The Massachusetts State Amateur Championship, better known as the Massachusetts Amateur, is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association (MGA) in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed event on the MGA calendar. Tournament entries are open to any amateur golfer who holds membership in an MGA member club and has an up-to-date MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4.[1]
History
editThe first event was held in 1903 at the Myopia Hunt Club and won by Arther Lockwood. Thirty-eight contestants entered from the 42 MGA member clubs. The most famous winner of the championship was six-time champion Francis Ouimet. Other notable winners include Jesse Guilford, Dick Chapman and Eddie Lowery. Fred Wright holds the record with seven titles (1920, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, and 1938).
Since 1992, five Massachusetts Amateur Champions have turned professional: Trevor Gliwski, Flynt Lincoln, James Driscoll, Jim Salinetti and Rob Oppenheim. 2008 marked the 100th playing of the Massachusetts Amateur. Today the tournament holds a field of 144 players from 400 golf facilities across the state. The Championship starts with two days of stroke play. The low 32 scores continue on to match play competition.
In 2023, Molly Smith became the first woman to qualify for the tournament.[2]
Winners
edit| Year | Champion | Venue | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Ryan Downes | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 2022 | Conner Willett | Concord Country Club | Concord | ||
| 2021 | Michael Thorbjornsen | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 2020 | Matthew Organisak | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 2019 | Steven DiLisio | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 2018 | Patrick Frodigh | George Wright Golf Course | Boston | ||
| 2017 | Matt Parziale | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 2016 | Brendan Hunter | Taconic Golf Club | Williamstown | ||
| 2015 | Nick McLaughlin | Oak Hill Country Club | Fitchburg | ||
| 2014 | John Kelly | Kernwood Country Club | Salem | ||
| 2013 | Mike Calef | Longmeadow Country Club | Longmeadow | ||
| 2012 | Mike Calef | Tedesco Country Club | Marblehead | ||
| 2011 | Ryan Riley | Wyantenuck Country Club | Great Barrington | ||
| 2010 | John Hadges | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton | ||
| 2009 | Bill Drohen | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 2008 | John Hadges | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 2007 | Burgess Houston | Concord Country Club | Concord | ||
| 2006 | Ben Spitz | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 2005 | Frank Vana, Jr. | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 2004 | Frank Vana, Jr. | Taconic Golf Club | Williamstown | ||
| 2003 | Andy Drohen | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 2002 | Rob Oppenheim | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 2001 | Brendan Hester | The Orchards Golf Club | South Hadley | ||
| 2000 | Jim Salinetti | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1999 | Jim Salinetti | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 1998 | James Driscoll | Belmont Country Club | Belmont | ||
| 1997 | Jim Salinetti | Weston Golf Club | Weston | ||
| 1996 | James Driscoll | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton | ||
| 1995 | Ed Fletcher | Concord Country Club | Concord | ||
| 1994 | Douglas Preston | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 1993 | Flynt Lincoln | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1992 | Trevor Gliwski | Longmeadow Country Club | Longmeadow | ||
| 1991 | John Salamone | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1990 | Ray Wright | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 1989 | Jim McDermott | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1988 | Kevin Johnson | Thorny Lea Golf Club | Brockton | ||
| 1987 | Kevin Johnson | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1986 | Fran Quinn | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1985 | Steve Tasho | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton | ||
| 1984 | Jim McDermott | Country Club of Pittsfield | Pittsfield | ||
| 1983 | Jim Hallet | Woodland Golf Club | Auburndale | ||
| 1982 | Jim Hallet | Tedesco Golf Club | Marblehead | ||
| 1981 | Steven Tasho | Taconic Golf Club | Williamstown | ||
| 1980 | Jim McDermott | Salem Country Club | Peabody | ||
| 1979 | Ed Polchlopek | Vesper Country Club | Tyngsborough | ||
| 1978 | Dave Brilliant | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 1977 | Gary Burnett | Weston Country Club | Weston | ||
| 1976 | Bruce Douglass | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1975 | Bruce Douglass | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1974 | Bill Mallon | Pleasant Valley Country Club | Sutton | ||
