BERNARDSTON, Massachusetts – After a day that begin with heavy a.m. rain showers and ended with p.m. sun, four Bay State Junior Golfers were able to punch their tickets to the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship semi-finals. Among them are stroke play medalist John Broderick who will be facing off against Trevor Lopez in one semi-final match. Defending champion James Imai also made it to the semis, besting Yeetang Kwok to get there. Imai will square off against Conner Willett in semi-final number two.
(1) JOHN BRODERICK DEF. (16) JACK O’DONNELL, 3&2
In the first round of 16 match of day, Dedham’s John Broderick and Boston GC’s Jack O’Donnell were even through the first three holes before Broderick took the first lead of the morning by carding a par on the par-4 fourth. After O’Donnell answered with a par of his own on the par-4 seventh hole, Broderick entered a stretch of three straight wins on holes 8, 9, and 11. O’Donnell did win one more hole for the day, before Broderick took it back on the 13th hole by making a birdie and going 3-up. The two players would tie the next three holes and Broderick winning the match on 16, 3&2.
(8) JAMES ROBBINS DEF. (9) RILEY ROHLFS, 2-UP
James Robbins struck early in a match that went the distance. Playing out of Renaissance, Robbins took the first lead on the par-3 third hole before Riley Rohlfs would take three straight on the fourth, fifth, and sixth hole going 2-up. Robbins did not let his guard down and responded with birdies on holes seven and eight and making par on the ninth hole to take the 1-up lead. The match would return to tied on the 12th hole as Rohlfs makes par. But it was James Robbins who would finish strong, going birdie-par on the last two holes to take the match.
(4) TREVOR LOPEZ DEF. (13) DAN BROOKS, 5&3
Winchester’s Trevor Lopez would steal the show on the front nine, holding a 7-up lead into the turn. Lopez started his lead by making four pars and a birdie between the second and sixth hole. He would also record two more wins on eight and nine, before Dan Brooks put up a fight of his own taking 12, 13, and 14 to reduce the deficit to 4-up. Lopez would take the match on the 15th hole by making birdie and securing his spot in the quarterfinals.
(12) MASON DUMAS DEF. (5) MATTHEW EPSTEIN, 1-UP
In what was a quiet match through the first six holes, Mason Dumas would win the match after 18. Dumas took the first lead of the day on the par-4 seventh hole making par, but Epstein was quick to respond by making pars on the next two holes to steal the 1-up lead. Going to the back nine, Dumas started up quickly going par-par-birdie on holes 10, 11, and 12 and would bring the lead back to him at 2-up. Epstein did respond with a birdie of his own on the par-4 16th hole but was not enough as they halve the last two holes.
(2) JAMES IMAI DEF. (15) MATTHEW WEBER, 4&3
The reigning Massachusetts Junior Champion got off to a hot start in his first match. Imai was able to win four of the first five holes of the day to seize control early on. Weber would not go quietly, winning three holes in between 9 and 14, but Imai was able to answer anything Weber threw at him to pull out a victory and move on to the quarterfinals.
(10) YEETANG KWOK DEF. (7) MAX HUTTER, 5&4
Tw down through five holes early on, Yeetang Kwok was able to regroup with wins on holes seven and eight to even the match going into the back nine. Once on the back Kwok turned on the jets with wins on five straight holes to close out Max Hutter 5&4.
(3) JOSEPH LENANE DEF. (14) COOPER GRIFFIN, 4&2
Joseph Lenane was able to get hot at the right time before making the turn to grab ahold of this one. After Cooper Griffin won the first hole of the day, Lenane responded with wins on holes four through seven, and hole nine. A win on eight for Griffin stopped the leaking enough to be in a three-hole deficit at the turn. The players would then trade wins on holes 10 and 11 and 13 and 14, before a win 16 spurred Lenane to a 4&2 victory.
(6) CONNOR WILLETT DEF. (11) JASON TEMEL, CONCESSION
Connor Willett moved on in his match against Jason Temel, after Temel conceded the match on hole 10, with Willett 4-up. Willett got out to a hot start with wins on holes four through eight to grab control of this one.
(1) JOHN BRODERICK DEF. (8) JAMES ROBBINS, 6&5
The stroke play medalist continued his stellar play this week, winning in dominating finish to reach the Semi-Finals. Broderick lost the second hole of the day to Robbins, but answered with three straight birdies on holes three through five to take a 2up advantage. Broderick built upon his 2up lead on the tenth hole and never looked back after that. After his birdie on 10 he birdied 11, and won holes 12 and 13 to end the match 6&5.
(4) TREVOR LOPEZ DEF. (12) MASON DUMAS, 19 HOLES
In a match that got a little too close for comfort for Trevor Lopez, he was able to pull out a playoff victory to secure his semi-final spot. Lopez won five of his first seven holes to take a huge advantage over Dumas, before three straight wins on 8-10 for Dumas pulled him to back within two. A win on 15 for Lopez dormied Dumas with three to play, who then went on to claw his way out of the hole, finishing by nailing a big birdie putt on 18 to force the playoff. Lopez was able to win the playoff hole off hole number one to finish the match.
(2) JAMES IMAI DEF. (10) YEETANG KWOK, 5&4
The defending Junior Champion showed once again he has the game to compete in the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship. Imai made the turn with a 1up lead over Kwok, before turning on the afterburners with wins on four of the next five holes to win the match with a 5&4 advantage.
(6) CONNER WILLETT DEF. (3) JOSEPH LENANE, 1UP
A seesaw affair on the final match of the day, Conner Willett was able to overcome a three down deficit through seven holes to punch his ticket to the Semi-Finals. Willett won three holes in a row on 8-10 to bring the match level, before a win on 13 gave him his first advantage of the day. Lenane evened the match on 14, but an eagle on 17 for Willett gave him the advantage right back with one left. A halve on the final hole allowed Willett to reach Thursday of the Mass Junior Championship.
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