DEDHAM, Massachusetts (June 29, 2026) – Playing host to Monday’s U.S. Senior Amateur & Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying was Dedham Country & Polo Club, a course riddled with rich history all around and physically equipped with a babbling brook right through the heart of it all.
For the Senior Amateur, there was three qualifiers with the last being decided in a 2-for-1 playoff. A 4-for-1 playoff was also needed to decide the second alternate. As for the Women’s Mid-Amateur, four would punch their tickets, with two more as alternates. Those qualified would include Chris Congdon (Tampa, FL), Roger Hoit (Delray Beach, FL), Frank Vana, Jr. (Boxford, MA) for the Senior Am, and Cynthia Zhao (Canada), Megan Buck (North Easton, MA), Mercedese Large (West Hartford, CT), and Alexis Florio (Boston, MA) for the Women’s Mid-Am.
It was a story of proving herself right for qualifier Mercedese Large, who, back in 2023 after completing the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Championship at Dedham, vowed to never play the course again. But after a little self-encouragement, she surpassed not only her own doubts about the course but also did something she’s never done before… Qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
“I wanted to do this, and you know, I never even come close [to qualifying for the mid-am], and part of it was that I wanted to avenge the woes of that event” Large also went on to add “I had a lesson with my coach on Saturday and we just talked about what I needed to think about so I just thought I would come out, swing the club and try my best”
Just last week, Large participated in the New England Women’s Amateur, where, although she made the cut, she wasn’t too proud of her finish. It’s safe to say today she’s pretty excited about her result.
Mercedese Large Chipping onto the 18th green (Teddy Doggett)
Medalist honors would belong to Cynthia Zhao, who, despite carrying the Canadian flag next to her name, now lives in South Boston. Her 2-over performance would be highlighted by birdies on the 3rd and 13th holes, which would prove to help clean up a double-bogey on the par-4 11th hole.
“The course was beautiful… It’s kind of a funky course, but I had a lot of fun out there,” Zhao mentioned. With no practice round, this is a course that can definitely be different from what else is out there in the Greater Boston area.
Earlier in the day, Chris Congdan and Roger Hoit would tie at 2-under for medalist honors. Congdan’s card would stick out, though, as he rattled off back-to-back-to-back birdies on the 4th, 5th and 6th holes.
Congdan, now playing out of Tampa, Florida, is a Bay Stater at heart, only recently moving down to the sunshine state about a year ago, before then, he played out of Foxborough Country Club.
“I played pretty solid, hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, I three-putted on three, and then my next bogey wasn’t until 16.” Although an impressive round, Congdon thought he left some shots out there today “I had a bunch of 12-15 footers on the back, and then on 17, the par-3, I hit it to four feet and missed that so I was thinking ‘oh no’.”
The third qualifier would be someone who is no stranger to Mass Golf events, Frank Vana Jr. Vana turned in a 1-over 71 before advancing in a playoff to earn his spot in Baltimore come late August.
Although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky on the course today, Vana had to weather a storm of bogeys on holes 17 and 18 that would eventually have him in a 2-for-1 playoff.
“You know, I don’t like finishing bogey, bogey, but somehow, I dodged a bullet and got in, so I’m very happy,” Vana added.
About Dedham Country and Polo Club
Located just about 20 miles southwest of the city of Boston sits Dedham Country & Polo Club, a club rooted with deep history. An understudy of Charles Blair Macdonad, Seth Raynor, is credited with the design of the golf course, utilizing a series of template holes. With its mass collection of bunkers and long-rolling greens, the course is breathtaking in many ways. Highlighted by holes like the 14th (Biarritz), with a massive 70-yard green or the Par-3 3rd hole (Redan) with a 45 degree right-to-left oriented green protected by a deep bunker along the left side.
Learn more about the template holes:
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