The following individuals are exempt for the 2026 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 2025 Massachusetts Open Championship
Steven DiLisio
Xavier Marcoux
Christopher Tallman
Peter Knade
Jack Wall
Jimmy Hervol
Mike Van Sickle
Jake Ratti (a)
David Pastore
Aidan Emmerich (a)
Peter French
Owen Quinn
Christopher Fosdick
Shawn Warren
Eric Banks
Josiah Hakala (a)
Will Frodigh
Ben Balter (a)
Joe Harney (a)
Eric Beringer
Category #2
Past Massachusetts Open Champions (Effective in 1993, Champions earn a 10-year exemption; pre-1993 Champions are exempt for life)
2025 – Steven DiLisio
2024 – Brandon Berry
2023 – David Pastore
2022 – Michael Kartrude
2021 – Rob Labritz
2020 – Event not held
2019 – Michael Martel
2018 – Jason Thresher
2017 – Jason Thresher
2016 – Jason Thresher
2015 – Joe Harney (exemption extension due to 2020 championship cancelation)
Category #3
NEPGA Section Champions 2021 to 2024, and the top five (5) finishers and ties in the 2025 NEPGA Championship
2021 – Rich Berberian
2022 – Liam Friedman
2023 – Rich Berberian
2024 – Ed Kirby
2025 NEPGA Championship (Top 5 & ties)
Ed Kirby
Rich Berberian
Greg Kelly
Brian Spitz
Jeff Martin
David Jankowski
Category #4
Top twenty (20) finishers and ties in the 2025 NEPGA Skip Wogan Player of the Year standings
Ed Kirby
Rich Berberian
Liam Friedman
Shawn Warren
Eric Barlow
Jeff Martin
Robert Bruso
Brendon Ray
Curt Goldsberry
Kirk Hanefeld
Brian Spitz
Robert Tramonti
Greg Kelly
Sean McTernan
Dave Einstein
Matt Baran
James Burke
Malcolm Oliver
Frank Dully
Pete Weatherby
Category #5
2025 NEPGA Assistants Champion
Arthur Griffin
Category #6
2025 Berkshire Chapter Champion of the NENY PGA
Eric Mabee
Category #7
2025 State Open Champions from the New England States
MA – Steven DiLisio
RI – Fletcher Babcock
NH – Jason Thresher
VT – Nicholas Pandelena
CT – Mike Ballo, Jr.
ME – Jacob Sollon
Category #8
The top Mass Golf member club affiliated finisher not yet exempt in the 2025 Connecticut Section PGA Player of the Year Standings. Ties in the standings will be broken by the 2024 POY standings (then 2023 etc.).
Brian Keiser
Category #9
Amateur Champions of the last five (5) years
2025 – Ryan Downes
2024 – Matthew Naumec
2023 – Ryan Downes
2022 – Conner Willett
2021 – Michael Thorbjornsen
Category #10
2025 Amateur Semifinalists
Patrick Kilcoyne
Aidan Emmerich
Ryan Downes
Joseph Lenane
Category #11
2025 Junior Amateur, Senior Amateur, Mid-Amateur, Ouimet (Champ Division), and Amateur Public Links Champions.
Junior Amateur – Thomas Constantine
Senior Amateur – Brendan Hester
Mid-Amateur – Nick Maccario
Ouimet Memorial – Matt Parziale
Amateur Public Links – Sean Fitzpatrick
Category #12
Top ten (10) finishers and ties in the 2025 Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year standings
Matt Parziale
Ryan Downes
Aidan Emmerich
Jake Ratti
Ben Balter
Nick Maccario
Ben Spitz
Patrick Kilcoyne
Josiah Hakala
Christian Emmerich
Category #13
2025 Player of the Year, Junior Player of the Year, and Senior Player of the Year
Player of the Year – Matt Parziale
Junior Player of the Year – Thomas Constantine
Senior Player of the Year – Brendan Hester
Category #14
2026 Open Qualifying & Championship Host Site Professional Staff (one per site)
