Massachusetts Amateur
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 Mass Golf in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed event on the Mass Golf calendar.
Tournament entries are open to any amateur golfer who holds membership in a Mass Golf Member Club and has an up-to-date Mass Golf/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 3.6.[1]
History
In 1903, the inaugural Massachusetts Amateur was held at the Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Massachusetts. It was won by Arther Lockwood. Thirty-eight contestants entered from the 42 MGA member clubs. The most famous winner of the championship is six-time champion Francis Ouimet. Other notable winners include Jesse Guilford, Dick Chapman and Eddie Lowery. Fred Wright holds the record with seven titles.
Since 1992, six Massachusetts Amateur champions have turned professional: Trevor Gliwski, Flynt Lincoln, James Driscoll, Jim Salinetti, Rob Oppenheim, and Michael Thorbjornsen who plays full-time on the PGA Tour in 2025. The 2008 tournament 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 2021, Michael Thorbjornsen defeated Matt Parziale, 8 and 6, at Brae Burn Country Club in a rare final between past USGA champions. Thorbjornsen, the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, made 18 birdies over 30 holes against Parziale, the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion.[2]
In 2023, Molly Smith became the first woman to qualify for the tournament.[3] Ryan Downes became the event's youngest winner at age 17.[4] He won the title again in 2025 at his home club. [5]
Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Aidan Emmerich | 8 & 6 | Zac Georgantas | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 2025 | Ryan Downes (2) | 7 & 6 | Patrick Kilcoyne | GreatHorse | |||
| 2024 | Matthew Naumec | 1 up | Ricky Stimets | Framingham Country Club | |||
| 2023 | Ryan Downes | 6 & 5 | Matthew Naumec | Essex County Club | |||
| 2022 | Conner Willett | 4 & 2 | Ryan Downes | Concord Country Club | |||
| 2021 | Michael Thorbjornsen | 8 & 6 | Matt Parziale | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 2020 | Matthew Organisak | 2 up | Nick Maccario | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 2019 | Steven DiLisio | 3 & 2 | Jimmy Hervol | The Country Club | |||
| 2018 | Patrick Frodigh | 4 & 3 | Herbie Aikens | George Wright Golf Course | |||
| 2017 | Matt Parziale | 4 & 3 | Matt Cowgill | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 2016 | Brendan Hunter | 4 & 3 | John Kelly | Taconic Golf Club | |||
| 2015 | Nick McLaughlin | 4 & 3 | Patrick Frodigh | Oak Hill Country Club | |||
| 2014 | John Kelly | 3 & 2 | Doug Clapp | Kernwood Country Club | |||
| 2013 | Mike Calef (2) | 8 & 7 | Ian Thimble | Longmeadow Country Club | |||
| 2012 | Mike Calef | 3 & 1 | Mark Souliotis | Tedesco Country Club | |||
| 2011 | Ryan Riley | 4 & 3 | Frank Vana Jr. | Wyantenuck Country Club | |||
| 2010 | John Hadges | 2 & 1 | Dan Head | Myopia Hunt Club | |||
| 2009 | Bill Drohen | 4 & 3 | Frank Vana Jr. | The Country Club | |||
| 2008 | John Hadges | 1 up | Matt Parziale | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 2007 | Burgess Houston | 1 up | Frank Vana, Jr. | Concord Country Club | [6] | ||
| 2006 | Ben Spitz | 5 & 4 | Burgess Houston | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 2005 | Frank Vana, Jr. (2) | 6 & 5 | Ben Spitz | Essex County Club | |||
| 2004 | Frank Vana, Jr. | 5 & 4 | Mike Cole | Taconic Golf Club | |||
| 2003 | Andy Drohen | 1 up | Frank Vana Jr. | The Country Club | |||
| 2002 | Rob Oppenheim | 1 up | Brian Higgins | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 2001 | Brendan Hester | 3 & 2 | Jim Renner | The Orchards Golf Club | |||
| 2000 | Jim Salinetti (3) | 2 up | Larry Nuger | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1999 | Jim Salinetti (2) | 9 & 8 | Ed Fletcher | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 1998 | James Driscoll (2) | 1 up | Joe Keller | Belmont Country Club | |||
| 1997 | Jim Salinetti | 5 & 3 | Bob Bradley | Weston Golf Club | |||
| 1996 | James Driscoll | 7 & 5 | Joe Keller | Myopia Hunt Club | |||
| 1995 | Ed Fletcher | 1 up | John Curley | Concord Country Club | |||
