With four qualifiers over the past four days, it was a thrilling final week for those braving the heat in pursuit of a spot in the 116th Massachusetts Amateur Championship. A total of 31 players, including New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer, earned an automatic spot in the Championship Proper through 18-hole events held at Veterans Memorial Golf Course (Springfield), Stockbridge Golf Club (Stockbridge), Bass Rocks Golf Club (Gloucester), and Green Hill Golf Course (Worcester).
Framingham Country Club is hosting the Mass Amateur for the first time this year. Play is scheduled for July 8-12. After 36 holes of stroke play, the low 32 scorers will advance to match play. Entries are open to amateur golfers with an active Mass Golf Membership and a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.6 (at the time of registration).
At Veterans on Monday, Jeremy Meade (Nashawtuc Country Club) sank six birdies to earn medalist honors at 2-under 70. Meade was the Round 1 leader in the 2020 Mass Amateur. Cole Banning (Youth on Course), who caddied for 2023 champion Ryan Downes, made birdies on the first three holes and finished even-par matching Peter Alminas, who likes Downes is a member of GreatHorse. Jack Diefenderfer (Twin Hills Country Club) made a pair of eagles on the front nine to shoot 2-over 74 and qualify on the number.
At Stockbridge on Tuesday, New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (TPC Boston) made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th to earn medalist honors at 1-under 69. Aaron Nackoul (Berkshire Hills Country Club) also made five birdies to shoot even-par, while Country Club of Pittsfield members. Matthew Gilardi and Adam Brickle each shot 2-over to qualify on the number, along with Zach Bingham (Oak Hill Country Club).
Get a kick out of this! @Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (left) qualified for the 116th Massachusetts Amateur Championship today by shooting a 1-under-par 69 at Stockbridge Golf Club in the Berkshires. #MassGolf #NFLhttps://t.co/S34zRpkRos
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf) June 18, 2024
At Bass Rocks on Wednesday, Kennesaw State’s Evan Buddenhagen (Essex County Club) and Henry Hall (Weston Golf Club) led the way by shooting 1-under 68. Hall made birdies on 15 and 17 to get into the red figures. Matt Lucy (Bradford Country Club) made birdie on three on the final five holes to rally back to even-par. Bass Rocks member Jack Delaney and Brendan Frain (Charter Oak Country Club) each made consecutive birdies on 10 and 11, helping them qualify with a score of 70. Holy Cross standout Matt Williams was 5-over on the front nine but rallied back with four birdies on the back nine to shoot 71 and qualify on the number. Williams advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2022 Mass Amateur at Concord Country Club.
At Green Hill on Thursday, Brian Glennon (Cohasset Golf Club) led XX qualifiers by shooting 4-under 68, making six birdies plus an eagle on the par-5 3rd. Former pro Billy Walthouse made birdie on the first two holes en route to a round of 69. Jeff Steckmest (Brae Burn Country Club) shook off an opening triple bogey to shoot 71, matching Nic Gebhardt (Wachusett Country Club) and former First Tee Massachusetts participant Kyzar Joshi (Nashawtuc Country Club), who recently competed in his first Mass Open. Green Hill member Mario Wilson was among several players to hit the qualifying mark at even-par 72. That included Liam Gill (Sandy Burr Country Club), who played in U.S. Open Final Qualifying, and former Worcester County Amateur winner Sean Magarian (Pleasant Valley Country Club).
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THIS WEEK’S MASS AMATEUR QUALIFIERS:
QUALIFIER (Veterans Memorial GC-Par 72)
Jeremy Meade, Nashawtuc Country Club; 70
Cole Banning, Youth on Course/Mass Golf; 72
Peter Alminas, GreatHorse; 72
Daniel Brooks, Dudley Hill Golf Club; 73
Bryce Piemonte, Tekoa Country Club; 74
Jack Diefenderfer, Twin Hills Country Club; 74
ALTERNATES
Nick Lees, New England Country Club; 75
Zach Lebeau, Westover Golf Course; 75
Harrison Silverman, Needham Golf Club; 75
QUALIFIER (Stockbridge GC-Par 70)
Bryce Baringer, TPC Boston; 69
Aaron Nackoul, Berkshire Hills Country Club; 70
Matthew Gilardi, Country Club of Pittsfield; 72
Adam Brickle, Country Club of Pittsfield; 72
Zach Bingham, Oak Hill Country Club; 72
ALTERNATES
Jarrod Goss, Springfield Country Club; 73
Kurt Bartzsch, Wyantenuck Country Club; 73
Tim Kaley Wahconah Country Club; 73
QUALIFIER (Bass Rocks GC-Par 69)
Evan Buddenhagen, Essex County Club; 68
Henry Hall, Weston Golf Club; 68
Matt Lucy, Bradford Country Club; 69
Brendan Frain, Charter Oak Country Club; 70
Jack Delaney, Bass Rocks Golf Club; 70
Matt Williams, Boston Golf Club; 71
Mike McCann, Andover Country Club; 71
ALTERNATES
Damon Lusk, Meadow Brook Golf Club; 72
Danny Dilisio, Kernwood Country Club; 72
Alec Hurd, Bass Rocks Golf Club; 72
Phil Miceli, Sagamore Spring Golf Club; 72
George Zolotas, Tedesco Country Club; 72
Sam Cregg, Myopia Hunt Club; 72
QUALIFIER (Green Hill GC-Par 72)
Brian Glennon, Cohasset Golf Club; 68
Billy Walthouse, GreatHorse; 69
Sam Grindle, Haverhill Golf & Country Club; 70
Nic Gebhardt, Wachusett Country Club; 71
Jeff Steckmest, Brae Burn Country Club; 71
Kyzar Joshi, Nashawtuc Country Club; 71
Liam Gill, Sandy Burr Country Club; 72
Lorenzo Ciccone, Gardner Municipal Golf Course; 72
Sean Magarian, Pleasant Valley Country Club; 72
Mario Wilson, Green Hill Muni Golf Course; 72
Michael Mertes ,Wyckoff Country Club; 72
Nolan Skaggs, Plymouth Country Club; 72
Thomas Kelly, Wollaston Golf Club; 72
ALTERNATES
Mark O’Sullivan, Framingham Country Club; 73
Matthew Dunn, Wachusett Country Club; 73
Harry Kirkpatrick, Worcester Country Club; 73
Colin Richmond, Ould Newbury Golf Club; 73
