SHARON, Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Young Golfers’ Amateur Championship has traditionally been one of the first Mass Golf Championship events that competitors across the Bay State play in, and for this year’s champion, the case was no different. Playing in his first-ever Young Golfers’ Amateur Championship, 13-year old Sascha Robinson, of Plymouth, fired a 3-over 73 in 18-holes to capture the fifth such championship title.
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Playing in the last grouping of the day, Robinson collected 51 points in the Stableford Point system to top the field of 28 players at Sharon Country Club. The rising eighth-grader tallied three birdies and 10 pars to edge runner-up John Scully (MIAA) and third place finisher Mekhala Costello (Blue Hill CC), respectively.
“I am very proud of myself for fighting through the things that I went through in this round and to pull through was very nice,” said Robinson, who plays out of Plymouth Country Club.
In the format, each competitor received five points for an eagle, four points for birdie, three points for par, two points for bogey and one point for a double bogey. Anything more than a double bogey received zero points accumulated for total points.
Playing the 9-hole layout twice, Robinson birdied the par-4 fifth hole and the par-4 eighth hole on the first go-around, then added a third and final birdie on his 12th hole, which was playing as Sharon’s third hole on the way in.
“On the fourth hole, I pulled my tee shot left and had a punch wedge under a tree and I played it just like as I wanted to,” explained Robinson in regards to his first birdie of the day. It landed right in front of the green and went right next to the hole.”
After carding a double and a bogey on the next two subsequent holes, Robinson added a second straight birdie to add to his total.
Similar to his first birdie, Robinson planted his wedge right where he wanted to, moving the ball from the rough, where it then took one hop and set him up for a make-able putt.
He then added, “My third birdie was on Hole No. 3 and it was sitting in a divot and I had to hit down on it a little bit and it bounced like to about 10 feet from the hole and rolled right next to it. I had a tap in birdie on that one.”
As the first time playing in the event, Robinson stated that he was drawn to this event because of the opportunity to play in bigger events and to get his name out there, and after taking the top spot on the leaderboard, he puts himself in a position to do just that.
As only the fifth competitor to win this event since it was introduced in 2015, Robinson joins inaugural champion Michael Thorbjornsen, who went on to capture the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, as well as Conner Willett, Joseph Lenane, and Riley Fowles.
For more information regarding the Massachusetts Young Golfers’ Amateur Championship, visit MassGolf.org or follow @PlayMassGolf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
