Organisak beats wind, rain, Maccario to win Massachusetts Amateur
July 17, 2020 | by Massachusetts Golf Association
see also: Matt Organisak, View results for Massachusetts Amateur, Winchester Country Club
In his first event since his college career was cut short, Matt Organisak outlasted Nick Maccario in a marathon 36-hole final
When he held the Massachusetts Cup for the first time, Sudbury’s Matthew Organisak (Nashawtuc Country Club) looked down at it and stared. The past winners of this trophy include Mass Golf Hall of Famers Francis Ouimet, Fred Wright and Frank Vana, Jr.
After battling Waltham’s Nick Maccario (Bradford Country Club) through a grueling 36 holes in the Massachusetts Amateur championship match at the Kittansett Club — first with heavy rain and then with heavy wind — the left-handed phenom earned himself a spot on the trophy with a 2-up victory that ended with Maccario conceding the 18th hole.
“It’s truly special to be able to say that my name will be on this trophy pretty soon,” said Organisak, a 22-year-old recent graduate of Emory University. “Something that I feel even better about and even more proud and happy about is that the Nashawtuc Country’s Club’s name will be on this trophy. Every member over there has always been so supportive and they have been all week you know I got a bunch of texts yesterday, telling me good luck tomorrow.”
The first 18 holes ended in a tie, with both men winning five holes apiece. Organisak won four of the first six holes over the next 18 holes and never trailed. He birdied the 9th (27th overall) and 10th (28th) to take a 4-up lead. Maccario won the 12th (30th) and 13th (31st) and made birdie on the 17th (35th) to cut it to 1 up, but Organisak was on the 18th (36th) green in three, and Maccario conceded after missing his par putt.
It was an inspiring win for Organisak, who was playing in his first tournament since COVID-19 caused the cancelation of the rest of his college season.
“Last week I started putting myself in preparation mode and started really thinking about shots and things and places and decisions that I’d have to make in the tournament and tournament play,” Organisak said. “I played pretty well on Monday, and I went home and I packed a big bag with a lot of clothes. I said, ‘I hope I got to use all these,’ and I don’t have any clean clothes left so that’s a good thing. I just had a good feeling. You know if you come in and you believe in yourself, you never know.”
This is the first state amateur win for Organisak, who joins 1968 champion Mike Ohanian as the only other person to win it while representing Nashawtuc. He’s the first to win the Ouimet Memorial Tournament and then ensuing the Mass Amateur since PGA Professional Jim Salinetti (1999-00).
Organisak also joins Patrick Frodigh (2018) and Ben Spitz (2006) as the only left-handed golfers to win it since 2000.
Maccario, the 2019 Mass Mid-Amateur champion, said the hardest part of the tournament was Friday.
“Playing and keeping the adrenaline and the energy up for 36 is tough,” he said. “I’ve never had to do it while playing the same person. It was tough and the weather today felt like we were not in the U.S. We had a little bit of everything. I think that was probably the toughest thing was just keeping your head in it for eight hours.”
This final match concludes the week-long competition, which was the first statewide championship event held during the COVID-19 era.
Results: Massachusetts Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Sudbury, MA | 200 | ||
| Runner-up | Waltham, MA | 100 | ||
| Semifinals | Amesbury, MA | 50 | ||
| Semifinals | Brockton, MA | 50 | ||
| Medalist | Amesbury, MA | 25 |
About the Massachusetts Amateur
Qualifying - 32 Holes at Stroke Play to determine 32 Qualifiers for Match Play. Entries are open to amateur golfers who have an active MGA/GHIN Handicap Index at any public, private, semi-private, municipal or non-real estate MGA member course/club n...
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