Headline: Pittsfield-Native Matt Donovan Sets Pace During 100th Massachusetts Open Championship With 3-under par 68
Belmont, MA — For more years than he might care to admit, Matt Donovan (Pittsfield, MA) has been chasing the Massachusetts Open Championship title. As a local who grew up in the western Massachusetts area, Donovan has had an eye on the prestigious MGA title as both and amateur and now as a professional.
With the event celebrating its 100th year at Belmont Country Club this week, it seems like a perfect opportunity for the local player to see a dream finally come true.
"It’s always easy to come prepared for this tournament," said Donovan, who carded a day-one low score of 3-under par 68 this afternoon to take an early lead over the 150-player field. "In terms of state championships and being from this state, this is always the one that you get up for and want to play well in."
Donovan knows something about a quick start. One year ago at Stockbridge Golf Club, the 31-year-old mini-tour player shot an identical score of 68 during the first day but saw his chances for a Massachusetts Open title drift away during the final two rounds.
"I fizzled out at the end," said Donovan of his T28 finish at the 2008 Massachusetts Open Championship. "[This year] my confidence is up and I'm playing good but you just never know… it's golf after all."
Over the course of his professional career which began in 2001, Donovan has been a journeyman and has competed on numerous mini tours. He is a two-time winner of the Greater Bangor Open and most recently came within one stroke of qualifying for the 2009 U.S. Open Championship last week. At sectional qualifying held in Columbus, Ohio, Donovan no doubt gained invaluable confidence as he was beat out by an impressive group of qualifiers that included JB Holmes, Ryan Moore, David Duval and eventual 2009 Champion Lucas Glover.
One big factor today for Donovan was his father, Jim, who served as his trusty caddie throughout the round.
"More than anything, hats off to my dad," said Donovan, who battled through a persistent, driving drizzle throughout the morning hours. "We had two umbrellas going the whole day and that was a key to playing well. We were a good team."
The familial teamwork was on display throughout the front nine where Donovan made his three birdies – on the 2nd, 8th and 9th holes. He then went on – in his words – to "stay out of trouble" and make nine straight pars to finish at 3-under par for the round... an impressive score no matter what the conditions.
"I saw that the rough was up from the last time I played," said Donovan, who enjoyed a practice round two weeks ago when conditions were similarly rainy. "I knew that the fairways were at a premium and there would be soft greens, so you would be ok if you could hit some decent shots in there."
Michael Welch – From Bethpage to Belmont
While Donovan missed a chance at this year's U.S. Open Championship, one player in the field – Michael Welch (North Quincy, MA) – is still basking in the excitement of his experience at Bethpage Park.
"Mentally I am a little exhausted," said Welch, the two-time New England Amateur champion who rushed back to Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon after failing to make the cut in New York.
It was a topsy-turvy day for Welch who finished his 2-over par 73 round with one eagle, three birdies, three bogies and two double bogies. With the conditions taking its toll on the 28 year old, Welch lost his drive off the 9th tee and was not sure where it landed. Fearing another disastrous hole – he had just made his second double bogey of the day on his previous hole – Welch was surprised to find his ball. He went on to chip in for eagle and cap off yet another challenging round of golf.
"Condition wise it was worse [than Bethpage] because it didn’t stop raining and the wind didn't stop," said Welch when asked to compare his recent experiences. "I learned a lot out there [at the U.S. Open]… you have to be patient because it was so hard out there. You are going to make bogies and you have to accept it and move on."
Welch currently sits in a tie with 12 other players in sixth place at 2-over par 74.
Around the Course – Highlights from Round 1
Ben Spitz (The Harmon Club) shot up the leaderboard this morning after firing a 1-under par 70 to capture sole possession of second place. Spitz, the 2006 Massachusetts Amateur Champion who underwent shoulder surgery in 2007, suffered a rocky start by making bogey on his first two holes. He recovered nicely, however, and went on to make five birdies and two bogies to be the only other player to shoot a sub par round.
Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea GC) posted the second best amateur score of the day with a 2-over par 73. Last season Parziale, the 2007 NCCAA National Player of the Year who just completed his collegiate career at Southeastern University (FL), finished as runner up at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship.
In that event, Parziale was second to only John Hadges (Thorny Lea GC), one of four key amateur players not in this year's Massachusetts Open Championship field. Hadges, nine-time Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC), reigning MGA Player of the Year Brian Higgins (Franklin CC) and University of Rhode Island standout Taylor Fontaine (Pleasant Valley CC) received invitations to and will be competing at the Northeast Amateur Invitational scheduled for June 24-27 at Wannamoisett Country Club (RI).
Defending James Renner (Plainville, MA) is currently eight strokes back of the leader after shooting a 5-over par 76. The five other past champions in this year’s field include Eric Egloff (Sandy Spring, MD) - 2005, Rich Parker (Lebanon, NH) - 2001,
Kevin Quinn (Charles River CC) – 1999, Rodney Butcher (New Port Richey, FL) - 1998 and John Elliot (Westerly, RI) – 1991. Quinn, who registered a 9-over par 80 today, represents the last amateur player to win the Massachusetts Open Championship.
One noticeable golfer missing from this week’s field is six-time champion Geoff Sisk (Marshfield, MA). Sisk captured the title in 1995, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Although originally scheduled to compete in this year's Massachusetts Open Championship, Sisk was forced to withdraw due to a conflict with the Nationwide Tour Players Cup being held in West Virginia on June 25-28.
An interesting note about Sisk... in his Nationwide Tour bio Sisk cites "winning his first Massachusetts Open as his biggest thrill in golf."
The Next Step...
The entire 150-player field will return to Belmont Country Club on Tuesday to compete in a second round of 18 holes at stroke play. Following that round, only the low forty (40) lowest scorers and ties or anyone within 7 strokes of the leader for the first 36 holes will continue play on Wednesday.
Any tie for first place during that third and final round will be decided immediately by a three-hole aggregate playoff. In the event there is still a tie after three holes, a hole-by-hole playoff will determine the champion.
The last time this event was decided in a playoff was in 2005 when Eric Egloff defeated Jim Salinetti (Lee, MA).
