CHESTNUT HILL, Massachusetts – On Thursday at The Country Club, six Massachusetts Amateur Championship Round of 16 matches were completed following Wednesday’s suspension of play before the start and eventual completion of the quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Following the completion of play Thursday, Swampscott’s Steven DiLisio and Hopkinton’s Jimmy Hervol remain in the field and will face each other for the 111th Massachusetts Amateur Championship title on Friday beginning at 8:00 a.m. The championship match will be conducted at 36-holes.
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STORY LINKS: Semifinal Recaps | Quarterfinal Recaps | Round of 16 Recaps
Competing in his first career Massachusetts Amateur Championship quarterfinal match, rising Duke University senior Steven DiLisio took down Brockton’s Matt Parziale, the former U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and 2018 U.S. Open low-amateur, 7&6, before taking down Walpole’s Jack Boulger, a soon to be junior at the University of Connecticut in his semifinal match, 4&3, to punch his ticket to tomorrow’s 36-hole championship match.
On the opposite side of the match play bracket, Jimmy Hervol tapped in a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to defeat Andover’s Brett Krekorian, 1-Up. The 21-year old Hervol, the 2015 Massachusetts Junior Amateur champion, had previously defeated Alejandro Soto, 5&3, early Wednesday in the Round of 16 before his defeat of Nick McLaughlin, the 2015 Massachusetts Amateur champion, in the quarterfinal round.
Semifinals Matches
(9) STEVEN DILISIO DEF. (4) JACK BOULGER, 4&3
In the first of two semifinal matches, Swampscott’s Steven DiLisio and Walpole’s Jack Boulger were even through the first four holes before the elder DiLisio took the first lead of the afternoon by carding a par on the par-4 fifth. After Boulger answered with a birdie on the par-3 seventh hole, DiLisio entered a stretch of three straight wins on holes 9, 10 and 11 – highlighted by a conceded eagle putt on the par-5 11th hole that saw DiLisio move to 3-up. Despite Boulger getting one back with a par on 12, trouble on 14 and 15 paved the way for DiLisio to capture the match.
Boulger’s tee shot on 14 landed at the base of a pine tree on the right side, which led to him taking an unplayable, and after eventually chipping out of the fescue, his approach shot missed wide of the green, providing a pathway for DiLisio to increase his lead back to 3-up.
On the subsequent 15th hole, more trouble off the tee for Boulger allowed DiLisio to capitalize on the par-5 straightaway, and following a successful 10-foot par putt, DiLisio was victorious, 4&3.
(2) JIMMY HERVOL DEF. (11) BRETT KREKORIAN, 1-UP
Brett Krekorian struck early in a match that went the distance. The Andover resident, a recent graduate of Limestone College, took the first lead with a birdie on the par-3 second hole, but Hervol won back-to-back holes on Holes 4&5. The match stayed all square until the 11th hole, when Krekorian converted his birdie putt to regain the lead. Over the course of the remaining seven holes, there were four lead changes and after losing his lead on the par-4 17th hole to bring the match back to all square, Hervol’s second shot on 18 from 138 feet out came to rest four feet above the hole. Hervol sank the birdie putt to defeat Krekorian, 1-up.
Quarterfinal Matches
(9) STEVEN DILISIO DEF. (32) MATT PARZIALE, 7&6
From the word go, Steven DiLisio controlled his quarterfinal match against Matt Parziale. Playing each other in the match play for the second straight year, DiLisio did not lose a single hole in the 12 played in the match. He collected four birdies on the day on holes 2, 6, 10 and 11 and picked up wins on holes 7, 9 and 12 with pars.
(4) JACK BOULGER DEF. (28) MIKE CALEF, 4&2
Jack Boulger advanced to the semifinals with a cruise control-like performance in his quarterfinal match against 2012-2013 champion Mike Calef. The first eight holes of this one were played even, with Boulger drawing first blood by way of a par on nine to take a 1-up lead after nine holes. Boulger applied even more pressure to Calef, winning holes 13 and 14 to go 3-up. A birdie on the par-3 16th was the clincher, punching Boulger’s ticket into the semifinals.