| 1973 | Bill Mallon | Belmont Country Club | Belmont | ||
| 1972 | Gary Burnett | Longmeadow Country Club | Longmeadow | ||
| 1971 | Tracy Mehr | Taconic Golf Club | Williamstown | ||
| 1970 | John Tosca, Jr. | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1969 | Peter Drooker[3] | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1968 | Mike Ohanian | Nashawtuc Country Club | Concord | ||
| 1967 | Barrie Bruce | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1966 | Warren Tibbetts | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 1965 | Ted Carangelo | Woodland Golf Club | Auburndale | ||
| 1964 | William Foley | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1963 | Bruce Dobie | Vesper Country Club | Tyngsborough | ||
| 1962 | Joe Carr | Salem Country Club | Peabody | ||
| 1961 | Ted Bishop | Oak Hill Country Club | Fitchburg | ||
| 1960 | Pat Granese | Tedesco Golf Club | Marblehead | ||
| 1959 | John Tosca, Jr. | Taconic Golf Club | Williamstown | ||
| 1958 | William G. Harding | The Kittansett Club | Marion | ||
| 1957 | David Sullivan | Longmeadow Country Club | Longmeadow | ||
| 1956 | Charles Volpone | Belmont Country Club | Belmont | ||
| 1955 | Ed Connell | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton | ||
| 1954 | Rupert Daniels | Country Club of Pittsfield | Pittsfield | ||
| 1953 | Ernie Doherty | Salem Country Club | Peabody | ||
| 1952 | Tom Mahan, Jr. | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1951 | Ed Martin | Vesper Country Club | Tyngsborough | ||
| 1950 | Dick Chapman | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1949 | Robert W. Knowles, Jr. | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1948 | Ed Martin | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1947 | John Chew | Commonwealth Golf Course | Newton | ||
| 1946 | Ted Bishop | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 1942–45: Cancelled due to World War II | |||||
| 1941 | Leo Martin | Longmeadow Country Club | Longmeadow | ||
| 1940 | Ted Bishop | Salem Country Club | Peabody | ||
| 1939 | Ted Adams | Tedesco Golf Club | Marblehead | ||
| 1938 | Fred Wright | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1937 | Dave Whiteside | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1936 | Clark Hodder | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 1935 | Edward S. Stimpson | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1934 | William O. Blaney | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1933 | Joseph P. Lynch | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1932 | Edward P. Kirouac | Kernwood Country Club | Salem | ||
| 1931 | Fred Wright | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1930 | Fred Wright | Salem Country Club | Peabody | ||
| 1929 | Fred Wright | Belmont Spring Country Club | Belmont | ||
| 1928 | Fred Wright | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1927 | Eddie Lowery | Charles River Country Club | Newton | ||
| 1926 | Fred Wright | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1925 | Francis Ouimet | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1924 | Jesse Guilford | Woodland Golf Club | Auburndale | ||
| 1923 | Karl E. Mosser | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1922 | Francis Ouimet | Kernwood Country Club | Salem | ||
| 1921 | Jesse Guilford | Worcester Country Club | Worcester | ||
| 1920 | Fred Wright | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1919 | Francis Ouimet | Winchester Country Club | Winchester | ||
| 1917–18: Cancelled due to World War I | |||||
| 1916 | Jesse Guilford | Wollaston Golf Club | Milton | ||
| 1915 | Francis Ouimet | Woodland Golf Club | Auburndale | ||
| 1914 | Francis Ouimet | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1913 | Francis Ouimet | Wollaston Golf Club | Milton | ||
| 1912 | Heinie Schmidt | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1911 | John G. Anderson | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1910 | H.W. Stucklen | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1909 | Percival Gilbert | Oakley Country Club | Watertown | ||
| 1908 | T.R. Fuller | Wollaston Golf Club | Milton | ||
| 1907 | John G. Anderson | Woodland Golf Club | Auburndale | ||
| 1906 | Arthur G. Lockwood | Brae Burn Country Club | West Newton | ||
| 1905 | Arthur G. Lockwood | The Country Club | Brookline | ||
| 1904 | Andrew Carnegie II | Essex County Club | Manchester | ||
| 1903 | Arthur G. Lockwood | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton | ||
References
edit- ^ MGA Amateur Championship page
- ^ Melia, Sean (June 8, 2023). "How Molly Smith made history and qualified for the Massachusetts State Amateur". New England Golf Journal.
- ^ "Cadets' Doyle Falters, Bows in Amateur Finals". The Burlington Free Press. July 14, 1969. p. 21. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.