History will be made this week at the 116th Massachusetts Amateur Championship . For the first time, the state’s amateur champ will be crowned at Framingham Country Club. The winner will be decided after five days of intense competition in, perhaps, sweltering conditions.
The winner won’t be decided until Friday. There are plenty of potential champions. One thing is for sure: New England Patriots fans have a special reason to tune into Monday’s and Tuesday’s rounds, at least.
That’s because the team’s starting punter, Bryce Baringer, will be among those teeing it up in Framingham and hoping to advance to match play after two rounds of stroke play. The 25-year-old, drafted by the Patriots in 2023, qualified for the championship on June 18 when he shot a 1-under par 69 at Stockbridge Golf Club. Baringer didn’t just qualify that day – his superb round earned him medalist honors.
The Wrentham resident is a member of TPC Boston. It will be interesting to see if any of his Patriots’ teammates show up to support him. While Baringer is a professional athlete, an 18-year-old amateur is expected to receive plenty of pre-tournament attention.
Ryan Downes, 18, is the defending champion. Last year he made history when he became the youngest player to win the Mass Amateur. Downes, 17 at the time, eclipsed the feats of the two youngest previous champs, Ted Adams and James Driscoll.
Adams (1939) and Driscoll (1996) were each 18 when they ruled the state. And Downes won the .
