By: Steve Derderian
sderderian@massgolf.org
MILTON, Massachusetts (July 1, 2024) – This year’s road to the U.S. Amateur Championship is a multi-stage journey. And though a two-hour rain delay made for felt like an entire 36-hole qualifying event for some at Wollaston Golf Club on Monday, 11 players prevailed in the first-ever U.S. Amateur Local Qualifying event held in Massachusetts.
Wollaston member Jake Ratti (Plymouth, MA) poured in six birdies, including four in a bogey-free back nine, to finish 5-under-par 67 and lead the group advancing to Final Qualifying later this month. Boston’s Jonathan Hill (Charlestown GC) prevailed after the weather delay to shoot a bogey-free 32 on the back nine and finish with a 68.
Coming off his U.S. Amateur debut last year, Grafton’s Ty Dupuis (Pleasant Valley Country Club) sank six birdies and an eagle to finish 2-under-par 70, putting him tied in the lead in the morning wave. Weston’s Alan Rose III (Oyster Harbors Club), a Georgetown University commit, also finished 2-under with four birdies. Jake Shuman (Blue Hill Country Club), Sam Fuentes (Coventry, RI), and Daniel Schwartz (Brookline, MA) all shot 1-over 73 and advanced in a 6-for-3 playoff that finished just before dark.
The players who made the cut Monday will advance to U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying, also over 18 holes, which will be held at 19 sites nationwide between July 15-31. Concord Country Club, which hosted the 2022 Mass Amateur, will host Final Qualifying on July 22. Those who advance from there will earn a spot in the 124th U.S. Amateur, set for August 12-18 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.
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It was just about a year ago when Jake Ratti got the news he had been long awaiting—he was finally off the waitlist and accepted as a member at Wollaston.
“I’ve been becoming here for as long as I can remember,” said Ratti, a former Bryant University standout. “My grandmother is a member, and it’s been an awesome place. It feels like I’ve been here forever.”
Ratti was solid on home turf. After an early bogey on the par-3 3rd, Ratti proceeded to shoot 6-under over the remaining 15 holes. He took advantage of both par-5s on the back nine, spinning his third shot into the 16th inside 5 feet and another to about 6 feet on the par-3 17th. He sank both putts, giving him plenty to move to the next round.
“Ever since I was 15 and started trying to make the U.S. Amateur, it was always my favorite tournament playing 36 holes, and I’ve been close a few times,” said Ratti, who also caddies at Boston Golf Club. “I like the new format, and it’s cool being able to get to the next stage and try again.”
Bringing it in for a landing. 🛬 Jake Ratti rattles home birdies on holes 16&17 to earn medalist (-5, 67) in U.S. Amateur Local Qualifying at Wollaston GC. #MassGolf #USGA pic.twitter.com/7ff5VZJfTp
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf) July 2, 2024
Dupuis was in a groove for much of the day, but that didn’t save him from having some moments where it felt like the wheels might fall off. After sinking long putts for birdie on the par-4 11th and another from 40 feet for eagle on the par-5 14th, Dupuis stood at 5-under with just four holes to play. Despite a double bogey on 15 and a splashdown on 16 for a bogey, Dupuis took a confident stroke on the downhill par-3 17th that landed inside 5 feet. Dupuis then found the perfect line and nailed the sliding putt to get back on track.
“That was huge for the confidence,” said Dupuis, who recently completed his senior season at Bryant University. “The wheels were kind of falling off, so it’s good to put a good swing on it there and then good to make the putt there too. I had to hold the line there, and I did.”
Last year, Dupuis was medalist over 36 holes at Ledgemont Country Club, earning himself a spot at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. He shot rounds of 76 and 77 in stroke play and missed the cut, but now is another stellar 18-hole round away from a return invitation to play among the nation’s best amateurs.
“It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done,” said Dupuis of his 2023 U.S. Amateur experience. “The course was hard. Hopefully I can do it again.”
For Alan Rose, Wollaston was also familiar place, having played it several times during his high school tenure at Noble & Greenough in Dedham. Though he didn’t use his driver often Monday, Rose cruised through the well-familiar front nine at bogey-free 2-under and stood at 4-under after hitting a close chip on the 14th and making birdie.
The only blunder came on the difficult uphill 18th when Rose lost his ball on the approach after hitting it off the end of the club and into the tall grass to the right of the green. Going back to his original spot, Rose was able to put one on the green and two-putt his way to the finish at 2-under.
“The 36-hole day was kind of a shootout. We had to make a ton of birdies and play well,” Rose said of the old format. “Today I had a good feeling around even-par was going to make the cut, so I was just trying to make as many pars as possible.”
In the afternoon, Haverhill’s Michael Souliotis (Haverhill Golf & Country Club) surged to a 5-under score and, despite a few dropped strokes, was able to make a nifty up-and-down par save on his final hole (9th) to finish 1-under. His score matched Rutgers standout Weston Jones (Charter Oak Country Club), who finished runner-up in the Worcester County Amateur this past week.
COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM WOLLASTON GC
QUALIFIER (Names; Cities)
Jake Ratti, Plymouth, MA; 67 (-5)
Jonathan Hill, Boston, MA; 69 (-3)
Ty Dupuis, Grafton, MA; 70 (-2)
Alan Rose III, Weston, MA; 70 (-2)
Jackson Roman, Kensington, CT; 70 (-2)
Michael Souliotis, Haverhill, MA; 71 (-1)
Weston Jones, Hudson, MA; 71 (-1)
Aiden Azevedo, Haverhill, MA; 72 (E)
Jake Shuman, Boston, MA; 73 (+1)*
Sam Fuentes Coventry, RI; 73 (+1)**
Daniel Schwartz, Brookline, MA; 73 (+1)**
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Matt Williams Hingham, MA; 73 (+1)***
John Scully Winchester, MA; 73 (+1)
*Advanced in a playoff (birdie on first playoff hole, no. 1)
**Advanced in a playoff (par on second playoff hole, no. 17)
***Earned spot in a playoff (bogey on second playoff hole, no. 17)
The current site of Wollaston Golf Club is tucked within the majestic Blue Hills, just 10 miles from Downtown Boston. The club was relocated in 1975 when members constructed a new clubhouse and championship course over 152 acres in Milton with the aid of a grant from the Norfolk County Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. George and Tom Fazio designed the course layout.
The club’s full history dates back to 1895, when it was established at the present-day Presidents Golf Course in Quincy. In addition to hosting big names such as Francis Ouimet, the club was also known for hosting a New Year’s Day tournament for the game’s biggest enthusiasts.
Identified as a proper test of golf, Wollaston gained national recognition in 1992 when Tiger Woods won the second of his three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles. More recently, Wollaston hosted qualifying for the U.S. Four-Ball Championship (2021). On the state level, Dana Quigley won his third straight Mass Open title in 1984, and in 1995, Geoffrey Sisk won the first of his six titles, which is tied for Alex Ross for the most all time.
Brett Quigley, who finished runner-up in 1995, finished up playing in the U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club on Monday, as did Wollaston’s head golf professional Jeff Martin. Both players made the cut as Quigley placed T42 and Martin T64.
Video: Hole-By-Hole Flyovers of Wollaston GC
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