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For Immediate Release: July 14, 2004

Headline: Defending Champion Drohen Ousted in Round of 16 at State Amateur Championship

Williamstown, MA – Defending champion Andy Drohen (St. Anne CC) saw his bid for a second-straight Massachusetts Amateur Championship title come to an end this afternoon as he was defeated by John Gilmartin (Renaissance GC) in 19 Holes at Taconic Golf Club. Drohen was just one of many players whose hopes for the title were dashed during today’s Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.

Drohen who trailed in that match for most of the afternoon, made a clutch 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to even the match and force extra holes. Unfortunately for Drohen, his approach shot on the 19th hole missed the green and he was unable to recover. The only solace for the defending champion was that his younger brother Bill Drohen (Bradford CC) advanced to the quarterfinals after eliminating John Geraci (Charles River CC), 3 & 2.

Gilmartin and Bill Drohen, as well as the other six victors from today, will return to Taconic Golf Club tomorrow morning to take part in the quarterfinal matches. The winners from the morning matches will then compete in the semifinals later in the afternoon. The final 36-hole match will be contested on Friday.

Also advancing today was the 2001 champion of this event, Brendan Hester (Pleasant Valley CC), who perhaps had the smoothest ride into the quarterfinals. In his first match of the day against Joe Cunningham (The Country Club), who qualified for match play yesterday afternoon courtesy of an eagle on the first playoff hole, Hester made the turn at 2 Up and cruised to a 5 & 4 victory. In his afternoon match, Hester once again made quick work of his opponent, this time defeating Robert Hickman (Hyannis GC), 5 & 4.

A key quarterfinal match-up on Thursday will surely be the battle between five-time MGA Player of the Year Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and 20-year-old Jim Renner (Foxborough CC). While Vana battled past University of North Carolina standout Kevin Silva (CC of New Bedford), 4 & 3, Renner saw his afternoon match come down to the wire. In a match which featured 12 lead changes, Renner calmly tapped in his par putt on the 18th hole to halve the hole and capture a 1 Up victory over Jason Clary (Thorny Lea GC).

Meanwhile, former University of Rhode Island standout David Spitz (Bradford GC) knocked off first-time qualifier Charlie Johnson (Ferncroft CC) in the morning, 4 & 3, and then stormed back from an early deficit against Nicholas Stevens (CC of Billerica) to earn himself a spot in Thursday’s quarterfinals. After making bogey on the 5th hole, Spitz found himself down two holes but he posted three birdies and no bogeys from that point on to take control of the match and eventually win, 3 & 2. Collecting the final quarterfinal spot was Mike Cole (Garnder Municipal GC), who defeated Harvard sophomore D.J. Hynes (Wellesley CC), 6 & 5.

©2004 Massachusetts Golf Association.