The word “scramble” takes on a unique meaning in the game of golf on Tuesday of “State Amateur Week.”
That meaning jumped up exponentially in the 115th Mass. Amateur at the Essex County Club as rain Monday forced a wild flurry of activity on Tuesday. In fact, it appears that we will need to wait another day to find out the 32 players who will advance to the match-play portion of the event.
What do we know?
Darkness fell on the field late Tuesday night with more than a handful of players still on the course.
Bradford Country Club’s Bill Drohen assured himself a spot in the match-play with a two-day total of 71-71 – 142 (+2). Drohen won the Mass Am in 2009 at The Country Club in Brookline.
He’s currently tied for 10th.
Barring anything drastic among the remaining players on course, it looks like he’ll be the only area player to advance.
Other notables missing the cutline, which currently sits at 5-over par include: Brian Faulk of Indian Ridge CC (+7), Alex Landry of Indian Ridge CC (+8), Matt Lucy of Bradford CC (+9), Colin Brennan of Indian Ridge CC (+9), Nick Maccario of GreatHorse (+12), Michael Souliotis of Haverhill CC (+13), Cade Cedorchuk of Andover CC (+19), Aiden Azevedo of Haverhill (+20), Michael Pierce of Andover CC (+21), Paul Burke of Indian Ridge CC (+21).
Atkinson’s Gover grabs top seed
The 64-player match play field in the 120th New Hampshire Amateur at Manchester Country Club in Bedford is still not set, even though rain did not impact the schedule.
What did make it a so-called “scramble?” How about a 12-player tie and upcoming playoff for the final eight spots of match-play?
Wednesday morning, before the opening round of match-play commences, the teetering twelve will tangle in a sudden-death scrum for the eight available spots.
Among the locals in the playoff contingent, all of whom deadlocked with a 36-hole score of 13-over par 155, are Atkinson Country Club’s Jeff Fay and Mac Cavanaugh.
Another Atkinson member, Mat Gover, continued his dominant summer, earning medalist honors and the top seed in the field.
Gover’s two-day total of 69-71 – 140 (-2) left him one stroke ahead of runner-up Ryan Brown.
“The challenge was the wind, it definitely picked up”, Gover told the New Hampshire Golf Association after the round Tuesday. “There were some holes out there where it was hard to feel the impact of it.”
Gover, the low amateur at the recent New Hampshire Open, is no stranger to NH Amateur success. He made a stirring match-play run to the semifinals back in 2019 at Portsmouth as a 16-year-old.
He could certainly do some damage here.
Two other talented area players have assured themelves match-play positions as well.
Atkinson CC’s Jack Pepin headed a five-player pack at 145 (+3), tied for seventh place. Pepin shot 72-73 for the two days.
Salem’s Evan Desjardins, who also plays out of Atkinson CC, was among another quintet that was tied for 17th place at 148. He shot 72-76 for the two rounds.
The playoff for the final spots will commence on the 10th hole at Manchester CC beginning at 7 a.m.