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2019 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP June 10-12, 2019 Vesper Country Club Tyngsborough, MA

MEDIA GUIDE

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE COVERAGE

Media and parking credentials are not needed. However, here are a few notes to help make your experience more enjoyable. • There will be a media/tournament area set up throughout the three-day event (June 10-12) in the club house. • Complimentary lunch and beverages will be available for all media members. • Wireless Internet will be available in the media room. • Although media members are not allowed to drive carts on the course, the Mass Staff will arrange for transportation on the for writers and photographers. • Mass Golf will have a professional photographer – David Colt – on site on June 10 & 12. All photos will be posted online and made available for complimentary download. • Daily summaries – as well as final scores – will be posted and distributed via email to all media members upon the completion of play each day.

To keep up to speed on all of the action during the day, please follow us via: • Twitter – @PlayMassGolf; #MassOpen • Facebook – @PlayMassGolf; #MassOpen • Instagram – @PlayMassGolf; #MassOpen

Media Contacts:

Catherine Carmignani Director of Communications and Marketing, Mass Golf 300 Blvd. | Norton, MA 02766 (774) 430-9104 | [email protected]

Mark Daly Manager of Communications, Mass Golf 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd. | Norton, MA 02766 (774) 430-9073 | [email protected] CONDITIONS & REGULATIONS

Entries Exemptions from Local Qualifying Entries are open to professional golfers and am- ateur golfers with an active USGA GHIN Handi- • Twenty (20) lowest scorers and ties in the 2018 cap Index not exceeding 2.4 (as determined by Championship the April 15, 2019 Handicap Revision), or who have completed their handicap certification. • Past Massachusetts Open Champions (Effective in 1993, Champions earn a 10-year exemption; pre- Starting Field 1993 Champions are exempt for life) The Championship Proper field is limited to 150 players • NEPGA Section Champions 2014 to 2017, and the top five (5) finishers and ties in the 2018 NEPGA Championship Local Qualifying Sites/Schedule 5/06 - Salem CC • 2018 NEPGA Championship (Top 5 & ties) 5/07 - Granite Links GC 5/08 - CC of Pittsfield • Top twenty (20) finishers and ties in the 2018 Skip 5/21 - GC at Turner Hill Wogan point standings 5/22 - Eastward Ho! 5/28 - Pleasant Valley CC • 2018 NEPGA Assistants Champion

Format of Play • 2018 Berkshire Chapter Champion of the NENY Competition will be in two stages at : PGA • Sectional Qualifying - May 06 - May 28 (for all except exempt entrants) • 2018 State Open Champions from the New • Championship Proper - 54 holes England States Round 1 - June 10 (18 Holes) Round 2 - June 11 (18 Holes) • 2018 Cape Cod Open Champion The low 50 scorers and ties or anyone within 7 strokes of the leader after 36 holes will • Massachusetts State Amateur Champions of the continue play on June 12 last five (5) years Round 3 - June 12 (18 Holes) • 2018 Massachusetts State Amateur Semifinalists Any tie for first place will be decided immedi- • 2018 Massachusetts Junior Amateur, Senior ately by a three-hole aggregate play-off. In the Amateur, Mid-Amateur, and Amateur Public Links event there is still a tie after three holes, a hole- Champions by-hole play-off will determine the champion. There will be no play-off for low amateur honors. • Top ten (10) finishers and ties in the 2018 Massachusetts Player of the Year standings Prizes The Clarence G. Cochrane Memorial Trophy and • 2018 Massachusetts Player of the Year, Junior a gold medal will be presented to the Champion Player of the Year and Senior Player of the Year and The Commonwealth Cup will be presented to the Low Amateur Champion. A professional • 2018 Massachusetts Open Qualifying Host purse of $75,000 will be distributed to the low Professionals (one per site) fifty (50) finishers and ties. Merchandise certifi- cates will also be awarded and are only redeem- able at the host site. A LOOK BACK AT THE 2018 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP NOTEWORTHY

Vesper Country Club played host to the very first Mass Open in 1905 whenDonald Ross captured the first honors as Mass Open Champion.

Byron Nelson and Harold ‘Jug’ McSpaden finished 1-2 in professional events so frequently that they were nicknamed ‘The Gold Dust Twins.’ McSpaden won the Open in 1936, 1937 and 1938. put an end to this streak by winning the 1939 Open.

