to the wire. It was fun to go down to the wire.”

Fader grabbed a quick 3-up lead before Woessner won the next three holes to tie it up.

All square at the turn, Fader took the lead again by winning No. 10, No. 12 and No. 13 for a 3-up lead.

Woessner, who just turned 32, made a 25-foot birdie on No. 16 to extend the match to another hole before Fader sealed the win on No. 17.

“Jack played really well,” said Woessner, who’s a boarding school teacher at Governor’s Academy in Newbury, Mass. “I was trying to get under his skin a little bit, telling him the trophy has got his name on it, but he didn’t waver.”

Fader called the win “a little bittersweet.”

“I know if we play again next year — I’m hoping it is the two of us again — we’ll see about a different outcome,” Fader said. “But we had a lot of fun.”

Woessner knows he’s going to take a little ribbing from Fader.

“Thanksgiving and Christmas will be interesting,” Woessner said. “He has bragging rights for a year but I’ll find something else that I can beat him at. Next up is paddle tennis, so we’ll see. We compete in pretty much anything.”

Short putts

• Congratulations to Old Lyme CC pro Rob Barbeau, who is the Connecticut Section PGA Golf Professional of the Year.

Barbeau was informed of the award last week by section president Bob Sparks. He’ll be honored at a dinner in October.

“It was a nice surprise,” Barbeau said. “It was wonderful. I’m really, really happy. I have so many people to thank along the way. Some many thoughts went through my mind about how it all started.”

His family is at the top of that list of people that supported him during his journey.

He’s in his 37th year at the club.

“Molly’s support was huge through the whole thing,” said Barbeau about his wife. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 37 years, so it’s been crazy. I’m very honored to be selected.”

Barbeau, 65, is truly one of the good guys in the business.

Earlier in his career, Barbeau had other job offers. But he greatly valued the Old Lyme membership family that allowed him to spend quality time with his own family.

“The membership here let me work the job but also let me see my kids grow up,” Barbeau said. “And that was more important to me than anything.”

Over the weekend, his daughters Nicole and Amanda came home to East Lyme to celebrate Barbeau’s award. Barbeau also had two grandchildren — James and Emily.

Barbeau is on the back nine of his career. Thoughts of retiring have entered his mind, but he’s not ready just yet.

“I’m not quite ready to retire, but I can see the runway and I’m preparing the cabin for departure,” Barbeau said.

He’s looking forward to playing more golf and enjoying his friends and family when the time comes.

• It took a grueling 38 holes to decide the Great Neck men’s club championship on Monday in Waterford.

Eric Bergstrom outlasted Matt Shea to earn his eighth title. He clinched the match on the second extra hole.

A large crowd followed the two golfers.

“I got lucky a couple of times today,” Bergstrom said. “He made some huge putts and I made some huge putts. It was great. The club supports it, so it’s fun being out there with the entire club.”

The momentum swung back and forth in the entertaining match.

Shea won the final three holes of Monday’s first round to even the score. Then he took a 3-up lead after 10 in the afternoon round.

Bergstrom, who’s from Waterford, still felt good despite the deficit.

“That’s when I got a little more comfortable,” Bergstrom said. “I had to do something or it was going to be over soon.”

Bergstrom responded, sinking a 15-foot putt to win No. 13 to tie the score again.

Heading into the 36th hole of the match overall, Shea had a 1-up lead.

Both golfers found the bunker on their second shots and had to scramble from there.

Needing to drain a 20-foot putt to force extra holes, Bergstrom delivered in the clutch. He emphatically pumped his fist after the ball disappeared in the cup.

Bergstrom credited his 16-year-old son Joshua, who served as caddy, for keeping him loose during a tense day of golf.

“We kept talking about other stuff besides what we were doing for golf,” Bergstrom said. “We started having some fun.”

After sinking another clutch putt on the first playoff hole (No. 1), Bergstrom closed out the victory on the next hole after Shea struggled to convert on and around the green.

The pair shared a hug before walking off the green and heading back to the clubhouse.

“It was unfortunate what happened on the second playoff hole,” Bergstrom said. “I know Matt wanted to win really badly. … He played the hardest road to get to the finals that I’ve seen anybody have to get through.”

• Caroline Petchark captured her third Great Neck women’s club championship, beating five-time winner Karen Anderson in the final.

• Black Hall Club in Old Lyme has completed its club championship matches.

Alex Jenkins earned the men’s club title with a three-round total of 227 (74-74-79). Jeff Riley and Bill Hermanson tied for second at 230.

Tom Degnan won the First Flight with a two-round score of 165 (84-81) while Gregory DeMichiel (87-84–171) took the Second Flight and Jon Alvarez (85-90–175) captured the Third Flight.

In the senior club championship, Hermanson defeated Tony Stratidis in the final. Jim Hamsher won the Super Senior title.

• In the Old Lyme women’s club championship event held earlier this summer, Michelle Abraham defeated Hollis Barry, 7&5, in the final.

• Host Norwich Golf Course prevailed in the 27th Norwich-Shennecossett Challenge, winning by a 63-18 margin.

• Andrew Cavasino of Great Neck tied for 23rd with a two-round total of 223 (75-76-72) at the 36th Connecticut Mid-Amateur Championship that was held at the Country Club of Farmington on Aug. 29-30. Killingly graduate Jantzen Vargas (74-74-75) also tied for 23rd and Mike Thompson of Black Hall Club was 25th at 224 (75-76-73). Jeff Riley of Black Hall also finished in the top 30, firing a 227 (71-79-77) to tie for 28th.

Richard Dowling of the Golf Performance Center won his third straight title, posting a 9-under 204 (67-66-71).

• Matt Fuller of Great Neck and Brett Shulick of Great River Golf Club tied for fourth place with a 6-under 65 at the 83rd Connecticut Four-Ball Championship at Wallingford Country Club on Aug. 24.

Steven Ferraro of Quinnatisset Country Club and Jackson Davis of Raceway Golf Club tied for 10th at 5-under 66 as did the team of Bill Hermanson and Dave Szewczul of TPC River Highlands.

Anthony Hrenko of Indian Hill Country Club and Christopher Sica of Wallingford won the event with a 9-under 62.

• The Shennecossett duo of Mike Serio and Dennis Bongioannni tied for 14th with a 3-under 69 at the 42nd Connecticut Senior Four-Ball Championship on Aug. 16 at The Golf Club at Oxford Greens. Matthew Damico of Mill River Country Club and Bob Murphy of Brownson Country Club finished first at 9-under 63.

• Kit Bryan added to her list of Pequot women’s club championship titles last month while Donna Butler was the net division champion. Bryan shot rounds of 82 and 76.

• Hermanson was the top local finisher at the 27th Connecticut Super Senior Championship on Aug. 28 at Longshore Golf Course in Westport. He placed 14th with a 4-over 73. Scott Marshall of Lake of Isles took 15th.

Szewczul, a three-time Super Senior champion, posted a winning score of 2-under 67.

Upcoming events

• The 18th Tournament of Champions will tee off on Sept. 26 at Bull’s Bridge Golf Course in South Kent.

• The Norwich Golf Course member-member tournament will tee off on Oct. 8.

• The 38th Connecticut Public Links Championship will run Oct. 16-17 at Keney Park Golf Course in Windsor.

• The CSGA One Day Tournament series will make some local stops this fall, coming to Shennecossett on Sept. 11 and to Norwich Golf Course on Sept. 28. Lake of Isles in North Stonington will serve as the host of the Al Acker One Day Championship on Oct. 10.

g.keefe@theday.com