By Steve Derderian
sderderian@massgolf.org
HARWICH, Massachusetts (September 5, 2024) – Jake Ratti (Wollaston Golf Club) called it the best shot of his life. The only thing is he didn’t see it go into the hole in real-time. That moment of realization came later upon checking the video.
That notwithstanding, by holing out for eagle from the greenside bunker on the par-5 18th, Ratti finished with a course record score of 8-under-par 64 and surprised the field by rallying from six strokes down to start the third and final round and hoisting the Ted Bishop Cup as the winner of the 41st Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship on Thursday at Cranberry Valley Golf Course.
“It’s pretty special. My first Mass Golf event was probably 15 years ago, and honestly, I’ve never come that close to winning one,” said Ratti, a Plymouth native and longtime caddie at Boston Golf Club. “To see all the hard work over the last couple of years pay off like this is pretty awesome.”
The event features three rounds of stroke play among amateur golfers 25 and older with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 4.0.
Online: Final Results | Photo Gallery | Event Home | Past Champions
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Ratti’s final-round rally was the largest comeback in the event since Arthur Zelmati stormed back from seven strokes down to win the 2020 title in a playoff. While Ratti’s final round began with a bogey, it didn’t matter. He made three consecutive birdies on holes 14-16, and his clutch 50-yard bunker shot for an eagle will be remembered as what sealed his victory.
“The lie was perfect, and I was just trying to get it close,” Ratti said of the heroic bunker shot. “It wasn’t a difficult shot to get near the pin, but to actually hole it, unbelievable. It came off perfectly, and I knew when it dropped, it might just be enough.”
This hole-out-eagle finish and 7 birdies on the card today put him at the solo clubhouse lead at 8-under.#MassMidAm #MassGolf pic.twitter.com/6P8REawSDW
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf) September 5, 2024
Starting the day knowing he’d have to post a low score, Ratti stayed composed, even as he faced a stacked leaderboard ahead of him. Lead among them was three-time champion Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea Golf Club) and mid-amateur standout Joe Harney (Charles River Country Club), who both started the final round tied for the lead at 6-under but couldn’t find their rhythm on the final day, making just one birdie and an eagle between them combined.
By noontime, it was anybody’s tournament to win. Three players shared the lead; three were one stroke back, and another trio was two back.
“I knew there were some really good players ahead of me,” Ratti said. “But I was staying with my buddies Ryan Brown (Cape Cod National) and Kyle Buschmann (Granite Links Golf Club), and we all agreed I’d need to shoot something like 8 or 9-under today to have a chance. I just tried to play it smart and get aggressive where I knew I could.”
Ratti pulled into the lead on the short par-5 14th (480 yards) by hitting into the green with an 8-iron and two-putting. He then drove the green on the par-4 15th (300 yards) for a two-putt birdie. The 16th, which was the second-most difficult hole, then hit his drive to about 90 yards out and hit a wedge within six feet, getting it to fall to open up his lead even wider.
Through it all, Ratti remained calm. Afterward, he reflected on his improved mindset, which helped him medal at U.S. Amateur Local Qualifying at Wollaston back in July.
“When I’ve needed to shoot something low this summer, it’s worked out three out of four times. Each time, it’s just built my confidence,” he said. “The biggest thing I’ve improved is probably my attitude. I’ve worked on my swing, but more importantly, I’ve learned not to get upset over mistakes. You just have to move on to the next shot.”
Coming in as a favorite, defending champion Ricky Stimets (Worcester Country Club) played well in stretches but wasn’t able to make it to the top of the leaderboard. However, by playing the final 12 holes at 5-under, the Mass Amateur runner-up shot 69 for the second consecutive day to finish in solo second place, securing an automatic exemption into next year’s field, along with the top 15 and ties.
Parziale and Harney both finished 3-under total with rounds of 75, while newcomers Mike Rattigan (Salem Country Club) and James Othus (Braintree Municipal GC), as well as 2011 champion Mike Calef (Pine Oaks Golf Club) finished 2-under total. Former pro Joe Macaulay (Cyprian Keyes Golf Club), the Day 1 leader, finished eighth overall.
The 42nd Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship will be held September 8-10, 2025, at Andover Country Club, the club’s first time hosting the event.
Meanwhile, the following competitors are set to compete in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur from September 21-26 at Kinloch Golf Club in Virginia: Cam Moniz (Swansea Country Club), Nate Davis (Segregansett Country Club), Nick Resor (Black Rock Country Club), Christian Jensen (Sagamore Spring Golf Club), Ben Balter (Weston Golf Club), Stimets, and, of course, Parziale, the 2017 champion.
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