By Steve Derderian
sderderian@massgolf.org
WINCHESTER, Massachusetts (July 10, 2026) — At a certain point, even with a crowd behind him and calming words from his caddie, a golfer is left to trust himself.
Zac Georgantas (Foxborough Country Club) had relied on his caddie, Ryan, for reads throughout Friday morning. But on the 15th green, facing a 20-foot birdie putt that could move him 3-up with three holes remaining, Georgantas decided this one belonged to him.
“I got this one,” he told him.
Georgantas started the ball approximately two feet outside the hole and watched it catch the slope. By the final five feet, he knew. The putt dropped, the crowd of fellow Foxborough young’uns erupted and Georgantas smiled and gestured toward the people who had carried their belief in him around Winchester Country Club all morning.
One hole later, the 18-year-old incoming Providence College freshman had secured a place in the championship match of his first Massachusetts Amateur appearance, defeating Jake Mrva (Worcester Country Club), 3&2.
Trust also carried Swampscott’s Aidan Emmerich (Kernwood Country Club) through the other semifinal. The 22-year-old recent Temple University graduate remained committed to the steady approach and mental game focus that had brought him back to this stage, outlasting 2024 champion Matthew Naumec (Framingham Country Club), 2 up, to advance one step beyond his semifinal finish a year ago.
Georgantas and Emmerich will meet in Saturday’s 36-hole final for the Massachusetts Cup and a guaranteed place in this year’s U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club. The match will begin at 7 a.m., with a brief intermission after the opening 18 holes. Mass Golf will provide live coverage of the entire match on Instagram.
Georgantas first had to escape an early 2-down deficit against Jake Mrva (Worcester Country Club), the former Fordham University golfer making his deepest run after consecutive Round of 16 appearances. Mrva had opportunities to stretch the lead, but several short-range putts narrowly missed, allowing Georgantas to remain within reach.
The momentum began to turn on the downhill par-3 9th. Georgantas missed the green long and left but sent a difficult chip high into the air and close enough to save par. Mrva three-putted, cutting the deficit to one.
Georgantas eventually moved 2-up with a series of steady pars, but his hold on the match appeared vulnerable on the par-3 14th. Mrva found the green with a makeable birdie opportunity. Georgantas, meanwhile, played from the right-side bunker and sent his recovery approximately 20 feet beyond the hole. His caddie encouraged him to treat the long par attempt like a practice putt. Georgantas rolled it in, once again igniting the Foxborough crowd, and when Mrva missed, an opportunity to cut into the lead disappeared.
Then came the birdie on the 15th, followed by one final display of control on No. 16. Georgantas hit a “stinger” driver into the wind, leaving approximately 85 yards downhill, then struck a half-swing wedge that settled close to the hole. When Mrva could not make birdie, he removed his cap and conceded the match.
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The victory continued a remarkable run through Georgantas’ first Mass Amateur. After earning the No. 15 seed with rounds of 73 and 71, the former MIAA state champ survived a 21-hole opening match with a walk-off chip-in against Winchester teen Joey Monahan. He then defeated 2024 finalist Ricky Stimets and edged Nolan Skaggs, 1 up, in the quarterfinals.
The crowd from Foxborough Country Club grew along with the run, and Georgantas frequently acknowledged the friends and fellow members following him through Winchester’s hillside. The history and prestige of this event aren’t lost on him either.
“I want it bad,” Georgantas said. “Just the people and the names that have won this tournament, it would mean a lot to win it and be next to them.”
Emmerich’s semifinal required a different kind of patience. Naumec repeatedly challenged Winchester with aggressive lines, occasionally creating spectacular opportunities but also leaving himself in difficult positions around the greens.
From the 6th through the 12th, Emmerich and Naumec alternated victories on seven consecutive holes. Naumec won each of the odd-numbered holes in that stretch, while Emmerich answered on the evens to pull back ahead.
Emmerich’s measured approach came directly from the plan he and his coach established before the round. Naumec would likely hit the ball farther, Emmerich was told, but that did not require him to chase difficult hole locations or match Naumec’s aggression.
“You’re going to have to accept that and just live with the middle of the greens,” Emmerich said after the round. “I’m not a bad putter, so keep burning edges and see what happens.”
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Naumec remained dangerous until the end. He poured in about a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to cut Emmerich’s advantage to one, then, hitting downwind, walloped a drive down the 17th that rolled and nearly reached the green. After getting it on the surface, his short birdie attempt missed, prompting him to flip his putter into the air and catch it as the opportunity passed.
Naumec reached the final green in two, but his birdie bid raced well past the cup. Still away, the ensuing par putt missed, and Emmerich had finally cleared the semifinal hurdle. The victory came one year after his run ended at the same stage and continued a season that already includes his second Hornblower Memorial Tournament title. Emmerich has knocked off former champion Ben Spitz, medalist Max McColgan and Naumec during match play this week, and will look to notch one more victory over a solid opponent.
“It hasn’t really set in,” Emmerich said. “That was a stressful match. Even being 2-up against someone like Matt, it’s never really over until it’s over. But I’m pumped. Like I said, there was a goal in my mind this year.”
Hometown: Swampscott, MA
Club: Kernwood Country Club
School: Temple University ’26
Accolades:
ROAD TO THE FINAL
Stroke Play: 69-73 – 142 to earn No. 8 seed
R32: Def. Brian Li, 1-up
R16: Def. Ben Spitz, 4&3
Quarterfinals: Def. Max McColgan, 4&3
Semifinals: Def. Matthew Naumec, 2-up
Hometown: Foxboro, MA
Club: Foxborough Country Club
School: Providence College (Incoming First-Year)
Accolades:
ROAD TO THE FINAL
Stroke Play: 73-71–144 (+2) to earn No. 15 seed
R32: Def. Joey Monahan, 21 holes
R16: Def. Ricky Stimets, 6&5
Quarterfinals: Def. Nolan Skaggs, 1-up
Semifinals: Def. Jake Mrva, 3&2
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