Molly Smith (Vesper) made history at the the Massachusetts Amateur at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea July 10-14, becoming the first female to qualify for the championship proper in its 115 years. Smith shot 74-75 and missed the 36-hole cut by four shots.
Ryan Downes (GreatHorse) won the championship,
defeating Matthew Naumec (Framingham) 6&5 in the
36-hole final. In the second round, John Broderick
(Dedham) shot an 8-under 62, eclipsing the competitive course record of 65 held by the late great John “Jack” Nies, a longtime Essex member who got his start at the old United Shoe (Beverly G&T).
North Shore players who made the cut were Bill Drohen (Bradford, 142), Christian Emmerich (Kernwood, 142) with Kernwood’s Peter Abbruzzese on his bag, Mark Turner (Bass Rocks, 143), Nick McLaughlin (Far Corner, 144), Owen Egan (Winchester, 145) Cael Kohan (Ould Newbury, 145) and Boxford’s Frank Vana (Marlborough, 145). All lost their first-round matches.
Kohan was edged by eventual champion Downes, 1 down. The memorable match was tied on the 18th hole, but Downes, who had never led, birdied to clinch the win.
Locals who qualified but didn’t make the cut included Aidan Emmerich (Kernwood), Brian Faulk (Indian Ridge), Alex Landry (Indian Ridge), Matt Lucy (Bradford),
Colin Brennan (Indian Ridge), Trevor Lopez (Winchester), Michael Souliotis (Haverhill), Brad Tufts (Tedesco), Chris Herrick (Vesper), Michael Pierce (Andover), Paul Burke (Indian Ridge) and Cade Cedorchuk (Andover).
Teddy Doggett, of South Hamilton, photographed the
first-round action for Mass Golf. Doggett, who grew up as a caddie at Essex, carried the bag for Aidan O’Donovan (Cummoquid) during match play.
