Top seed eliminated in the round of 16 at the Mass. Amateur
Brockton firefighter Matt Parziale advanced to the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Only one of the co-medalists advanced to the quarterfinals of the 110th Massachusetts Amateur golf tournament on Wednesday at George Wright Golf Course in Hyde Park.
Top-seeded Jackson Lang of Nashawtuc Country Club was ousted by Patrick Frodigh of Dedham, 3 and 1.
Lang started out the day with a 1-up victory over Doug Clapp of Old Sandwich GC, , but Lang’s comeback efforts fell short as Frodigh made back-to-back pars on the 13th and 14th holes to extend the match before ending it with a par on No. 17.
The other co-medalist, Andrew O’Leary of Pawtucket CC — at 18, the youngest golfer in the tournament — went perfect on the day as the No. 2 seed defeated Theodore Lederhausen of George Wright GC (6 and 5) before dispatching his longtime friend, Dillon Brown of Halifax, (4 and 2).
“We’ve played in a lot of tournaments this year,’’ O’Leary said. “I think I’ve played in almost 10 tournament rounds with him this year,’’ O’Leary said. “It was good to know my competitor. It didn’t feel like I was trying to battle him and try to beat him. I was just having fun out there.’’
O’Leary will face another hometown golfer in Sean Fitzpatrick when the two meet in the quarterfinals.
Brockton firefighter Matt Parziale of Thorny Lea GC, the reigning champion and No. 9 seed, defeated Steven DiLisio of Salem CC (5 and 3) and Matt Cowgill of George Wright (3 and 2) in a rematch of the 2017 finals. Parziale took an early two stroke lead, but Cowgill managed to cut the deficit to one until a par on the final hole helped Parziale advance to the quarterfinals for the second straight year, where he will face Frodigh.
Despite a successful summer for Parziale — which included a tie for 48th at last month’s US Open in Shinnecock Hills — he believes each event poses a different challenge.
“It doesn’t matter,’’ said Parziale said of his recent success. “This game is so hard. This tournament is so hard to win. I have gotten beat so much here, so I just love to be out here with the guys and compete and play a good round tomorrow.’’
