MASHPEE, Massachusetts – The recently-renovated and highly-touted Ocean Course at The Club at New Seabury tested 72 players in the first Mass Golf Championship qualifier of the season Monday on Cape Cod. Out of that field, 12 guaranteed their place in the 112th Massachusetts Open, including 8 Massachusetts-based amateur golfers.
The Championship Proper will take place June 8-10 at Longmeadow Country Club in Longmeadow. The Western Mass course has hosted three times previously, most recently in 2002 when Geoffrey Sisk won his third of a record six titles. It also hosted in 1946 and 1982. The Championship Proper will consist of 54 holes of stroke play with the low 50 scorers and ties or anyone within 7 strokes of the leader after 36 holes advancing to the final round.
Entries are open to professional golfers and also amateur golfers who have an active USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4 (as determined by the April 22, 2021 Handicap Revision), or who have completed their handicap certification.
Burgess Houston (Wellesley Country Club), the 2007 Mass Amateur champion, paced the field as the only player to go under-par for the qualifier. The assistant golf professional at Wellesley Country Club then caught fire in the middle of his round by finishing the front nine with a birdie to move to even-par. He then birdied holes 11-13 to pull away from the rest of the field.
As for amateur qualifiers, Curtis Merritt (Marion Golf Club) started off 3-under through 5 holes en route to shooting a 1-over 73. Will Grady (Haverhill Golf & Country Club) qualified last year and made it to the third and final day at Oak Hill Country Club. Amateurs Ben Balter, (Weston Golf Club) and Joseph Conry (Charles River Country Club) also shot 74 to clinch a spot.
The following amateur golfers qualified at 3-over through 75: Trevor Kenney (The Ridge Club), Mike Calef (Pine Oaks Golf Club), Bud Schultz, (Black Rock Country Club), and Sascha Robinson (Plymouth Country Club)
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM MONDAY’S MASS OPEN QUALIFIER:
MONDAY, 5/2
QUALIFIERS (The Club At New Seabury [Ocean Course]-Par 72)
Burgess Houston, Wellesley Country Club; 71
*a-Curtis Merritt, Marion Golf Club; 73
Nick Dilio, Poughkeepsie, NY; 73
*a-Will Grady, Haverhill Golf & Country Club; 74
Nicholas Pandelena, Atkinson, NH; 74
*a-Ben Balter, Weston Golf Club; 74
*a-Joseph Conry, Charles River Country Club; 74
*a-Justin Grondahl, Jupiter, FL; 74
*a-Trevor Kenney, The Ridge Club; 75
*a-Mike Calef, Pine Oaks Golf Club; 75
*a-Bud Schultz, Black Rock Country Club; 75
*a-Sascha Robinson, Plymouth Country Club; 75
ALTERNATES
*a-Dylan Evans, Granite Links Golf Club; 77
*a-Jack Walter, Woodland Golf Club; 77
*a-Nick Drago, Plymouth Country Club; 77
*a-: denotes Amateur
Qualifying for the Mass Open will continue next week. Here are the remaining dates and locations on the schedule:
May 9 – Kernwood CC (Salem)
Starting Times | Player Information
May 11 – LeBaron Hills Country Club (Lakeville)
Starting Times | Player Information
May 24– Gardner Municipal GC (Gardner)
Starting Times | Player Information
May 24– Marlborough Country Club (Marlborough)
Starting Times | Player Information
May 26– Country Club of Pittsfield (Pittsfield)
Starting Times | Player Information
For the latest updates on all Mass Golf events, visit MassGolf.org or follow Mass Golf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @PlayMassGolf.
