Less than a month away from the Massachusetts Amateur Championship, 27 golfers earned spots in the championship proper at qualifiers hosted by Blissful Meadows Golf Course, Cape Cod Country Club and Olde Scotland Links this week.
The Mass Amateur Championship, set to take place July 11-15 at Concord Country Club, is open to amateur golfers who have an active Mass Golf Membership and whose Handicap Index® does not exceed 4.4 (at the time of registration).
Chad Bearce (Foxborough Country Club) and Stephen Planeta (The Tour) shared medalist honors at Blissful Meadows, each carding an even-par 72. Bearce’s berth into the Amateur is his second consecutive after he qualified in 2021. Planeta won the 2021 LeBaron Hills’ club championship in 2021 and qualified for the 2020 Mass Mid-Amateur Championship.
Other first-time qualifiers include Patrick Ginnity (Northern Spy Country Club), a rising senior at St. Bernard’s High School in Fitchburg, Edmond Peladeau (Whitinsville Golf Club), a former golfer at Worcester State University, and Matt Fisher, who is more than familiar with Blissful Meadows as a member and multiple-time club champion.
The only other qualifier in the Blissful Meadows field who competed in the championship last year is Cape Cod National Golf Club General Manager Mike Walker (Chelmsford Country Club).
Raymond Dennehy (Oak Hill Country Club), who competed in the Mass Open just last week, returns to his first Mass Amateur since 2020.
At Cape Cod, there were three golfers atop the leaderboard — Colin Andrade (The Ridge Club), Brendan McCafferty (Winchester Country Club) and Will Frodigh (Dedham Country and Polo Club) — who shot even-par 71. Frodigh’s 34 on the back nine was still the best among all of qualifiers. Frodigh, who just completed his fifth year at Elon University, played in the Mass Amateur last year alongside brothers Patrick and Danny. Andrade and McCafferty will both make their debuts in the Amateur.
Also making their first appearances in the championship are Hamilton College’s Thomas Kantaros (Brae Burn Country Club), former Sandwich High School golfer Jacob Raye (Sandwich Hollows Golf Club), Thor Van Vaerenewyck (Heather Hill Country Club), and Phil Dinan (Sacconnesset Golf Club), a former professional who has since regained amateur status. Steve Camara (Ferncroft Country Club), 67, also qualified for the state amateur.
At Olde Scotland Links, Casey Mills (John F Parker Golf Course) finished in first with a three-stroke lead after carding a 4-under 68. The former Johnson & Wales University golfer’s performance included a 33 on the back nine, three strokes below par and the best back-nine mark among all qualifiers. He’ll make his first trip to the Mass Amateur since 2017.
Albert Oh (Granite Links Golf Club), a Southern California native who previously played in the 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship shot 70 and will make his Mass Amateur debut in July. Same goes for Daniel Pagan (Fresh Pond Golf Club), Chris Gorczyca (Charles River Country Club), Jordan Rose (Olde Scotland Links) and Travis Clauson (Sandy Burr Country Club), who just completed his fourth year on the Tufts University golf team. Clauson led all qualifiers with a 34 on the front nine, which included a string of three birdies.
The lone returner from 2021 at the qualifier was Bill Drohen (Bradford Country Club), who collected himself after recording a double bogey on his first hole and secured the last qualifying spot.
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THIS WEEK’S MASS AMATEUR QUALIFIERS:
MONDAY, 6/13
QUALIFIERS (Blissful Meadows GC-Par 72)
Chad Bearce, Foxborough Country Club; 72
Stephen Planeta, The Tour; 72
Matt Fisher, Blissful Meadows Golf Course; 73
Edmond Peladeau, Whitinsville Golf Club; 74
Raymond Dennehy, Oak Hill Country Club; 74
Mike Walker, Chelmsford Country Club; 74
Patrick Ginnity, Northern Spy Country Club; 74
ALTERNATES
Molly Smith, Vesper Country Club; 75
Ernest McAlister, Wollaston Golf Club; 75
WEDNESDAY, 6/15
QUALIFIERS (Cape Cod CC-Par 71)
Colin Andrade, The Ridge Club; 71
Brendan McCafferty, Winchester Country Club; 71
Will Frodigh, Dedham Country and Polo Club; 71
Thomas Kantaros, Brae Burn Country Club; 72
Ryan Whitney, Old Sandwich Golf Club; 72
Nick Drago, Plymouth Country Club; 73
Billy Argus, Wollaston Golf Club; 74
Jacob Raye, Sandwich Hollows Golf Club; 74
Steve Camara, Ferncroft Country Club; 74
Thor Van Vaerenewyck, Heather Hill Country Club; 74
Brian Bassett, Oyster Harbors Club; 74
Phil Dinan, Sacconnesset Golf Club; 74
ALTERNATES
Connor Levesque, Barnstable Golf; 75
Reese Jensen, Duxbury Yacht Club; 75
THURSDAY, 6/16
QUALIFIERS (Olde Scotland Links-Par 72)
Casey Mills, John F Parker Golf Course; 68
Albert Oh, Granite Links Golf Club; 70
Ryan Koczela, LeBaron Hills Country Club; 71
Daniel Pagan, Fresh Pond Golf Club; 71
Travis Clauson, Sandy Burr Country Club; 72
Chris Gorczyca, Charles River Country Club; 72
Jordan Rose, Olde Scotland Links; 73
Bill Drohen, Bradford Country Club; 73
ALTERNATES
Nolan Skaggs, Plymouth Country Club; 74
Vincent Gomes, Easton Country Club; 74
James Alfonso, Thorny Lea Golf Club; 74
Shawn Maher, Olde Scotland Links; 74
Colby Sanville, MIAA; 74
Qualifying for the Mass Amateur will conclude next week at the following sites and dates:
June 20 – Pine Brook CC (Weston)
Starting Times | Player Information
June 20 – Ludlow CC (Ludlow)
Starting Times | Player Information
June 23 – Hyannis GC (Hyannis)
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.
