By Stephen Hanjack
shanjack@massgolf.org
MATTAPOISETT, Massachusetts (September 19, 2024) – For the first time in 37 days, The Bay Club at Mattapoisett saw rain, and thanks to periods of driving wind, playing conditions were quite difficult for U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying. A format that often time sees sides drive their score to double-digits under-par, looked a bit different on Thursday, as the two sides to advance did so at 6-under-par.
Locals Danny Frodigh (Dedham Country & Polo Club) and Jared Winiarz (The Links at Mass Golf) shot 65 (-6) and shared co-medalist honors with a duo from Nashville, Richard Oref and John Jonas. The two sides were paired together for their round, and interestingly enough, were the two sides to punch their ticket to the Championship Proper in 2025.
In qualifying, Jared Winiarz becomes the first ever Mass Golf staff member to advance to a USGA Championship, in a playing capacity. And while the name Frodigh is synonymous with success in Mass Golf circles, this will also be Danny Frodigh’s first appearance as competitor at a USGA Championship.
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On a day when conditions almost certainly created stress for players in every group, the Massachusetts pairing of Winiarz and Frodigh were able to avoid it.
“All in all, we made minimal mistakes. It was fairly stress free,” said Frodigh. “Golf is never stress free but we made it as least stressful as we could.”
And while stress-free is good and well, it’s birdies and eagles that usually determine success in this format.
“Jared was out of the hole on 8, I hit a good second shot to 15-20 feet to keep the momentum going,” added Frodigh. “Jared then drained a bomb on 9…30 feet at least. That was huge to make the turn at 3-under.”
Making the turn at 3-under and starting to gain momentum, Winiarz struck again on 10, with another birdie, this time from the 12-foot range. A string of pars followed until they reached the par-5 15th.
“I had 204 in, and hit a 5-iron to about 20 feet,” said Winiarz of his second shot on 15. “Danny already hit it to 4-feet for eagle. Something he could easily make. I knew he had it in the bag at that point and got up to mine and it felt easy to just hit it in.”
The eagle got the team to 6-under, and thanks to some steady play down the stretch, enough to earn co-medalist honors.
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For Richard Oref and John Jonas, in the early going, things were looking stress-free as well, as they quickly jumped out to a score of 5-under through 12. That all changed when they reached the 13th hole. On Thursday, the difficult par-4 dished out plenty of bogeys (at least 20), and unfortunately, both players fell victim.
It would be a stretch to call what happened next a Music City Miracle, but when Oref’s putt from outside of 50-feet on found the bottom of the cup on 14, an unexpected sigh of relief could be had.
One more birdie was added on the par-5 15th, and three more pars on the way in were enough to get them through.
In needing to catch a flight back home, the two rushed off to the airport following the round, and were unable to be reached for comment. Still unknown if Jonas has any relation to Nick, Joe, Kevin or Frankie.
QUALIFIERS (Names; Cities)
Danny Frodigh (Westwood, MA) & Jared Winiarz (Norton, MA); 65 (-6)
Richard Oref & John Jonas (Nashville, TN); 65 (-6)
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Matthew Cowgill (Weston, MA) & Patrick Frodigh (Boston, MA); 66 (-5)
Sam Toomey & Stephen Ratacik (Mattapoisett, MA); 67 (-4)
The championship will be held at Plainfield Country Club (Edison, N.J.) and stroke play co-host site Echo Lake Country Club (Westfield, N.J.) on May 17-21, 2025, featuring 128 sides. Each member of the side cannot have a Handicap Index® exceeding 2.4. The USGA accepted 2,495 entries.
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