Brad Valois started it, with help from David Marino. Jason Pannone continued it this past week. Conor McMahon has won a title and Danny Mollicone, too. David McAndrew, David Sampson and at least a dozen others have contributed, as well.

Among the women, Anna Grzebien and Katherine Murphy have been the leaders. But she's had help from players such as Ally Caffrey, Samantha Morrell and Amanda Sabitoni. What are they doing? They are changing the face of golf in Rhode Island.

Everyone knew Paul Quigley, George Pirie, Julie Greene, Nancy Chaffee and their friends, who have been so good for so long, could not go on forever. But it turns out not to be a gradual change. Everything has happened this summer. The kids not only have pushed their way to the foreground, they have taken control.

Imagine having teenagers as the state champions among both the men and women! It's never happened before.

But it is far more than having teenagers Valois and Murphy as state champs. State events among both the men and women have featured kids who crush the ball, play fearlessly and display tons of potential.

"Like everything else in life, things change," said Joe Sprague Jr. , the executive director of the R.I. Golf Association. "I think it's healthy for the game. A great as Paul (Quigley) and George (Pirie) have been, and they're still hanging in there and playing some great golf, it's good for the game to have talented new players.

"Back in days of (Bob ) Kosten , (Bobby ) Allen , (Ronnie ) Quinn and my dad, we had so many great players who played for a long time. They did not turn pro in those days like they do now. I'm sure some from this group will turn pro, too, but I don't think all of them will. We will still have good young players like Tom McCormick remain active in amateur play."

While several events remain, one issue already has been settled. Valois, with the State Amateur and New England Amateur titles, has clinched the player-of-the-year title.

The top 50 in the player-of-the-year standings, all of whom earn exemptions into this year's Mid Amateur are:

1, Valois 810; 2, Marino 517; 3, Charlie Blanchard 418; 4, Pannone 418; 5, George Donnell 254; 6, McAndrew 252; 7, Mollicone 230; 8, David Sampson 225; 9, Garrett Medeiros 220; 10, Drew Harker 209; 11, McCormick 203; 12, Jim Colucci 200; 13, Jamie Lukowicz and McMahon 180; 15, John Drohen 170.

Also, 16, Eugene DiSarro 167; 17, Andrew Clark 160; 18, Pirie 155; 19, Tom Goryl and Bobby Fournier 145; 21, Jim Stallman, 135; 22, Patrick Wasserman 120; 23, E.J. Wholey 118; 24, Tom Acciardo 95; 25, Billy Forcier and Mike Soucy 90; 27, Dave Carvara 85; 28, John Auclair 80; 30, tie Steve Royer, Bob Corio, Jon Costa III, Colby Pacheco, Chris O'Neill, Mike Caprio and Kevin Clary, all 70.

Also, 37, David Patrick 68; 38, Ted Turnbull 65; 39, Dan Sheehan 60; 40, Rob Grossguth, Randy Millen, Bill Lunnie, Paul Quigley, Adam Resmini, Jake Gaffey, Brenden Smith and Steve Heath, all 50; 48, John Ruzzo 45; 49, Gary McLane 40; 50, Joe Fogarty, Shane Rice, Bill Campbell and Devon Quigley, all 30.

For what it's worth, 8 of the top 10 on that list are age 22 or younger. It has been the year of change, for sure.

A happy ending

Anna Grzebien capped an up-and-down summer on a positive note this past week when she won the Massachusetts Women's Open at Cranberry Valley on Cape Cod.

The former NCAA champion, who is headed back for her senior year at Duke, shot rounds of 68-75. Her 1-under 143 total edged Taya Battistella of Bend, Ore., by one shot. Because Grzebien is an amateur, Battistella took the $1,600 first-place check.

Two other Rhode Islanders made the cut. Weekapaug's Susan Bond , a former tournament champion, tied for 16th with rounds of 83-72 for a 155 total and Potowomut's Amber Weller was 39th at 81-82.

Chip shots Vijay Singh , who won the event two years ago, is among the latest to commit to the Deutsche Bank Championship that will be held in two weeks at the PTC of Boston. Tournament officials announced that they have awarded their sponsor's exemptions, including one to Masschusetts resident Rob Oppenheim, who has been a leading player on the New England Pro Tour and the Canadian Tour. Others given exemptions are Steve Stricker, Dan Forsman, Nick Watney, John Engler Jr., James Lepp and 2005 Northeast Amateur champion Kyle Reifers . . . Brad Faxon will conduct his 11th annual Junior Golf Day tomorrow at Button Hole. He will provide instruction for 100 children age 9 to 17. . . Brent Wanner , who grew up on Cape Cod and now lives in Seekonk, fired a 3-under 69 at Newport National Thursday to tie for medalist honors in qualifying for the NEPGA's New England Open. Others advancing included Alpine's Eddie Kirby (74) and Carnegie Abbey's Scott Spence (75). Spence won a playoff for the final spot. Losers in the playoff, who become alternates, included Montaup's Steve Diemoz and former Warwick pro Larry Demers . . . Alexander Grimes , an 11-year-old from Portsmouth, has won 13 consecutive matches in his age division this summer on the New England PGA's Titleist Junior Tour. Grimes, who plays out of Green Valley, will compete for the title in his division tomorrow at Cyprian Keyes. . . The Rhode Island team struggled in the New England Juniors this past week, finishing last in the six-team field. Rhode Island scores were Patrick Wasserman 72-79--151; State champion Alex Jestings 77-78--155; Chuck Sullivan 78-79--157; Ben Conway 82-75--157; Peter Costa 83-78--161; Peter Taylor 77-85--12 and Tyler Fay 83-79--162. . .

A telecast of this year's Amica Insurance Rhode Island Open will be shown on Cox Sports Television, (Channel 3) Wednesday at 8 p.m. The show also will be available, beginning in a week, on the On Demand section on Cox. . . URI grad Michael Carbone tied for fifth in last week's New England Pro Golf tour event at Wintonbury Hills, Conn. Carbone had rounds of 66-70 in the rain-shortened event, five behind the winner, Geoff Sisk. Sisk won in a 10-hole playoff with Andrew Svoboda. Others cashing in the event were Kevin Silva at 138, Chad Spencer at 139, Joey Cioe at 142, Greg Sampson at 143 and Jim Salinetti at 144. . .

Gary Shiff of Bozrah, Conn., had a 176 total for 72 holes to win the first Mini Rhode Island Open miniature golf tournament at Mulligan's Island. Chris Rantz of Attleboro was second at 181 and Todd Bertoncini of Barrington the low Rhode Islander at 205, for sixth place. Austin Rooke of Rumford was low amateur, at 101 over 36 holes.

pkenyon@projo.com / (401) 277-7340