Wiffy Cox, the 1931 Champion, played on the 1931 team, winning both his matches. He also tied for the championship at the that year with , who won the Open the year prior.

1940 champion was the champion of the inaugural Masters (1934).

Bob Crowley, four-time Open Champion and longtime Pine Brook CC head pro, was paired with Arnold Palmer at the 1956 Insurance City Open (now known as the ) in Hartford. Crowley was inducted in the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame in 2016.

Dana Quigley, who won three Open Championships in a row, now plays on the Champi- ons Tour, where he has 11 career wins for an earnings total of nearly $15 million.

1984 Open at Wollaston GC: Officials Bill Foley & Harry 1951 Open at Salem CC: Salem Head Pro Bill Barclay with two McCracken present winners check to Salem CC members

The 1980s were a good decade for Kevin Johnson. He won the 1986 Open (as an ama- teur), followed by the 1987 & 1988 Amateur Championship. Prior to that, he won the 1984 Junior Amateur. He also won the 1987 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, and was a member of the 1989 Team. He was crowned Mass Golf Player of the Year from 1985-1988. He competed on the Web.com Tour, where he had six wins and career earn- ings of $1.4 million. He currently competes in Champions Tour events. The most number of consecutive championships is five, achieved byAlex Ross from 1906 - 1910. Alex Ross was the brother of .

Gene Sarazen won the Open in 1935, the same year his ‘shot heard round the world’ clinched The Masters for him.

1979 Open at Brae Burn CC: eventual champion Jay Dolan on 1980 Open at Essex County Club: Mass Golf President Dixon the first fairway Sykes with low amateur Joe Henley & champion Paul Moran

Fred Wright was the most decorated amateur golfer of his generation in MA, but was nev- er able to win the Open. He finished as a runner-up twice. Wright was inducted into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame in 2014.

In the history of the Open, champions have won in consecutive years only six times: Alex Ross, , Charley Volpone, Dick Hanscom, Dana Quigley, and Geoff Sisk.

Paul Harney, one of the best professional golfers that Massachusetts has ever produced, won the Open five times, including four in a row in the late 1960’s. He won every Open he entered. He stopped playing full-time on the PGA Tour once his first child was born, which was a promise that he had made to his wife.

Paul Harney - shown in his 1952 senior year at College of 1989 Open at Oak Hill CC: champion Andy Morse Holy Cross - won the Open five times Geoff Sisk holds the record (tied with Alex Ross) with six Open titles. During his time as a professional, he has advanced through local and sectional qualifying to play in the U.S. Open seven times.

Bill Ezinicki, two-time Open Champion, played professional hockey, winning three Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He got into golf after he retired, and served as the head professional at . In 1960, he won Open Cham- pionships in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island. He also won two NEPGA Championships, his first the year after he retired from the NHL.

Only seven players have won both the Open and Amateur: , , Kevin Johnson, Jim Hallet, Rob Oppenheim, Fran Quinn, Jr, and Charley Volpone.

Ellsworth Vines, 1946 Open Champion, was a world champion player - he held the number 1 world ranking for four years in the , and won Wimbledon twice.

1946 champion featured 1960 & 1964 champion Bill Ezinicki on the ice... and on the course ( Globe & in a 1932 Time Magazine Boston Bruins photo) 1985 Open Champion Jim Hallet was the low amateur in the1983 Masters.

In 2013, champion Evan Harmeling donated his entire winner’s check to The One Fund to benefit victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. It was his first professional win, but not his first Mass Golf win - he was the 2005 Junior Amateur Champion and the 2007 Four-Ball Champion.

The most recent Champions to go through local qualifying (non-exempt players) were Joe Harney (2015), Evan Harmeling (2013) and Rob Oppenheim (2009). Harney quali- fied at Marshfield CC, while Harmeling and Oppenheim advanced at Indian Ridge CC. 2013 Open at Woodland GC: champion Evan 2007 Open at Kernwood CC: Mass Golf President Dick Osborn Harmeling after his playoff win presents winner’s check to Geoff Sisk Six Open past champions have been inducted into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame: Francis Ouimet, Donald Ross, Paul Harney, , Bob Crowley and Bill Flynn. Ouimet and Ross are also members of the .

