40 Golfers Off To GreatHorse After First Week of Qualifying For 117th Massachusetts Amateur
The race to GreatHorse is out of the starting gate, and 40 golfers have punched their ticket. In the opening week of Mass Amateur qualifying, hopefuls teed it up at four venues across the state, Country Club of Wilbraham, Cranberry Valley Golf Course, Hopkinton Country Club, and The Golf Club at Turner Hill, vying for a coveted spot in Massachusetts’ signature amateur championship.
This year, GreatHorse in Hampden will host the Mass Amateur for the first time, July 7–11. After 36 holes of stroke play, the top 32 scorers will advance to match play, where the pressure only intensifies. Entries are open to amateur golfers with an active Mass Golf Membership and a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.6 at the time of registration.
On Monday at Wilbraham, GreatHorse member Michael Petrick earned a share of medalist honors among nine qualifier with a near-bogey-free round of 3-under-par 68. Petrick, who first qualified for the Mass Amateur about 30 years ago, finished tied with Daniel Koerner (Nomad Golf Club), a former U.S. Amateur Four-Ball qualifier. Bryant University’s Cole Banning (Youth on Course/Mass Golf), who caddied for 2023 winner and GreatHorse member Ryan Downes, shot 69 with five birdies, finishing one stroke ahead of Norfolk County Amateur winner Daniel Schwartz (George Wright Golf Course). Wilbraham members Gregory Placzek and Michael McGrath also got through with scores of 70 and 71.
The same day at Cranberry Valley, Bentley University commit Joey Nee (Walpole Country Club) finished ahead of the pack of nine qualifiers with a 1-under 71, surging on the back nine with four birdies. UConn commit Matthew Oliveria (The Bay Club) made consecutive eagles on holes 15 and 16 to offset a pair of double bogeys and finish with a 72, matching three others including Georgetown standout Alan Rose. Timmy Adams (Pocasset Golf Club) and Liam Marek (Farm Neck Golf Club) both made birdie on the par-5 18th to qualify on the number with a 73.
GreatHorse member Michael Petrick was among those to qualify for the Mass Amateur this week. (David Colt, file)
On Tuesday at Hopkinton, Zach Pelzar (Weston Golf Club) led the way with a score of 3-under 68. He will look to join 2020 winner Matthew Organisak as winners to come out of Emory University. Andrew DiRamio (North Hill Country Club) got into a groove early with three consecutive birdies, but despite a double-bogey on the 4th, was able to stabilize for a 1-over 72.
After placing as an alternate in qualifying to years prior, Benjamin Grimmett (Charter Oak Country Club) advanced with a 73, matching several players including Hopkinton member Cael Duggan and Assumption College’s Jack Moy (Pleasant Valley Country Club). One year after competing at his home club, Victor Galvani (Framingham Country Club) made birdie on the 18th to qualify with a 74.
On Wednesday at Turner Hill, University of Rhode Island’s Tyler Bruneau (Butter Brook Golf Club) led 11 qualifiers by shooting 1-under 71 in a round that included five birdies. Zachary Richards (Wollaston Golf Club) also made five birdies, including on the 16th and 17th to advance. Ben Balter (Weston Golf Club), who won the Mass Four-Ball earlier this year, also shot 72 but kept a mostly clean card with 15 pars.
Granite Links members Emilio Bardini and Justin Woodworth advanced with scores of 73 and 75. Wellesley’s Ryan Keyes, of the newly-formed1929 Club, also shot 75, shaking off a pair of double-bogeys, in part, with a clutch birdie on the 17th.
