YORK – After a marathon day of 36 holes at the always challenging Ledges Golf Club, two players from Massachusetts advanced to the 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship next month at Ridgewood CC in New Jersey. The U.S. Am qualifier on Monday was a test of not just a player’s golf game, but also their mental game, as players have to walk two rounds on the hilly York layout while keeping focus all day. On a humid day that saw rain on and off from the get-go, making the trip to the nation’s top amateur championship was just that much more difficult.
When the long day that started at 7:30 a.m. finished close sunset, Nicholas Cummings (Weston, MA) earned medalist honors with two rounds of 70. His total of 140 (-4) was three shots clear of the next best players. This marks the second time that Cummings has qualified for the U.S. Amateur, and the first time since he played at Olympia Fields in 2015.
The second and final spot in the championship proper was decided by a playoff between Andrew O’Leary (Norfolk, MA) and Liam Gill (Wayland, MA). Both players finished at 143 (-1) after two rounds of play and needed extra holes to determine the second and final spot. Gill was one of two qualifiers last year at this event, but fell short in the playoff to advance for the second straight year, missing out with a bogey on the 3rd playoff hole to take home first alternate status. O’Leary was grateful to advance to the U.S. Amateur for the first time in his young career, relieved after what he joked was “after being an alternate for the last seven years.”
In a 3-for-1 playoff for the 2nd alternate position, Xavier Marcoux (Concord, MA) advanced over two players on the second playoff hole.
Maine Golf would like to thank The Ledges for again hosting this prestigious qualifier and helping to showcase the talent of golf here in the northeast.
ONLINE: Tee Times | Scoring | U.S. Amateur Home