Mass. appeal to U.S. Am
Nine locals take game to Pebble Beach
Whether it’s the ocean views, Tiger Woods’ dominating performance in the 2000 U.S. Open, the mingling of pros and celebrities during the annual PGA Tour stop, or because it is played countless times as a video game, Pebble Beach has a certain aura.
And beginning Monday, one of the country’s most iconic courses with play host to the U.S. Amateur.
“It is incredible to get a spot in this tournament with the best amateurs in the world,” said Davis Chatfield, 19, of Attleboro, who starred at Bishop Feehan before heading to Notre Dame. “There’s so much history at the course and to be a part of it is very special.”
Massachusetts will have nine players head to Monterey Bay. It’s the largest group the Bay State has sent to the U.S. Amateur since nine went to Oakland Hills in 2002.
Two earned their place in the field by being USGA champions: Matt Parziale of Brockton, who won the U.S. Mid-Amateur last fall, and Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, who won the U.S. Junior Amateur last month. The last time the state had a pair of reigning champions was 1914 following Francis Ouimet’s Amateur victory and Katherine Harley Jackson’s win at the Women’s Amateur.
“It’s unbelievable seeing the success that Mass Golf is having,” said Mass. Amateur champion Patrick Frodigh of Westwood, who made 17 birdies during his 36-hole sectional qualifier at The Ledges in York, Maine, earning medalist honors by 8 shots. “It started off with Matt in the Mid-Am and around here obviously, but a lot of the kids are college kids and high school kids, and then Thorbjornsen winning is unbelievable.”
The 31-year-old Parziale, making his 11th appearance in a USGA event, is the elder statesman of the group. The other eight range in age from 16-23. Thorbjornsen is heading into his junior year of high school, and Frodigh and Weston’s Matt Cowgill, who earned his ticket in a playoff at The Ridges, just finished their collegiate golf careers.
“It shows you how good junior golf is around New England,” Cowgill said. “Mass Golf, along with the Challenge Cup and the NEPGA, are preparing kids at young ages to be able to handle competition.”
The large contingent flies in the face of the notion that New England struggles to develop quality players.
“To see how junior golf in Massachusetts has progressed to some of the best competition in the country is amazing,” said Mark Turner of Gloucester, who will be playing golf in the fall at Dartmouth along with his brother James, his caddie next week. “When I picked up the game as a hack about six years ago, I could never imagine getting to the place I am now, and to be able to compete now at Pebble with some of my very good golf buddies is a dream come true.”
Turner, 18, was the medalist at Essex County Club where all three qualifying spots went to Massachusetts golfers. Steven DiLisio, 20, of Swampscott and a rising junior at Duke, and James Imai, 17, of Brookline earned the other two places.
“I think you saw it at the U.S. Junior too, when you saw six of us there,” said Imai, who is heading into his senior year at Brookline High. “It shows that not only are we really good now, but we’ve got a good future coming up. It’s an exciting time to play and everyone is playing better because we’re doing all these great things and it makes everyone else better.”
Turner, Imai and Thorbjornsen all reached match play at the Junior Amateur at Baltusrol.
Chatfield was the medalist at Pawtucket Country Club and his Fighting Irish teammate Alex Jamieson, 19, of Duxbury earned a spot there as well, prevailing in a 4-for-2 playoff.
“Obviously it’s going to be a fun week, but it will be pretty stressful too,” said Jamieson, who will have his father Al on the bag. “I’ve just got to try to keep it as fun as I can. I played in the U.S. Junior last year, and that was the biggest event for juniors, and now I’m stepping it up in the Am.”
Jamieson was a semifinalist at the Mass. Amateur last month, losing to Frodigh.
One thing these Massachusetts players have in common is that when they head out for their practice rounds, it will be their first time at Pebble Beach, a place often considered a golfing trip of a lifetime.
“It’s at Pebble Beach, you can’t go wrong with that,” said Imai, whose experience at Pebble Beach is limited to an indoor simulator. “I’m really excited. I’ve heard great things about it. Especially with my game feeling really good, so hopefully I can put on a show and hopefully something special happens, but if not, the week is going to be special regardless.”
The first two days will be stroke play with the field split each day between Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. The the 312-player field will then be trimmed to 64 for match play. All matches will be contested at Pebble Beach culminating in a 36-hole final.
Among the exemptions the winner receives if he chooses to remain an amateur are a spot in next year’s U.S. Open (which will also be at Pebble Beach), the Masters, the Open Championship at Royal Portrush and the next 10 U.S. Amateurs.