NORTON, Massachusetts – The Bay State will look to make it 15 consecutive wins in the annual Tri-State Matches against the best of the best from both Rhode Island and Connecticut when the annual two-day tournament returns to Massachusetts on October 16-17. This year’s tournament, which will be held at the Oyster Harbors Club in Osterville, will feature 16 of the top Mass Golf competitors from the Bay State. This year’s team was assembled based on total points in both the Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year and George M. Cohen Senior Player of the Year standings.
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Led by 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and 2018 U.S. Open co-Low Amateur Matt Parziale, the Mid-Amateur team will once again have 10 competitors on the roster while the Senior Amateur team will feature six of the state top competitors aged 55 and over, including reigning Massachusetts Senior Amateur champion Frank Vana, Jr. – who was also named the Senior Player of the Year for 2017.
As per usual, the schedule of competition will consist of two rounds of foursome matches during the first day of competition (October 16) and one round of singles matches on the second day of competition (October 17).
Joining Parziale on the Mid-Amateur team include 2018 Massachusetts Amateur champion and first time participant Patrick Frodigh, runner-up Herbie Aikens, Tommy Parker, Mike Calef, Sean Fitzpatrick, Jason Cook, Colin Brennan, Nick Maccario and Brian Bassett.
Among their accolades, all but Maccario advanced to the match play portion of the 2018 Massachusetts Amateur Championship at George Wright Golf Course. Calef finished runner-up at the state Four-Ball Championship at Captains Golf Course to kick off the season, while Fitzpatrick and Cook each finished in the top-3 at the Amateur Public Links Championship contested at The Ranch Golf Club. Maccario won the North Shore Amateur Championship and Bassett was among the six locals – and one of three Tri-State members – to compete at the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in mid-September.
In addition to Vana, Jr., the Massachusetts Senior Amateur team roster also includes John McNeill, Kevin Carey, Joe Walker, Steve Tasho and Mark Savel.
Of the six competitors on the Senior Amateur team, all but Tasho and Savel competed at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. McNeill was a top-10 finisher at both the Senior Amateur Championship at Pine Brook Country Club and the state’s APL Championship, while Walker, Tasho, and Vana, all finished amongst the top-10 at the Senior Hornblower Memorial Tournament. Savel tied for second at the Senior Amateur Championship.
This marks the second straight year that the roster has been expanded to include 10 mid-amateur competitors and six senior competitors. Prior to 2017, the Tri-State teams consisted of eight mid-amateur competitors to four senior amateur competitors.
Since the Tri-State Matches began in 1928, Massachusetts has had at least a share of the title in 35 contests, four shy of Connecticut’s 39 victories. Rhode Island, looking for its first win since 2001, has won 12 Tri-State titles.
This marks the fourth time that the Oyster Harbors Club has played host to the Tri-State Matches. It was also the host site in 1939, 1941 and 1991.
| MASSACHUSETTS | CONNECTICUT | RHODE ISLAND |
| Captains: Harry McCracken, Jr. | Captains: Roger Everin | Captains: George Fowler, Steve Sampson, Tom Goryl |
| MID-AMATEUR TEAM | MID-AMATEUR TEAM | MID-AMATEUR TEAM |
| Matt Parziale | Brian Ahern | Jamie Lukowicz |
| Herbie Aikens | Patrick Griffin | Tyler Cooke |
| Tommy Parker | James Sheltman | Bill Forcier |
| Jason Cook | Glen Boggini | Chris DeLucia |
| Patrick Frodigh | John Abbott | Eric Marchetti |
| Sean Fitzpatrick | Ben Conroy | Bobby Leopold |
| Colin Brennan | Mike Kennedy | Ryan Pelletier |
| Nick Maccario | Rob Neaton | Tom McCormick |
| Brian Bassett | John Annea | Glenn Dufault |
| Mike Calef | Dan Murphy | Brian O’Leary |
| SENIOR AMATEUR TEAM | SENIOR AMATEUR TEAM | SENIOR AMATEUR TEAM |
| Frank Vana, Jr. | Bill Hermanson | Dean Parziale |
| John McNeill | Patrick McGuiness | Darren Corrente |
| Joe Walker | Ray Underwood | Hermen DaCones |
| Kevin Carey | Richard Malafronte | Mike Arter |
| Steve Tasho | Bruce Kraczkowsky | Bruce Heterick |
| Mark Savel | Bob Murphy, Jr. | Don Wright |
STAY INFORMED
Mass Golf will provide coverage for its competitors playing in the Tri-State Matches at Oyster Harbors Club. Visit MassGolf.org and follow @PlayMassGolf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest information.
