For one day, it was business as usual for Tony Paolino. He was doing the same thing he’s been doing for 34 years — helping run a golf tournament.

It was opening day of the State Amateur at Agawam Hunt and Paolino was one of a half-dozen volunteers helping ensure everything went as planned. It is the same thing Paolino has done hundreds of times before. The only difference was that this one came after Paolino “retired,” which led to an unusual conversation between Paolino and Bob Ward, the executive director of the R.I. Golf Association.

Paolino’s shift had finished and Ward started to say thank you. Except that Paolino decided he was not leaving.

“I think I’m going to stay a while longer,” Paolino told Ward. “I called home and told my wife I was going to stay. She said it was OK.”

“How long have you been married?” Ward asked Paolino.

“Fifty-eight years,” Paolino responded.

“Well, I think she’s used to it by now,” Ward said. “We’re glad to have you, Tony, thanks.”

Paolino has been involved in golf even longer than he has been married.

He joined Metacomet 60 years ago. He has been president of his club, an RIGA official since 1974, including a stint as president in 1985. He has been a New England Golf official for 20 years, including as president in 2005. He has been a member of the USGA regional affairs committee since 1989 and he has been a member of the R.I. Golf Association Hall of Fame committee since it was organized in 2001.

He has been the nonplaying captain of Rhode Island’s tri-state team for one of the few times the state won the annual matches. He worked in the “Catch the Spirit” booth for the U.S. Women’s Open at Newport. He has been one of the most active people in the state in the game, doing it all as a volunteer.

“I never did anything special. I was just an ordinary member of the boards,” Paolino said.

He decided at the end of last summer that it was time to step away. The visit to the Amateur was just a one-day return that brought back great memories.

“I think being at a golf course is one of the best places in the world to be,” Paolino said. “You meet so many great people when you’re involved in golf. I’ve been really fortunate to be part of it.”

“He’s one of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life,” Ward said of Paolino. “We are fortunate to have him and so many like him involved.”

Money vs. points

For years, the PGA Tour money list was all that mattered to track each player’s standing. Players had to finish in the top 125 to keep their card. That is still the case. However, much of the publicity generated by the tour focuses on the two-year-old FedEx Cup playoff system. That is a very different system used to determine which players get to take part in the playoffs where the really big money is.

The status of two of the Rhode Islanders on tour can help explain the difference. Entering this weekend, Brad Adamonis, fresh off his tie for second in the John Deere, had vaulted to 88th place on the money list with $721,036. He is directly behind Brett Quigley, who is 87th at $722,361.

For FedEx Cup purposes, though, Adamonis is much better off.

He is 75th with 3,682 points. He seems all but certain to qualify for the playoffs. Quigley, who returned this week from a month off with a stress fracture in his shin, is a bit more tenuous, in 103rd place with 2,663 points.

Why such a difference? It is because of the way points are distributed for the FedEx Cup.

That system is more top-heavy. Higher finishes mean more.

Adamonis, with his second at the John Deere and sixth at The Travelers in Connecticut, has put himself in great position to make the FedEx Cup.

Gimmes

Tom and Bob Acciardo combined to record to 68 at Fenner Hill to win the RIGA Father-Son Championship. Calvin and Jared Crook were second at 69. In the Junior Division, Gary and Michael Delude won with a 73, one better than Arthur and Andrew Fiorezano. … David McAndrew, the new State Amateur champion, and Brad Valois, the 2006 and 2007 RIGA champ, head the Rhode Island delegation to the New England Amateur that will be held Tuesday-Thursday at Charles River Country Club in Newton, Mass. Others taking part are David Apuzzo, Charlie Blanchard, Matt Broome, Andy Calcione, Mike Caprio, Dan Cregan, George Donnell, John Drohen, Dan Mollicone, John Napolillo, George Pirie, Shane Rice, Ben Tuthill and E.J. Wholey. … The Rhode Island Mini Open, a miniature golf championship, will be held Aug.10th at Mulligan’s Island in Cranston. Information is available at www.minirhodeislandopen.com.

pkenyon@projo.com