Six players have won both the Open and the U.S. Open: Alex Ross, Francis Ouimet, , , Byron Nelson and .

Two players have won both the Open and the U.S. Amateur: Francis Ouimet and Jesse Guilford.

Three players have won both the Open and The Masters: Horton Smith, Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson.

Five players have won both the Open and the PGA Championship: Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, , Byron Nelson and Julius Boros.

Two players have won both the Open and : Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen.

1985 Open champion Jim Hallet at the Masters 1935 Open at Oak Hill CC: eventual champion Gene Sarazen with (Getty Images) playing partners including two-time Open Champion Jesse Guilford at right (Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library) MASSACHUSETTS OPEN CHAMPIONS

Year Champion Runner-Up Site 1905 Donald Ross A.G. Lockwood* Vesper CC 1906 Alex Ross Wollaston GC 1907 Alex Ross** Gilbert Nichols Brae Burn CC 1908 Alex Ross Alex Campbell 1909 Alex Ross Donald Ross Woodland GC 1910 Alex Ross John G. Anderson* Essex CC 1911 Donald Ross The Country Club 1912 Alex Ross Alex Campbell Oakley CC 1913 Tom McNamara** Mike Brady Brae Burn CC 1914 Mike Brady** Owen Terry Belmont Spring CC 1915 Walter Hagen Mike Brady The Country Club 1916 Mike Brady** P.J. Doyle Brae Burn CC 1917-1918 Event Not Held 1919 Jesse P. Guilford* Mike Brady, John Cowan, Louis Tellier Worcester CC 1920 George L. Bowden T.L. McNamara Commonwealth CC 1921 Louis Tellier** John Cowan Essex CC 1922 George Kerrigan John Cowan CC of Springfield 1923 Mike Brady Bert Nichols Tedesco CC 1924 ** Jack Start Kernwood CC 1925 Tom Lally Jesse Guilford*, Jack Start Charles River CC 1926 Donald Vinton Fred Wright*, Tom Lally, Willie Ogg, Mike Brady Worcester CC 1927 Walter Hagen Sandy Burr CC 1928 Leo Diegel George Aulbach, Henry Cuici Wollaston GC 1929 Jesse P. Guilford* Charles MacAndrew, Mike Brady Vesper CC 1930 Joe Turnesa Fred Wright* Brae Burn CC 1931 Willie McFarland Worcester CC 1932 Francis Ouimet* Oyster Harbors 1933 Ted Turner** Frank Dickey Belmont Spring CC 1934 Roy Brondson Bob Crowley Oyster Harbors 1935 Gene Sarazen Guy Paulson Oak Hill CC 1936 Harold McSpaden Wilfred Crossley* Oak Hill CC 1937 Harold McSpaden Gene Anderson Oyster Harbors 1938 Harold McSpaden Gene Anderson Oyster Harbors 1939 Byron Nelson Worcester CC 1940 Horton Smith Gene Anderson Oyster Harbors 1941 Harold McSpaden Oyster Harbors 1942 Ben Loving** Les Kennedy Oyster Harbors 1943-1945 Event Not Held 1946 Ellsworth Vines** Longmeadow CC 1947 Gene Kunes** * Belmont CC 1948 Jerry Gianferante Ted Adams Oak Hill CC 1949 Edward Burke Charles Sheppard Wachusett CC 1950 John Thoren** Jack Igoe South Shore CC 1951 Julius Boros Les Kennedy Salem CC 1952 Everett Stuart** Ted Bishop* Charles River CC 1953 Jim Browning Don Hoenig* Worcester CC 1954 Don Hoenig* Ernie Doherty Wachusett CC 1955 John Thoren Arthur Butler* Coonamessett 1956 Bob Kay Coonamessett 1957 Bob Crowley John Thoren Coonamessett 1958 Bob Toski Bob Crowley Hyannisport Club 1959 George Kinsman** Bill Ezinicki Hyannisport Club 1960 Bill Ezinicki** Ted Bishop*, Ed Rubie CC of Pittsfield 1961 Don Hoenig** Ted Bishop*, Gene Coghill Tedesco CC 1962 Bob Crowley John Cleary Belmont CC 1963 Bill Flynn Jim Browning Kernwood CC 1964 Bill Ezinicki Ed Rubis Pleasant Valley CC MASSACHUSETTS OPEN CHAMPIONS