Jack Moy almost qualified for match play in the 2024 Mass Amateur, coming up one stroke shy of getting into the playoff for the final spots. (David Colt, file)
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THIS WEEK’S MASS AMATEUR QUALIFYING EVENTS:
MONDAY, JUNE 2
QUALIFIERS (CC of Wilbraham-Par 71)
Michael Petrick, GreatHorse; 68
Daniel Koerner, Nomad Golf Club; 68
Cole Banning, Youth on Course/Mass Golf; 69
Daniel Schwartz, George Wright Golf Course; 70
Gregory Placzek, Country Club of Wilbraham; 70
Zach Lebeau, Westover Golf Course; 71
Michael McGrath, Country Club of Wilbraham; 72
Samuel Johnson, Springfield Country Club; 72
Tucker Silva, Longmeadow Country Club; 72
ALTERNATES
Conor McGovern Brookmeadow Country Club; 73
Michael Knight GreatHorse; 73
Graham Smith USGA/Mass Golf GC; 73
Robert Knight Twin Hills Country Club; 73
Thomas Hurley Student Member/MIAA; 73
Rob Linehan Agawam Municipal Golf Course; 73
Peter Wurszt Country Club of Wilbraham; 73
Sam Grindle Haverhill Golf & Country Club; 73
Kyle DiFranco Country Club of Wilbraham; 73
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MONDAY, JUNE 2
QUALIFIERS (Cranberry Valley GC-Par 72)
Joey Nee, Walpole Country Club; 71
Matthew Oliveira, The Bay Club; 72
Alan Rose, Oyster Harbors Club; 72
Ryan Brown, Cape Cod National Golf Club; 72
Bryan Adkison, Granite Links Golf Club; 72
Jack Dias, Ludlow Country Club; 73
Kurt Flionis, Old Sandwich Golf Club; 73
Timmy Adams, Pocasset Golf Club; 73
Liam Marek, Farm Neck Golf Club; 73
ALTERNATES
Alex Ferris, Charles River Country Club; 74
Markus Pierre, The Kittansett Club; 74
Ryan Koczela, LeBaron Hills Country Club; 74
Sam Russell, Cranberry Valley Golf Course; 74
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TUESDAY, JUNE 3
QUALIFIERS (Hopkinton CC-Par 71)
Zach Pelzar, Weston Golf Club; 69
Andrew DiRamio, North Hill Country Club; 72
Jack Moy, Pleasant Valley Country Club; 73
Benjamin Grimmett, Charter Oak Country Club; 73
Cael Duggan, Hopkinton Country Club; 73
Derek Wayman, Vesper Country Club; 73
William Johnson, The Country Club; 73
Lucas Levasseur, Hopedale Country Club; 74
Michael Malley, Ferncroft Country Club; 74
Matthew Michaud, South Shore Country Club; 74
Victor Galvani, Framingham Country Club; 74
ALTERNATES
Glen Sutton, Belmont Country Club; 75
Matthew Sears, Myopia Hunt Club; 75
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4
QUALIFIERS (GC At Turner Hill-Par 72)
Tyler Bruneau, Butter Brook Golf Club; 71
Zachary Richards, Wollaston Golf Club; 72
Ben Balter, Weston Golf Club; 72
Emilio Bardini, Granite Links Golf Club; 73
Michael Amari, Northern Spy Country Club; 74
Mark Turner, Bass Rocks Golf Club; 74
Alex Jackson, Ipswich Country Club; 75
Justin Woodworth, Granite Links Golf Club; 75
Ryan Keyes, 1929 CLUB; 75
Colin Burden, The Tour; 75
Spencer Grant, Ferncroft Country Club; 75
ALTERNATES
Gregory Hammond Presidents Golf Course; 76
Peter McDonald Ferncroft Country Club; 76
Ryan Derosier Olde Scotland Links; 76
Maxx Zides USGA/Mass Golf GC; 76
David St Clair Brae Burn Country Club; 76
Brian Steverman Plymouth Country Club; 76
Benjamin Weed Tedesco Country Club; 76
John Grimes Student Member/MIAA; 76
Connor Murphy Winthrop Golf Club; 76
Timothy Hasenfus Needham Golf Club; 76
Riley Merritt Granite Links Golf Club; 76
Chase Guilherme Reservation Golf Club; 76
Tripp Hollister Nashawtuc Country Club; 76
Up Next
Qualifying for the Mass Amateur will continue next week. Here are the remaining dates and locations on the schedule:
