HAMPDEN — The grueling third day of competition at GreatHorse is over, and Thursday’s quarterfinals are now set.
Two rounds of matches were played on Wednesday at the 117th Massachusetts Amateur Golf Championship to whittle down the field following Monday and Tuesday’s stroke play.
A pair of GreatHorse members headline those who made it through to Day 4, as Longmeadow’s Ryan Downes got the best of Duxbury Yacht Club’s Reese Jensen (3 & 1) and Longmeadow’s Billy Walthouse edged TPC Boston’s Bradford Valois (2 & 1) in Round of 16 contests.
Downes started his day dropping the first hole to Jensen, but he was sharp the rest of the way — playing the next six holes 2-under par. He won all six of those holes to build a commanding 5-up lead.
Jensen wouldn’t go away. The rising Harvard freshman won four of the next seven holes to get back within one, but Downes shut the door by grabbing victories on the 16th and 17th holes. On his home course, Downes, who became the youngest Mass. Am champion in the tournament’s storied history back in 2023, will advance to the quarterfinals.
Walthouse experienced a similar scenario in his match. He played the first two holes 1-under to earn a 2-up lead and later doubled it to four as he shot a 32 on the front nine. He won the 10th hole with a par before Valois claimed wins on three of the next four — bringing Walthouse’s advantage down to two.
He held firm the rest of the way and halved the 17th hole with a par, securing him the 2 & 1 triumph.
George Wright Golf Course’s Joey Lenane had the most decisive win of the afternoon, cruising past Weston Golf Club’s Zach Pelzar with a 5 & 4 victory. The North Carolina State standout won with a par on the 14th hole to send him through to the quarters.
His fellow George Wright Golf Course member Ben Spitz had a nice day as well, defeating Nashawtuc Country Club’s Max McColgan, 3 & 2. A par on the par-4 16th got the job done for Spitz, a former Mass. Am champion.
Elsewhere, Woodland Golf Club’s Patrick Kilcoyne picked up a 2 & 1 win over Oyster Harbors Club’s Alan Rose. Kenwood Country Club’s Aidan Emmerich bested John Broderick of Dedham Country and Polo Club 3 & 2, Long Meadow Golf Club’s Trevor Drew stormed back from an early deficit to win 1-up over Worcester Country Club’s Jake Mrva, and Jake Ratti of Wollaston Golf Club defeated Oak Hill Country Club’s Raymond Dennehy 2-up, a birdie on the 18th sealing the deal.
Matchups for Thursday’s quarterfinal are set. Walthouse will tee off at 7:30 a.m. and face Kilcoyne, Emmerich and Drew will duke it out at 7:40, Downes and Ratti are set to start at 7:50 and in a battle of two players from the same club, Lenane and Spitz will go toe-to-toe in what should be a terrific match.
The winners of the quarterfinal matches will advance to the semifinals later in the afternoon. The championship match is 36 holes and will be decided on Friday.