Year Champion Runner-Up Site 1965 Jim Browning Jim Veno, J. Mobley* Winchester CC 1966 Bob Crowley Don Heading Weston GC 1967 Paul Harney Charley Volpone CC of New Seabury 1968 Paul Harney Ross Coon The International 1969 Paul Harney Ross Coon Spring Valley CC 1970 Paul Harney** Jim Browning Salem CC 1971 Charley Volpone Vesper CC 1972 Charley Volpone Joe Carr Tedesco CC 1973 Bob Crowley** David Marad Kernwood CC 1974 Dick Hanscom** Rick Karbowski Woodland GC 1975 Dick Hanscom Leo Grace, Cotton Dunn Charles River CC 1976 Paul Barkhouse** Bob Menne, Bruce Douglas Worcester CC 1977 Paul Harney** Lynn Bourn CC of New Seabury 1978 Curt Madson Tom McManus Spring Valley CC 1979 Jay Dolan James Becker Brae Burn CC 1980 Paul Moran Jay Dolan Essex CC 1981 Bob Menne Paul Moran Nashawtuc CC 1982 Dana Quigley Bob Menne, Mike Colandro Longmeadow CC 1983 Dana Quigley** Doug Johnson Charles River CC 1984 Dana Quigley Bruce Douglas, Fran Marello Wollaston GC 1985 Jim Hallet Bruce Douglas, Dana Quigley Wellesley CC 1986 Kevin Johnson* Jim Hallet CC of New Seabury 1987 Steve Jurgenson Andy Morse, Charlie Smith Weston GC 1988 Jeff Lewis Chip Johnson, Bob Lendzion Spring Valley CC 1989 Andy Morse** John Paesani Oak Hill CC 1990 Fran Quinn, Jr. Jeff Lewis Vesper CC 1991 John Elliot Andy Morse, Dana Quigley, Fran Quinn, Jr. Salem CC 1992 Andy Morse Ed Kirby, Dana Quigley, J. Becker Taconic GC 1993 Pat Bates Ed Kirby Tedesco CC 1994 Peter Morgan** Pat Bates Woodland GC 1995 Geoff Sisk Wollaston GC 1996 Jeff Leonard Fran Quinn, Jr. Winchester CC 1997 Geoff Sisk John Elliot Crumpin-Fox Club 1998 Rodney Butcher Peter Morgan, Joe Cioe Oak Hill CC 1999 Kevin Quinn* ** Brad Adamonis, Jeff Curl* Wellesley CC 2000 James Gilleon** Kirk Hanefeld CC of Pittsfield 2001 Rich Parker Bob Giusti, Rodney Butcher, Brian Quinn, Mount Pleasant CC Shannon Sykora, Jim Salinetti 2002 Geoff Sisk Rich Parker Pleasant Valley CC 2003 Brian Quinn Geoff Sisk Tedesco CC 2004 Geoff Sisk Eli Zackheim Longmeadow CC 2005 Eric Egloff** Jim Salinetti Vesper CC 2006 Geoff Sisk Michael Harris Charles River CC 2007 Geoff Sisk Frank Dully Kernwood CC 2008 Jim Renner John Elliot Stockbridge GC 2009 Rob Oppenheim Matt Parziale*, Greg Pieczynski Belmont CC 2010 Jim Hazen Jimmy Lytle, Jeff Castle, Jim Renner, Wellesley CC Scott Hawley 2011 Kyle Gallo Michael Ballo Oak Hill CC 2012 Michael Welch Jason Parajeckas, Michael Ballo Walpole CC 2013 Evan Harmeling** Chris Fitzpatrick Woodland GC 2014 Ian Thimble** Matt Parziale*, Eric Dugas, Kyle Gallo Weston GC 2015 Joe Harney Jeffrey Martin Black Rock CC 2016 Jason Thresher** Matt Hutchins Worcester CC 2017 Jason Thresher Josh Salah TGC at Sacconnesset 2018 Jason Thresher Evan Harmeling GreatHorse *AMATEUR **PLAYOFF PLAYOFFS IN THE MASSACHUSETTS OPEN

