Headline: Bay State Natives Andy Drohen and Doug Clapp Secure Spot at the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Following Qualifying

For Immediate Release: August 10, 2016

Andy Drohen (top) and Doug Clapp

Stockbridge, MA — Two Massachusetts natives netted the two available qualifier spots at the U.S. Mid Amateur sectional qualifier at Stockbridge GC and will play in the Championship Proper starting September 10 at Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pennsylvania.

Posting matching scores of 3-under par 68 in 18 holes of play were Andy Drohen (Granville, Mass.) and Doug Clapp (Walpole, Mass.), who beat out the 39 competitors at the Western Massachusetts course.

Drohen started his round by tallying eight pars and a bogey on the front nine before pulling away on the back nine with five birdies, which propelled him to his T1 position atop the leaderboard.

He carded birdie on the par-3, 148 yard 11th hole and followed that with a second straight birdie on the following 12th hole, a 369-yard par 4. After making par on each of the next two holes, Drohen recorded an additional three birdies in his final four holes to finish the afternoon at the 3-under par 68 mark.

Clapp, on the other hand, tallied three birdies to his 15 pars en route to his spot atop Wednesday’s leaderboard. He made par on each of the first two holes, then tallied his first birdie on the par-4 390-yard third hole to push him to 1-under on the day.

His status would remain unchanged until the 9th hole, when Clapp carded his second birdie before making the turn. His final birdie was recorded on the par-5 485 yard 15th hole before making par on each of his final three holes.

East Longmeadow’s John Kelly, the runner up at the 2016 Massachusetts Amateur Championship at Taconic Golf Club, shot an even par 71 to net the first alternate spot while Herbie Aikens (Pembroke, Mass.) finished as second alternate spot after outdueling two others in a playoff.