(2) JIMMY HERVOL DEF. (10) NICK MCLAUGHLIN, 5&3
Jimmy Hervol continued his dazzling week at The Country Club with another great showing in his quarterfinal match against 2015 Amateur champion Nick McLaughlin, winning 5&3. Hervol won six holes overall on the day, including a stretch in which he took three of four on the back nine. The match started with a win on two for Hervol which was quickly matched with a win on three for McLaughlin. Hervol was able to regain the lead quickly with wins on five and six and took a two-hole advantage to the back nine. A birdie on 12, a par on 13 and another birdie on 15 sealed the match for Hervol.
(11) BRETT KREKORIAN DEF. (3) CHRIS FRANCOEUR, 2&1
Andover’s Brett Krekorian stayed steady throughout the day today, taking home a solid 2&1 victory over Amesbury’s Chris Francoeur. After losing the first hole to Francoeur, Krekorian settled in nicely to the round, picking up victories on holes 4,5,6 and 9 to take a 3-up lead headed into his back nine. Krekorian added insurance with a win on hole 14. Francoeur made it more interesting than Krekorian would have liked, picking up back to back wins on holes 15 and 16. A halve on 17 ended Francoeur’s week and sent Krekorian to the semifinals.
Round of 16 Matches (Continued)
(28) MIKE CALEF DEF. (12) BENJAMIN SPITZ, 3&1
Former Mass Am Champion Mike Calef imposed himself on the front nine of this match, winning four of his first nine holes to take a 3-up lead into the back. Benjamin Spitz refused to go away, with wins on holes 11 and 12 to pull back within one. Calef immediately answered with a birdie on 13 to give himself a two-hole cushion. A subsequent birdie on 17 for Calef sealed the match and his berth into the round of eight.
(2) JIMMY HERVOL DEF. (18) ALEJANDRO SOTO, 3&2
In what was a back and forth affair on the back nine, Jimmy Hervol’s hot start to this match was huge in pulling out a victory. Hervol won four of the first eight holes in this match, with pars on holes three and four and birdies on holes six and eight. Alejandro Soto was able to win hole seven to have a three-hole deficit at the turn. Both players won three holes each on the back, with Hervol winning holes 10, 15 and 16. At one point on the back-side Soto pulled to within one back, as he ripped off victories on 11, 12 and 14.
(3) CHRIS FRANCOEUR DEF. (19) BRENDAN CRONIN, 1-UP
After a great start in this one, this match was one that was a little close for comfort for Chris Francoeur, but the old adage goes, a win is a win. With a 3-up lead at the turn and with three holes remaining, it looked like Francoeur was immediately sharpie’d in to the Round of eight. Brendan Cronin refused to go without a fight, with a par on 16 and birdie on 17 to pull within one going into 18. That’s where the comeback would come to an end, as both competitors parred the finisher, which gave Francoeur his 1-up victory.
(10) NICK MCLAUGHLIN DEF. (7) NICK MACCARIO, 2&1
Nick McLaughlin was able to control the early stages of this one, taking a 3-up lead through his first nine holes. A birdie on 10 and par on 11 pulled Nick Maccario back into within one but McLaughlin was able to wrestle back control with a par on 12 to get back to a two-hole lead. Back and forth it would continue as Maccario pulled out a win again on the 14th. However, McLaughlin sealed it for good this time with a par on the par-3 16th.
(4) JACK BOULGER DEF. (13) ANDREW O’LEARY, 23 HOLES
A tight match throughout, this one needed all 18 and then some to conclude. Jack Boulger was able to win four holes on his front nine but conceded two to Andrew O’Leary to take a 2-up lead at the turn. O’Leary, who recently won the Rhode Island Amateur Championship, didn’t blink on the back nine. A par on 11 helped him pull within one, which is where the match stayed until 18. A dramatic birdie for O’Leary on the 18th allowed him new life in the form of a playoff. Boulger eventually was able to pull out a win on the fifth playoff hole to move on in the championship.
(11) BRETT KREKORIAN DEF. (6) MATTHEW ORGANISAK, 2&1
Brett Krekorian dug himself into a hole early, losing the first two holes of this match. He was able to settle in after, finishing his front nine strong with wins on holes seven, eight and nine to take a 1-up lead at the turn. The players went back and forth from holes 11 through 14, with Krekorian taking holes 12 and 14 and Matthew Organisak winning holes 11 and 13 to keep the match with a difference of one. Krekorian clinched a spot into the Round of Eight with a clutch birdie putt on the iconic 17th hole.
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