Year Champion Runner-Up Site 1907 Alex Ross Gilbert Nichols Brae Burn CC 1913 Tom McNamara Mike Brady Brae Burn CC 1914 Mike Brady Owen Terry Belmont Spring CC 1916 Mike Brady PJ Doyle Brae Burn CC 1921 Louis Tellier John Cowan Essex County Club 1924 Willie Ogg Jack Start Kernwood CC 1933 Ted Turner Frank Dickey Belmont Spring CC 1942 Ben Loving Les Kennedy Oyster Harbors 1946 Ellsworth Vines Longmeadow CC 1950 John Thoren Jack Igoe South Shore CC 1952 Everett Stuart Ted Bishop Charles River CC 1959 George Kinsman Bill Ezinicki Hyannisport Club 1960 Bill Ezinicki Ted Bishop, Ed Rubie CC of Pittsfield 1961 Don Hoenig Ted Bishop, Gene Coghill Tedesco CC 1970 Paul Harney Jim Browning Salem CC 1973 Bob Crowley David Marad Kernwood CC 1974 Dick Hanscom Rick Karbowski Woodland GC 1976 Paul Barkhouse Bob Menne, Bruce Douglass Worcester CC 1977 Paul Harney Lynn Bourn New Seabury 1983 Dana Quigley Doug Johnson Charles River CC 1989 Andy Morse John Paesani Oak Hill CC 1994 Peter Morgan Pat Bates Woodland GC 1999 Kevin Quinn Brad Adamonis, Jeff Curl Wellesley CC 2000 James Gilleon Kirk Hanefeld CC of Pittsfield 2005 Eric Egloff Jim Salinetti Vesper CC 2013 Evan Harmeling Chris Fitzpatrick Woodland GC 2014 Ian Thimble Matt Parziale, Eric Dugas, Kyle Gallo Weston GC 2016 Jason Thresher Mark Stevens Worcester CC

1985 Open at Wellesley CC: Officials present trophies to low amateur Geoff Sisk & champion Jim Hallet THE MOST! Victories SIX Alex Ross (1906-1910, 1912) Geoff Sisk (1995, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007)

FIVE Paul Harney (1967-1970, 1977)

FOUR Harold McSpaden (1936-1938, 1941) Bob Crowley (1957, 1962, 1966, 1973)

THREE Mike Brady (1914, 1916, 1923) Dana Quigley (1982-1984) Jason Thresher (2016-2018)

Times As Host Club 1973 Open at Kernwood CC: eventual champion Bob Crowley SEVEN Oyster Harbors Club

SIX Vesper Country Club

FIVE Tedesco Country Club Belmont Country Club Charles River Country Club AMATEURS AT THE MASSACHUSETTS OPEN Champions Runners-Up Jesse Guilford A.G. Lockwood 1919 - Worcester CC 1905 - Vesper Country Club 1929 - Vesper CC John G. Anderson Francis Ouimet 1910 - Essex County Club 1932 - Oyster Harbors Club Jesse Guilford & Fred Wright Don Hoenig 1925 - Charles River Country Club 1954 - Wachusett CC Fred Wright Kevin Johnson 1930 - Brae Burn Country Club 1986 - CC of New Seabury Wilfred Crossley Kevin Quinn 1936 - Oak Hill Country Club 1999 - Wellesley CC Don Hoenig 1953 - Worcester Country Club

Arthur Butler 1955 - Coonamesset Club

J. Mobley 1965 - Winchester Country Club

Above: 1986 Open Champion & Low Amateur Kevin Johnson at CC of New Seabury; Below: 2014 Open Low Jeff Curl Amateur Matt Parziale at Weston GC 1999 - Wellesley Country Club

Matt Parziale 2009 - Belmont Country Club

Matt Parziale 2014 - Weston Golf Club THE ‘LAST TIME’

1989 Open at Oak Hill CC: Mass Golf rules officials Bill Foley & Sandy Dowling

Last to Successfully Defend His Title Jason Thresher in 2018

Last Amateur to Win Kevin Quinn in 1999

Last Non-New England Native to Win James Hazen (NY) in 2010

Last Champions to Advance Through Qualifying Joe Harney (2015); Evan Harmeling (2013); Rob Oppenheim (2009)