NORTON, Massachusetts – One of the oldest and most anticipated Mass Golf Championships is the Mass Amateur which will be played this year from July 12-16 at Brae Burn Country Club in West Newton. This week, six qualifying events were held, and 65 players guaranteed their spot into the Championship Proper.
To be eligible for the 113th Massachusetts Amateur, players must be amateur golfers who have an active Mass Golf/GHIN Handicap Index at any public, private, semi-private, municipal or non-real estate Mass Golf member course/club not exceeding 4.4 (as determined by the May 13, 2021 Handicap Revision), or who have completed their handicap certification.
To kick things off, both Todd Ezold (Twin Hills Country Club) and Ryan Downes (GreatHorse) shot 2-under-par 70 at the Country Club of Wilbraham on Monday to tie for the top spot. Also finishing the round under par was Douglas Parigan (Long Meadow Golf Club) shooting a 1-under. Both Parigan and Downes had four birdies in their rounds. Ezold finished with all pars and two birdies
Elsewhere Monday at Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead, Mark Turner (Bass Rocks Golf Club) grabbed medalist honors by shooting a 1-under 69. Turner had two birdies on the front and back nine, including a birdie on the 18th to secure his spot as medalist. Joe Cunningham (Essex County Club) wrapped up his day shooting an even 70 to grab sole possession of second place and qualify for the Mass Amateur. He started out his round strong, carding birdies on three of the first five holes. Turner and Cunningham led a total of 13 qualifiers from Tedesco.
On Tuesday at Northern Spy Golf Club in Townsend, nine players secured their spots. Kevin Gately (Harmon Golf) far surpassed the field with an impressive 7-under-par 63. Gately, who played in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in May, had four birdies on the front and three on the back as he ran away with medalist honor. Michael Amari (Northern Spy Golf Club) carded a score of 3-under 67 with four birdies, and Marty McDonald (Worcester Country Club) was solo third at 1-over.
On Wednesday at Wahconah Country Club in Dalton, just seven players qualified. Mike Walker (Nabnassett Lake Country Club) was the medalist, shooting 1-under 70. Two players finished even-par: Michael Bechard (Ludlow Country Club) and Thomas Harrison (Thorny Lea Golf Club). Bechard had clutch birdies late on holes 16 and 18. James Cimini (Swansea Country Club), Ted Murphy (Brae Burn Country Club), and Jacob Driscoll (Country Club of Pittsfield) all shot 1-over 72. Daniel Brooks (Dudley Hill Golf Club) was the final qualifier at 2-over 73.
In the first of two qualifying events Thursday, Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich Golf Club) grabbed medalist honors to lead nine qualifiers at Wellesley Country Club carding a 1-over 71. Clapp, who qualified for the U.S. Senior Open the day prior, recorded three birdies, including one on the 18th to nab medalist honors. Playing at his local club, Dan Head shot 2-over 72, with birdies on the 14th and 16th to grab a qualifying spot.
During Thursday’s qualifier at Bass River Golf Course in South Yarmouth, Will Frodigh (Dedham Country and Polo Club) led an impressive group of qualifiers who all shot under par. Frodigh, who carded seven birdies, earned medalist honors on his way to shooting 6-under-par 66. Alan Rose (Oyster Harbors Club) and Josh Farmer (Harborpoint Golf Society) finished tied for second place shooting 5-under 67.
Overall, each of the 13 qualifiers finished up the round shooting under-par. Five competitors shot 3-under and four finished the round at 2-under.
