SUTTON, Massachusetts – In the sixth and final qualifier for Mass Golf’s Amateur Public Links Championship, 17 players clinched the final guaranteed spots into the Championship Proper on Tuesday at Blackstone National Golf Club.
Gannon Municipal Golf Course in Lynn will host this year’s championship August 10-11.
First contested in 1982, the Amateur Public Links (APL) championship is open to amateur golfers who are bona fide public course players at a public Mass Golf member club (a course/club that provides playing opportunities for the general public seven days a week) and maintain an up-to-date Mass Golf/GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 12.0 (as determined by the June 4, 2020 Handicap Revision).
ONLINE: BLACKSTONE NATIONAL GC RESULTS | AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS HOME
The top five spots Tuesday belonged to Cyprian Keyes and Blackstone National members. Stephen Larson (Cyprian Keyes GC) led the field Tuesday by making birdie four times en route to a 2-under-par 70. A Leicester native, Larson, 54, won the 2019 Worcester County Four-Ball and also qualified for the Amateur Public Links last year.
Jeff Bastien and Derek Ducharme led five Blackstone members who qualified as both shot even-par. Despite shooting 3-over through 12 holes, Bastien rallied with birdies on the 13th, 15th and 18th holes. Fellow Blackstone member Jason Ortolano was right behind them at 1-over, overcoming a string of bogey or worse on holes 12-14 by making birdie on the 16th and 17th. Terry Dunn (Cyprian Keyes) also finished at 1-over, aided by making birdie on the 14th and 15th.
Robert Blackmar (Wachusett CC), who is playing in the 112th Massachusetts Amateur next week, made the cut at 4-over.
Chris Gannon (75) and David Holmes (77) rounded out the qualifiers who play out of Blackstone National.
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FOR THE BLACKSTONE NATIONAL GC QUALIFIER:
TUESDAY, 7/7
QUALIFIERS (Blackstone National-Par 72)
Stephen Larson Cyprian Keyes GC); 70
Jeff Bastien (Blackstone GC); 72
Derek Ducharme (Blackstone GC); 72
Jason Ortolano (Blackstone GC); 73
Terry Dunn (Cyprian Keyes GC); 73
Jeffrey Friel (Woburn CC); 74
Chris Gannon (Blackstone GC); 75
Tony Ross (Bayberry Hills GC); 75
David Falcucci (Cyprian Keyes GC); 75
Keith Burch (Crumpin-Fox Club); 76
Robert Blackmar (Wachusett CC); 76
Brett Joy (New England CC); 76
Mike Lemerise (Green Hill GC); 76
Ed Weber (Bedrock GC); 77
Chris Buscanera (Gardner Municipal); 77
Bryan Stanton (Norwood CC); 77
David Holmes (Blackstone GC); 77
ALTERNATES
Paul Rupprecht (Sassamon Trace GC); 78
Tommy Rembiszewski Jr. (Blackstone GC); 78
UP NEXT
The 39th Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship will begin on August 10 with stroke play competition taking place at Gannon Municipal Golf Course in Lynn. The Championship Proper will consist of two days of stroke play, with only the top 60 players and ties moving on to the second day. After this week, the remaining qualifiers for the APL will be held at the following sites:
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