News Release

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2006

Headline: Quinn, Vana & Curran Headline Massachusetts Amateur Championship Round of 32

Worcester, MA – Rain may have delayed the finish of the second round of the Massachusetts Amateur Championship on Tuesday, but it couldn't derail the playing of the first round of Match Play which was held this afternoon at Worcester Country Club. The low 32 scorers who advanced to the Match Play portion of the event following two rounds of 18-hole stroke play competed in the Round of 32 Matches.

Those 16 individuals who survived today's Round of 32 Matches will return to Worcester Country Club on Thursday morning to compete in the Round of 16 Matches during the morning hours. Immediately following those matches, the Quarterfinal Matches will be held. The Semifinals have been pushed to Friday morning, while the 36-hole final match is tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning.

Highlighting the impressive list of Round of 16 qualifiers is two-time and defending Massachusetts Amateur Champion Frank Vana , Jr. (Marlborough CC) , two-time semifinalist of this event and this year's stroke play medalist Bill Drohen (Bradford CC),young Vanderbilt University standout Jon Curran (Framingham CC) and the 1999 Massachusetts Open Champion Kevin Quinn (Charles River CC). Quinn delivered the most exciting match of the day as he bested young Aaron Ungvarsky (CC of Billerica) in 20 Holes. Quinn led that match by a score of 2 Up through 12 holes but Ungvarsky evened it up heading down the stretch. After Quinn missed a birdie putt on the 350-yard, par 4 18 th hole, he made up for that miss by sinking a 30-foot putt on the 20 th hole to seal his victory and earn himself a spot in the Round of 16 against Phil Miceli (Sagamore Spring GC).

Also advancing today were Jon Fasick (New England CC), a former Massachusetts Mid-Amateur and Public Links Champion. Fasick jumped out to a 1 Up lead through 3 holes against Patrick Kline (New Sandy Burr CC) and held on to that advantage for most of the match. Facing off against Fasick on Thursday morning will be Jack Kearney (Elmcrest CC), who defeated John Gilmartin (Indian Ridge CC), 4 & 3. Kearney also has impressive MGA history as he was the 1992 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year. Another player of note who moved on with ease was Curran, the three-time Christopher Cutler Rich MGA Junior Player of the Year. Curran, who received a special exemption into this year’s event, ousted three-time George M. Cohen Senior MGA Player of the Year Jim Ruschioni (Indian Meadows GC) by a score of 4 & 3.

One name absent from that list, was John Hadges(Thorny Lea GC) who fell to Donnie Troy(CC of Pittsfield ) by a score of 3 & 2. Hadges, who was last year's stroke play medalist, advanced to Match Play after finishing in a tie with Curran for second place overall with a score of 5-under par 135.

Massachusetts Amateur Championship – Day 3 Notes
• As a result of the nearly five-hour rain delay on Tuesday, one half of the 144-player field was forced to return to Worcester Country Club on Wednesday morning to finish the second round. Following that second round, a playoff was held in order to reduce the field to the low 32 competitors. Eight players finished at 6-over par 146 and played off for the five remaining Match Play spots.
• Of the six Past Champions who competed in this year's event, five of them advanced to Match Play. Included in that list are Frank Vana , Jr. (Marlborough CC) – 2004, 2005; Andy Drohen (St. Anne CC) – 2003; Brendan Hester (Pleasant Valley CC) – 2001; Flynt Lincoln (Longmeadow CC) – 1993; and Steven Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) – 1981, 1985.