| 1994 | Douglas Preston | 1 up | Jim Ruschioni | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 1993 | Flynt Lincoln | 40 holes | Jason Kissell | Essex County Club | |||
| 1992 | Trevor Gliwski | 2 & 1 | Flynt Lincoln | Longmeadow Country Club | |||
| 1991 | John Salamone | 11 & 9 | George Popp | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1990 | Ray Wright | 6 & 5 | Jon Fasick | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 1989 | Jim McDermott (3) | 5 & 4 | Ray Richard | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1988 | Kevin Johnson (2) | 6 & 5 | Joe Keller | Thorny Lea Golf Club | |||
| 1987 | Kevin Johnson | 6 & 5 | Fran Quinn, Jr. | The Country Club | |||
| 1986 | Fran Quinn | 3 & 2 | Bill Martin | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 1985 | Steve Tasho (2) | 7 & 6 | Jim Ruschioni | Myopia Hunt Club | |||
| 1984 | Jim McDermott (2) | 2 & 1 | Geoffrey Sisk | Country Club of Pittsfield | [7] | ||
| 1983 | Jim Hallet (2) | 3 & 2 | Jim Bombard | Woodland Golf Club | |||
| 1982 | Jim Hallet | 6 & 5 | Paul Murphy | Tedesco Golf Club | |||
| 1981 | Steven Tasho | 7 & 6 | Fran Quinn | Taconic Golf Club | |||
| 1980 | Jim McDermott | 5 & 3 | Kevin Klier | Salem Country Club | |||
| 1979 | Ed Polchlopek | 7 & 6 | Joe Henley | Vesper Country Club | |||
| 1978 | Dave Brilliant | 1 up | Randy Stevenson | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 1977 | Gary Burnett | 8 & 6 | Peter Teravainen | Weston Country Club | |||
| 1976 | Bruce Douglass (2) | 37 holes | Peter Teravainen | The Country Club | [8] | ||
| 1975 | Bruce Douglass | 2 & 1 | Bobby Caprera | Winchester Country Club | [9] | ||
| 1974 | Bill Mallon (2) | 4 and 3 | Fran Quinn, Sr. | Pleasant Valley Country Club | |||
| 1973 | Bill Mallon | 3 and 2 | Ron Micheals | Belmont Country Club | |||
| 1972 | Gary Burnett | 1 up | Joe Browning | Longmeadow Country Club | |||
| 1971 | Tracy Mehr | 7 & 5 | Alan O'Neil | Taconic Golf Club | |||
| 1970 | John Tosca, Jr. | 1 up | Tom Cavicchi | Essex County Club | |||
| 1969 | Peter Drooker | 1 up | Allen Doyle | Brae Burn Country Club | [10] | ||
| 1968 | Mike Ohanian | 2 up | Alan O'Neil | Nashawtuc Country Club | |||
| 1967 | Barrie Bruce | 6 & 5 | Bob Kirouac | The Country Club | |||
| 1966 | Warren Tibbetts | 5 & 4 | Ted Crangelo | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 1965 | Ted Carangelo | 1 up | Andy Gard | Woodland Golf Club | |||
| 1964 | William Foley | 7 & 5 | Matty Ciociolo | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1963 | Bruce Dobie | 2 & 1 | Robert Kirouac | Vesper Country Club | |||
| 1962 | Joe Carr | 11 & 9 | Jim OBey | Salem Country Club | |||
| 1961 | Ted Bishop (3) | 11 & 10 | Dave Sullivan | Oak Hill Country Club | |||
| 1960 | Pat Granese | 6 & 5 | Gerry Anderson | Tedesco Golf Club | |||
| 1959 | John Tosca, Jr. | 2 up | Jay Dolan | Taconic Golf Club | |||
| 1958 | William G. Harding | 2 & 1 | Dave Sullivan | The Kittansett Club | |||
| 1957 | David Sullivan | 3 & 2 | Dick Kinchla | Longmeadow Country Club | |||
| 1956 | Charles Volpone | 6 & 5 | Fred Wright | Belmont Country Club | |||
| 1955 | Ed Connell | 2 & 1 | Billy Horne | Myopia Hunt Club | |||
| 1954 | Rupert Daniels | 2 up | Dave Sullivan | Country Club of Pittsfield | |||
| 1953 | Ernie Doherty | 7 & 6 | Andy Gard | Salem Country Club | |||
| 1952 | Tom Mahan, Jr. | 5 & 4 | Leo Grace | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 1951 | Eddie Martin (2) | 39 holes | Ernie Doherty | Vesper Country Club | |||
| 1950 | Dick Chapman | 37 holes | Eddie Martin | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1949 | Bobby Knowles | 3 & 2 | Dick Chapman | The Country Club | |||
| 1948 | Eddie Martin | 1 up | Clarence Earley | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1947 | John Chew | 2 & 1 | George Curley | Commonwealth Golf Course | |||
| 1946 | Ted Bishop (2) | 7 & 6 | Eddie Martin | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 1942–45: Cancelled due to World War II | |||||||
| 1941 | Leo J. Martin | 4 & 3 | Milton Reach, Jr. | Longmeadow Country Club | |||
| 1940 | Ted Bishop | 5 & 3 | Leo J. Martin | Salem Country Club | |||
| 1939 | Ted Adams | 6 & 5 | Ray Marad | Tedesco Golf Club | |||
| 1938 | Fred Wright, Jr. (7) | 4 & 2 | Emory Stratton | Essex County Club | |||
