Massachusetts Amateur

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The Massachusetts State Amateur Championship, better known as the Massachusetts Amateur, is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association (MGA) in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed event on the MGA calendar. Tournament entries are open to any amateur golfer who holds membership in an MGA member club and has an up-to-date MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4. [1]

Contents

History

The first event was held in 1903 at the Myopia Hunt Club and won by Arther Lockwood. Thirty-eight contestants entered from the 42 MGA member clubs. The most famous winner of the championship was six-time champion Francis Ouimet. Other notable winners include Jesse Guilford, Dick Chapman and Eddie Lowery. Fred Wright holds the record with seven titles (1920, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, and 1938).

Since 1992, five Massachusetts Amateur Champions have turned professional: Trevor Gliwski, Flynt Lincoln, James Driscoll, Jim Salinetti and Rob Oppenheim. 2008 marked the 100th playing of the Massachusetts Amateur. Today the tournament holds a field of 144 players from 400 golf facilities across the state. The Championship starts with two days of stroke play. The low 32 scores continue on to match play competition.

In 2023, Molly Smith became the first woman to qualify for the tournament. [2]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueRef.
2023Ryan DownesEssex County Club
2022Conner WillettConcord Country Club
2021 Michael Thorbjornsen Brae Burn Country Club
2020Matthew OrganisakThe Kittansett Club
2019Steven DiLisio The Country Club
2018Patrick Frodigh George Wright Golf Course
2017 Matt Parziale Charles River Country Club
2016Brendan Hunter Taconic Golf Club
2015Nick McLaughlinOak Hill Country Club
2014John KellyKernwood Country Club
2013Mike Calef (2)Longmeadow Country Club
2012Mike CalefTedesco Country Club
2011Ryan RileyWyantenuck Country Club
2010John Hadges Myopia Hunt Club
2009Bill Drohen The Country Club
2008John HadgesThe Kittansett Club
2007Burgess Houston1 upFrank Vana, Jr.Concord Country Club [3]
2006Ben Spitz Worcester Country Club
2005Frank Vana, Jr. (2)Essex County Club
2004Frank Vana, Jr. Taconic Golf Club
2003Andy Drohen The Country Club
2002 Rob Oppenheim Winchester Country Club
2001Brendan HesterThe Orchards Golf Club
2000Jim Salinetti (2) Worcester Country Club
1999Jim SalinettiThe Kittansett Club
1998 James Driscoll (2)Belmont Country Club
1997Jim SalinettiWeston Golf Club
1996 James Driscoll Myopia Hunt Club
1995Ed FletcherConcord Country Club
1994Douglas PrestonCharles River Country Club
1993Flynt LincolnEssex County Club
1992Trevor GliwskiLongmeadow Country Club
1991John Salamone Brae Burn Country Club
1990Ray WrightThe Kittansett Club
1989Jim McDermott Worcester Country Club
1988 Kevin Johnson (2)Thorny Lea Golf Club
1987 Kevin Johnson The Country Club
1986 Fran Quinn Winchester Country Club
1985Steve Tasho Myopia Hunt Club
1984Jim McDermott (2)2 & 1 Geoffrey Sisk Country Club of Pittsfield [4]
1983 Jim Hallet (2)Woodland Golf Club
1982 Jim Hallet Tedesco Golf Club
1981Steven Tasho Taconic Golf Club
1980Jim McDermott Salem Country Club
1979Ed Polchlopek Vesper Country Club
1978Dave BrilliantThe Kittansett Club
1977Gary BurnettWeston Country Club
1976 Bruce Douglass (2)37th hole Peter Teravainen The Country Club [5]
1975 Bruce Douglass Winchester Country Club
1974 Bill Mallon (2)Pleasant Valley Country Club
1973 Bill Mallon Belmont Country Club
1972Gary BurnettLongmeadow Country Club
1971Tracy Mehr Taconic Golf Club
1970John Tosca, Jr.Essex County Club