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THIS WEEK’S MASS AMATEUR QUALIFYING EVENTS:
MONDAY, 6/7
QUALIFIERS (Country Club of Wilbraham-Par 72)
Todd Ezold (Twin Hills Country Club); 70
Ryan Downes (GreatHorse); 70
Douglas Parigian (Long Meadow Golf Club); 71
A.J. Oleksak (GreatHorse); 72
Christopher Novak (Whitinsville Golf Club); 73
Amos Nissenbaum (Quaboag Country Club); 74
Chris Scott (Twin Hills Country Club); 75
Michael Knight (Twin Hills Country Club); 75
Bobby Loguidice (Springfield Country Club); 75
Peter Alminas (GreatHorse); 75
Mike Trombley (Twin Hills Country Club); 75
Brendan Hester (Pleasant Valley Country Club); 75
Vincent Bucci (Old Sandwich Golf Club); 75
Max Hutter (Weston Golf Club); 75
ALTERNATES
Nico Ciolino (Marlborough Country Club); 76
Jim Patterson (Orchards Golf Club); 76
Jack Hester (Pleasant Valley Country Club); 76
Matthew Bailey (TPC Boston); 76
Kevin Bagge (Orchards Golf Club); 76
Colby Mitchell (Bass Rocks Golf Club); 76
MONDAY, 6/7
QUALIFIERS (Tedesco CC-Par 70)
Mark Turner (Bass Rocks Golf Club); 69
Joe Cunningham (Essex County Club); 70
Brad Tufts (Tedesco Country Club); 72
John Gilmartin (Indian Ridge Country Club); 72
Jospeh Iacona (Vesper Country Club): 72
Hunter Stone (Tedesco Country Club); 73
George Zolotas (Tedesco Country Club); 73
Jonathan Hill (Granite Links Golf Club); 73
Peter Hartmann (Blue Hill Country Club); 74
Jake Peer (Winchester Country Club); 74
Zach Ungvarsky (Bradford Country Club); 74
Church Waesche (The Meadow at Peabody); 74
Josh Gurman (Thorny Lea Golf Club); 74
ALTERNATES
Ryan Connelly (Salem Country Club); 75
Roger Tufts (Tedesco Country Club); 75
Brandon Parker (Worcester Country Club); 75
TUESDAY, 6/8
QUALIFIERS (Northern Spy Golf Club-Par 70)
Kevin Gately (Harmon Golf); 63
Michael Amari (Northern Spy Golf Club); 67
Marty McDonald (Worcester Country Club); 71
Jack Prue (LeBaron Hills Country Club); 72
Alan Smith (Crumpin-Fox Club); 72
Gavin Clutier (Oak Hill Country Club); 73
Zachary Colon (The Haven Country Club); 73
Tyler Forbes (The Country Club); 73
Sean Gildea (Bass Rocks Golf Club); 73
ALTERNATES
Mike Hersey (Hillview Golf Course); 74
Jeffrey Weishaar (Renaissance); 74
WEDNESDAY, 6/9
QUALIFIERS (Wahconah CC-Par-71)
Mike Walker (Nabnasset Lake Country Club); 70
Michael Bechard (Ludlow Country Club); 71
Thomas Harrison (Thorny Lea Golf Club); 71
James Cimini (Swansea Country Clu); 72
Ted Murphy (Brae Burn Country Club); 72
Jacob Driscoll (Country Club of Pittsfield); 72
Daniel Brooks (Dudley Hill Golf Club); 73
ALTERNATES
Matthew Gilardi (Country Club of Pittsfield); 74
Jesse Morgan (Northfield Golf Club); 74
Michael Walsh (Sankaty Head Golf Club); 74
THURSDAY, 6/10
QUALIFIERS (Wellesley CC-Par 70)
Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich Golf Club); 71
Dan Head (Wellesley Country Club); 72
Boomer Jenks (Brae Burn Country Club); 73
Danny Frodigh (Dedham Country and Polo Club); 74
Henry Hall (Weston Golf Club); 75
Alex Snickenberger (Wellesley Country Club); 75
Adam Britt (George Wright Golf Course); 75
Alec Hurd (Bass Rocks Golf Club); 75
Philip Clark (Milton-Hoosic Club); 75
ALTERNATES
Derek Ducharme (Whitinsville Golf Club); 76
Andrew DiPetrillo (Blue Hill Country Club); 76
D.J. Hynes (Framingham Country Club); 76
Alex Jeffers (Woodland Golf Club); 76
Erik Swenson (Needham Golf Club); 76
John Hadges (Thorny Lea Golf Club); 76
Chris Ledgrow (Nashawtuc Country Club); 76
Kyle Alexander (Worcester Country Club); 76
THURSDAY, 6/10
QUALIFIERS (Bass River GC-Par 72)
Will Frodigh (Dedham Country and Polo Club); 66
Alan Rose (Oyster Harbors Club); 67
Josh Farmer (Harborpoint Golf Society) 67
Nick Drago (Plymouth Country Club); 68
Matthew Conti (Walpole Country Club); 69
Keith Smith (Franklin Country Club); 69
Lane Bohman (Eastward Ho!); 69
Owen Egan (Winchester Country Club); 69
Daniel Bukoff (Foxborough Country Club); 69
Trevor Kenney (The Ridge Club)’ 70
Nolan Skaggs (Plymouth Country Club); 70
John Keenan (Bayberry Hills Golf Course); 70
Ryan Fillebrown (Shaker Hills Country Club); 70
ALTERNATES
Aidan O’Donovan (Cummoquid Golf Club); 71
Guy Lansing (The Fairway Club); 71
Dave Turgeon (Norton Country Club); 71
Qualifying for the Mass Amateur will continue later on in the month of June. Here are the final three qualifying sites and starting times:
June 21 – Captains GC – Starboard (Brewster)
Starting Times | Player Information
June 21 – Vesper CC (Tyngsboro)
Starting Times | Player Information
June 22 – Fall River CC (Fall River)
Starting Times | Player Information
For the latest updates on all Mass Golf events, visit MassGolf.org or follow Mass Golf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @PlayMassGolf.