| 1937 | Dave Whiteside | 1 up | Fred Wright | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 1936 | Clark Hodder | 1 up | Leo J. Martin | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 1935 | Edward Stimpson | 20 holes | Mel Merritt | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1934 | Bill Blaney | 4 & 3 | John Nies | The Country Club | |||
| 1933 | Joseph P. Lynch | 5 & 4 | Eddie Lowery | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1932 | Edward P. Kirouac | 2 & 1 | Bill Blaney | Kernwood Country Club | |||
| 1931 | Fred Wright, Jr. (6) | 3 & 2 | Eddie Lowery | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 1930 | Fred Wright, Jr. (5) | 7 & 5 | Bill Blaney | Salem Country Club | |||
| 1929 | Fred Wright, Jr. (4) | 8 & 6 | Emery Stratton | Belmont Spring Country Club | |||
| 1928 | Fred Wright, Jr. (3) | 5 & 4 | Joe Norton, Jr. | Essex County Club | |||
| 1927 | Eddie Lowery | 4 & 3 | Billy Whitcomb | Charles River Country Club | |||
| 1926 | Fred Wright, Jr. (2) | 3 & 2 | Frank C. Newton | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1925 | Francis Ouimet (6) | 4 & 3 | Winthrop Hersey | The Country Club | |||
| 1924 | Jesse Guilford (3) | 9 & 8 | Ray Gorton | Woodland Golf Club | |||
| 1923 | Karl E. Mosser | 3 & 1 | R.W. Brown | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1922 | Francis Ouimet (5) | 12 & 11 | Clark Hodder | Kernwood Country Club | |||
| 1921 | Jesse Guilford (2) | 10 & 8 | A. Perley Chase | Worcester Country Club | |||
| 1920 | Fred Wright, Jr. | 2 & 1 | Parker Schofield | The Country Club | |||
| 1919 | Francis Ouimet (4) | 8 & 6 | Jesse Guilford | Winchester Country Club | |||
| 1917–18: Cancelled due to World War I | |||||||
| 1916 | Jesse Guilford | 10 & 9 | S. Trafford Hicks | Wollaston Golf Club | |||
| 1915 | Francis Ouimet (3) | 6 & 5 | Bill Chick | Woodland Golf Club | |||
| 1914 | Francis Ouimet (2) | 5 & 4 | Ray Gorton | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1913 | Francis Ouimet | 10 & 9 | Frank Hoyt | Wollaston Golf Club | |||
| 1912 | Heinrich Schmidt | 1 up | Francis Ouimet | Brae Burn Country Club | [11] | ||
| 1911 | John G. Anderson (2) | 3 & 2 | George V. Rotan | Essex County Club | |||
| 1910 | H.W. Stucklen | 5 & 3 | Percival Gilbert | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1909 | Percival Gilbert | 6 & 4 | Joseph Thorp | Oakley Country Club | |||
| 1908 | Thomas R. Fuller | 3 & 2 | H.H. Wilder | Wollaston Golf Club | |||
| 1907 | John G. Anderson | 6 & 4 | Frank Hoyt | Woodland Golf Club | |||
| 1906 | Arthur G. Lockwood (3) | 7 & 6 | L.J. Gilmer | Brae Burn Country Club | |||
| 1905 | Arthur G. Lockwood (2) | 4 & 3 | Hugo R. Johnstone | The Country Club | |||
| 1904 | Andrew Carnegie II | 8 & 7 | T.G. Stevenson | Essex County Club | |||
| 1903 | Arthur G. Lockwood | 7 & 5 | Hugo R. Johnstone | Myopia Hunt Club | |||
Source:[12]
References
- ↑ Mass Amateur Championship page
- ↑ "Thorbjornsen Blitzes Parziale in Mass. Am Final of USGA Champs". USGA. Archived from the original on 2026-02-14. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Melia, Sean (June 8, 2023). "How Molly Smith made history and qualified for the Massachusetts State Amateur". New England Golf Journal.
- ↑ Doherty, Matt (2023-07-14). "At 17, Ryan Downes makes his mark by becoming the youngest Massachusetts Amateur champion". The Boston Globe. ISSN 0743-1791. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Kerry, Cam (2025-07-11). "Ryan Downes a". The Boston Globe. ISSN 0743-1791. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ "Aug 09, 2007, page 11 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ↑ McDonough, Bob (July 16, 1984). "McDermott win second Mass. Amateur crown". The Boston Globe. p. 35. Retrieved 2024-01-19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Douglass captures second straight State Amateur on 37th". The Boston Globe. 1976-07-11. p. 110. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
- ↑ "Jul 15, 1975, page 33 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ↑ "Cadets' Doyle Falters, Bows in Amateur Finals". The Burlington Free Press. July 14, 1969. p. 21. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Schmidt Leads in Bay State Golf". The Boston Globe. June 16, 1912. Retrieved 2024-05-22 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Amateur Past Champions". MASSGOLF. Retrieved 2024-12-13.