1969Peter Drooker1 up Allen Doyle Brae Burn Country Club [6]
1968Mike OhanianNashawtuc Country Club
1967Barrie Bruce The Country Club
1966Warren TibbettsCharles River Country Club
1965Ted CarangeloWoodland Golf Club
1964William Foley Worcester Country Club
1963Bruce Dobie Vesper Country Club
1962Joe Carr Salem Country Club
1961 Ted Bishop (3)Oak Hill Country Club
1960Pat GraneseTedesco Golf Club
1959John Tosca, Jr. Taconic Golf Club
1958William G. HardingThe Kittansett Club
1957David SullivanLongmeadow Country Club
1956Charles VolponeBelmont Country Club
1955Ed Connell Myopia Hunt Club
1954Rupert DanielsCountry Club of Pittsfield
1953Ernie Doherty Salem Country Club
1952Tom Mahan, Jr.Winchester Country Club
1951Ed Martin Vesper Country Club
1950 Dick Chapman Brae Burn Country Club
1949Robert W. Knowles, Jr. The Country Club
1948Ed Martin Worcester Country Club
1947John ChewCommonwealth Golf Course
1946 Ted Bishop (2)Charles River Country Club
1942–45: Cancelled due to World War II
1941Leo MartinLongmeadow Country Club
1940 Ted Bishop Salem Country Club
1939Ted AdamsTedesco Golf Club
1938Fred Wright, Jr. (7)Essex County Club
1937Dave WhitesideWinchester Country Club
1936 Clark Hodder Charles River Country Club
1935Edward S. Stimpson Brae Burn Country Club
1934William O. Blaney The Country Club
1933Joseph P. Lynch Worcester Country Club
1932Edward P. KirouacKernwood Country Club
1931Fred Wright, Jr. (6)Winchester Country Club
1930Fred Wright, Jr. (5) Salem Country Club
1929Fred Wright, Jr. (4)Belmont Spring Country Club
1928Fred Wright, Jr. (3)Essex County Club
1927 Eddie Lowery Charles River Country Club
1926Fred Wright, Jr. (2) Brae Burn Country Club
1925 Francis Ouimet (6) The Country Club
1924 Jesse Guilford (3)Woodland Golf Club
1923Karl E. Mosser Brae Burn Country Club
1922 Francis Ouimet (5)Kernwood Country Club
1921 Jesse Guilford (2) Worcester Country Club
1920Fred Wright, Jr. The Country Club
1919 Francis Ouimet (4)Winchester Country Club
1917–18: Cancelled due to World War I
1916 Jesse Guilford Wollaston Golf Club
1915 Francis Ouimet (3)Woodland Golf Club
1914 Francis Ouimet (2) Brae Burn Country Club
1913 Francis Ouimet Wollaston Golf Club
1912Heinrich Schmidt1 up Francis Ouimet Brae Burn Country Club [7]
1911John G. Anderson (2)Essex County Club
1910H.W. Stucklen Brae Burn Country Club
1909Percival Gilbert Oakley Country Club
1908T.R. FullerWollaston Golf Club
1907John G. AndersonWoodland Golf Club
1906Arthur G. Lockwood (3) Brae Burn Country Club
1905Arthur G. Lockwood (2) The Country Club
1904Andrew Carnegie IIEssex County Club
1903Arthur G. Lockwood Myopia Hunt Club

Source: [8]

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References

  1. MGA Amateur Championship page
  2. Melia, Sean (June 8, 2023). "How Molly Smith made history and qualified for the Massachusetts State Amateur". New England Golf Journal.
  3. "Aug 09, 2007, page 11 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  4. McDonough, Bob (July 16, 1984). "McDermott win second Mass. Amateur crown" . The Boston Globe. p. 35. Retrieved 2024-01-19 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Douglass captures second straight State Amateur on 37th". The Boston Globe. 1976-07-11. p. 110. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  6. "Cadets' Doyle Falters, Bows in Amateur Finals". The Burlington Free Press. July 14, 1969. p. 21. Retrieved June 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Schmidt Leads in Bay State Golf". The Boston Globe. June 16, 1912. Retrieved 2024-05-22 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Amateur Past Champions". MASSGOLF. Retrieved 2024-12-13.