By Aidan McLaughlin
WEST YARMOUTH, Massachusetts (June 15, 2026) — It was a humid morning down on the Cape as 78 boys and 33 girls teed it up for their shot at a chance to play in the U.S Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championships in late July. Bayberry Hills played host for Monday’s qualifying rounds, a wooded course with a tale of two different nines that combine for their 18-hole championship course.
For the boys, the top 3 players advanced to the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, and for the girls, the top 2 players advanced to the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship.
The qualifiers were Seamus O’Holleran (Hamilton, MA), James Nagle (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) and Michael Madden (Portland, ME) for the boys and Yuxi Liu (People’s Republic of China) and Isabelle Duan (Cupertino, CA) for the girls.
All five will now compete on the national stage next month, with the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship taking place at Old Chatham Golf Club and the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship being played at Saucon Valley Country Club.
All different kinds of birds were flying down at Bayberry Hills today for the U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier, with 12 combined birdies and an eagle between our co-medalists on the day. The first of those two would be James Nagle, who capped off his 5-under day with an eagle on the par-5 18th.
“Course was in great shape, so that was easy to play good golf on a great course…I knew I had to make birdie, so I was just trying to hit a really good tee shot, and then hit it up there on the green, and I just happened to hit a really good five iron from, like, 200 to 10 feet, and then drained the putt.”
That eagle would end his string of a 4-under final four holes for Nagle, who will be heading to Pennsylvania in late July.
The other low amateur would be a Myopia Hunt Club member Seamus O’Holleran, who played a little bit of a steadier round out with his caddy Terry Manning. “He really got me settled last night into this morning, just staying present, and not getting too ahead of myself. And I mean, we caught fire pretty much immediately.”
O’Holleran is no stranger to Bayberry, having played here a few times before. “I played the Mass Junior here 2 years ago and the 2nd day really didn’t go as planned, but I knew signing up for this qualifier, this is where I want to do it, since I was familiar with the course. And then I came down a couple weeks ago to play a practice round.”
The final qualifier would be Madden, who would lean on late-round heroics to get himself through. Madden finished his first nine with an eagle on the par-5 18th. As the card flipped over, he would make a five on the par-4 first but would eventually leave no doubt about his qualification, rifling off four straight birdies on his final four holes to earn his spot.
The three qualifiers from Monday will head to Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with the first round scheduled for July 20.
COMPLETE LIST OF JUNIOR AMATEUR QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THE LEDGES GC
QUALIFIER (Name, City, Score)
Seamus O’Holleran, Hamilton, MA; (-5) 67
James Nagle, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; (-5) 67
Michael Madden, Portland, ME; (-4) 68
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Colin Gleason, Barnstable, MA; (-3) 69*
Tyler Creavy, Orlando, FL; (-3)**
*Advanced on first playoff hole with birdie (hole 1)
**Advanced on first playoff hole with bogey (hole 1)
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As the afternoon came and went, the 1:25pm tee time would stand out with Yuxi Liu and Isabelle Duan exchanging great drives en-route to their tickets being punched to Old Chatham.
Liu’s front nine would be quite eventful, with three birdies and two bogeys. As she made her way to the back nine, she would settle in, making birdie on the par-4 11th before going back-to-back with two more birdies on the par-5 15th and par-4 16th.
“The best part of my game today was the driver; I didn’t miss any fairways… I’m really excited to have qualified and have the chance to play at a USGA event.”
Duan would be on attack from the first tee, birdieing the par-4 first hole, and then carding a bogey-free front nine 33. As she made her way to the back, she would continue her good form, making birdie on the par-4 11th. Her card wouldn’t stay perfect though as she would bogey the par-4 14th. From there she would coast into a 3-under 69.
“My drives were going really straight today, I think I hit most of the fairways…I’m extremely excited to have qualified for the Girls’ Junior Am. I think USGA events are really prestigious, and I’m definitely looking forward to it”
COMPLETE LIST OF GIRLS’ JUNIOR AMATEUR QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THE LEDGES GC
QUALIFIER (Name, City, Score)
Yuxi Liu, People’s Republic of China; (-4) 68
Isabelle Duan, Cupertino, CA; (-3) 69
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Kaitlyn Doe, Waban, MA; (-1) 71*
Serena Zhang, Canada (-1) 71
*Advanced with a birdie on second playoff hole (hole 18)
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Located in West Yarmouth on Cape Cod, Bayberry Hills is no stranger to Mass Golf events, hosting the Junior Amateur in 2024. The Championship tee’s can play up to 7200 yards which makes great host to some of the most competitive golfers in the area.
In typical Cape Course fashion, the holes are nestled between wooded areas and lined with hazards that make you think a little bit more than you would like sometimes. Highlighted by a 200 yard, 8th hole with water that lines the left side and bunkers guarding the right, It’s holes like that one that can make or break your round.
For the latest updates on all Mass Golf events, visit MassGolf.org or follow Mass Golf on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @PlayMassGolf.
