In the second week of qualifying for the 115th Mass Open, 24 players guaranteed a spot in the Championship Proper through events at George Wright Golf Course and the Country Club of Pittsfield.
The Championship Proper will take place June 10-12 at Sacconnesset Golf Club in Falmouth. Sacconnesset is a Rees Jones-designed course first opened for play on June 3, 2007, and is recognized as the last new course to be built on raw land on Cape Cod. The club previously hosted the Mass Open in 2017.
Entries are open to professional golfers and also amateur golfers who have an active USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4 (at the time of registration) or who have completed their handicap certification.
On Monday at George Wright, Worcester Country Club standout pro Owen Quinn (Holden, MA) led all 10 qualifiers by shooting a 1-under-par 69 courtesy of three consecutive birdies on holes 6 through 8. Fellow pro Andrew Gildea (Pinehills Golf Club) knocked down four of his five birdies on the back nine to shoot even-par 70 to qualify for the first time.
Wellesley teenager Aarav Lavu got off to a fast start with three consecutive birdies and was among five of his fellow amateurs to shoot 71 on Monday. George Wright member Shane Walsh added a birdie on the 18th to solidify his spot, while Resse Jensen (Duxbury Yacht Club), of Team Massachusetts, also shot 71. Kyle Puchol (Barnstable Golf) shot 34 (-1) on the back nine to qualify on the number with a 72.
On Thursday at Country Club of Pittsfield, it was a race against sunset, but Canada’s Eric Banks, a former University of Florida standout, placed in first among 14 qualifiers by shooting 6-under-par 66. Banks, who plays on the PGA Tour Americas, made six birdies with three on each side of the course.
Two Cape Cod players led the way in the Berkshires as Wianno assistant golf professional Will Grady and Oyster Harbors member Alan Rose finished tied with a 68. Rose, who played in the Mass Four-Ball the two days prior, shot a bogey-free 33 with three birdies on the back nine to qualify for the second straight year. Kevin Kraft (Dover, PA), who finished seventh in the Mass Open in 2021, also shot 68 to return to the field.
Jack Buccigross (South Windsor, CT), son of ESPN sportscaster John Buccigross, rallied himself above the cutline at even-par 71 by making birdie on three of the final four holes, making five total during his round. Eric Boulger (Walpole Country Club) made eagle on the par-5 15th to make it with a 71.
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM THIS WEEK’S MASS OPEN QUALIFIERS:
MONDAY, 5/12
QUALIFIERS (George Wright Golf Club-Par 70)
*a-: denotes Amateur
Owen Quinn, Worcester Country Club; 69
Andrew Gildea, Pinehills Golf Club; 70
a-Aarav Lavu, Student Member/MIAA; 71
a-Matt Gorman, The Cape Club of Sharon; 71
a-Michael Pergamo, Dennis Pines Golf Club; 71
a-Reese Jensen, Duxbury Yacht Club; 71
a-Shane Walsh, George Wright Golf Course; 71
a-Oliver Cordeiro, The Country Club; 72
Keith Grassing Washington, NJ; 72
a-Kyle Puchol, Barnstable Golf; 72
ALTERNATES
a-Andrew Pini, Nehoiden Golf Club; 73
a-Brendan Mahoney, Wollaston Golf Club; 73
a-Matthew Lucy, Bradford Country Club; 73
a-Dan Mort, Braintree Municipal GC; 73
THURSDAY, 5/15
QUALIFIERS (Country Club of Pittsfield-Par 71)
*a-: denotes Amateur
Eric Banks, Canada; 66
Will Grady, Wianno Club; 68
a-Alan Rose, Oyster Harbors Club; 68
Kevin Kraft, Dover, PA; 68
Sam Cody, Antrim, NH; 68
Zach Place, Roselle, IL; 70
Jack Simon, Denville, NJ; 70
Kyle Gallo Berlin, CT; 70
a-Eric Boulger, Walpole Country Club; 71
a-Garren Poirier, Killington, VT; 71
Jack Wyman, South Freeport, ME; 71
Kevin Benstead, Spring Hill, FL; 71
Jack Buccigross, South Windsor, CT; 71
Thomas Strandemo, Saratoga Springs, NY; 71
ALTERNATES
a-Jordan Walker, Worcester Country Club; 72
a-Nolan Crowley, Saratoga Springs, NY; 72
a-Nolan Skaggs, Plymouth Country Club; 72
Ashwin Arasu, San Diego, CA; 72
Daniel Griffiths, Binghamton, NY; 72
Qualifying for the Mass Open will conclude next week. Here is the remaining event on the schedule:
May 19 – Woodland Golf Club (Newton)
(Rescheduled from May 5)
Starting Times | Player Information
For the latest updates on all Mass Golf events, visit MassGolf.org or follow Mass Golf on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @PlayMassGolf.
