The following individuals are exempt for the 2023 Open Championship.
Although exempt according to the conditions and regulations of the event, these players are only eligible to compete in Championship Proper if they submit the stipulated entry form and fee prior to the entry close date.
Category #1
Twenty (20) lowest scorers and ties in the 2022 Massachusetts Open Championship
Michael Kartrude
Peter Knade
Matt Naumec (a)
Ethan Whitney (a)
Mike Van Sickle
Michael Sweeney
Peter French
Jason Thresher
Matthew Campbell
Berk Harvey
John Clare
Blake Morris
Justin Grondahl (a)
Timothy Hegarty
Weston Jones (a)
Brendan Hunter
Jack Boulger (a)
Michael Martel
Jud Milam
Matt Parziale (a)
Jacob Finard (a)
Nolan Skaggs (a)
Category #2
Past Massachusetts Open Champions (Effective in 1993, Champions earn a 10-year exemption; pre-1993 Champions are exempt for life)
2022 – Michael Karturde
2021 – Rob Labritz
2020 – Event not held
2019 – Michael Martel
2018 – Jason Thresher
2017 – Jason Thresher
2016 – Jason Thresher
2015 – Joe Harney
2014 – Ian Thimble
2013 – Evan Harmeling
Category #3
NEPGA Section Champions 2018 to 2021, and the top five (5) finishers and ties in the 2022 NEPGA Championship
2018 – Rich Berberian
2019 – Shawn Warren
2020 – Shawn Warren
2021 – Rich Berberian
2022 NEPGA Championship (Top 5 & ties)
Liam Friedman
Shawn Warren
Ed Kirby
Robert Bruso
David Jankowski
Category #4
Top twenty (20) finishers and ties in the 2022 NEPGA Skip Wogan Player of the Year standings
Shawn Warren
Liam Friedman
Rich Berberian
Robert Bruso
Ed Kirby
Greg Kelly
Jeff Martin
Eric Barlow
David Jankowski
Eric Higgins
Todd Scarafoni
Sean Irons
Sean Barrett
Nick Jagoe
David Bennett
Greg Martin
Jason Sedan
Dan Venezio
Brian Spitz
Kirk Hanefeld
Category #5
2022 NEPGA Assistants Champion
Shawn Warren
Category #6
2022 Berkshire Chapter Champion of the NENY PGA
Thomas Sennett
Category #7
2022 State Open Champions from the New England States
MA – Michael Kartrude
RI – Ian Thimble
NH – Ben Reichert
VT – Berk Harvey
CT – Brent Ito
ME – Shawn Warren
Category #8
2022 Jim & Lois Gaquin Memorial Cape Cod Open Champion
Event not held
Category #9
The top Mass Golf member club affiliated finisher in the 2022 Connectitcut Section PGA Player of the Year Standings. Ties in the standings will be broken by the 2021 POY standings (then 2020 etc.).
Chris Tallman – Orchards GC
Category #10
Amateur Champions of the last five (5) years
2022 – Conner Willett
2021 – Michael Thorbjornsen
2020 – Matthew Organisak
2019 – Steven DiLisio
2018 – Patrick Frodigh
Category #11
2022 Amateur Semifinalists
Ryan Downes
Will Frodigh
Billy Argus
Conner Willett
Category #12
2022 Junior Amateur, Senior Amateur, Mid-Amateur, and Amateur Public Links Champions
Junior – John Broderick
Senior – Frank Vana
Mid-Am – Sean Fitzpatrick
APL – Zachary Miller
Category #13
Top ten (10) finishers and ties in the 2022 Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year standings
Matt Parziale
Ethan Whitney
Matthew Naumec
Ryan Downes
Joe Harney
Christian Emmerich
Conner Willett
Jake Shuman
Ricky Stimets
Sean Fitzpatrick
Category #14
2022 Player of the Year, Junior Player of the Year, and Senior Player of the Year
POY – Matt Parziale
Junior POY – Ryan Downes
Senior POY – Frank Vana, Jr.
Category #15
2023 Open Qualifying Site Host Professional Staff (one per site)
Kernwood CC
CC of Pittsfield
The Ridge Club
Granite Links GC
Foxborough CC
Pleasant Valley CC
