It was a close call, but Matthew Quinn qualified to play in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
He not only survived a three-player playoff for the last two spots at a qualifier on the Starboard Course at Captains Golf Course in Brewster on June 17, he made the age cutoff by just two days.
Competitors can’t turn 19 any earlier than Saturday, July 27, the final day of the U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills CC in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Quinn will turn 19 two days later, on July 29. The tournament begins this Monday.
The Holden resident would love to celebrate his birthday early by playing well in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
“I’m just super excited to see how my game stacks up against some of the best in the world,” he said.
In the qualifier at Captains, Lucas Politano of Brandon, Vermont, was medalist at 3-under 69, and Josiah Hakala of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, and Northern Spy GC in Townsend carded a 1-under 71 to grab the second qualifying berth.
Quinn, C.J. Winchenbaugh of Weston and Will Lord of Suffield, Connecticut, shot even-par 72 to force a playoff for the final two qualifying spots. They each parred the first two playoff holes, and Quinn and Winchenbaugh birdied the third to qualify.
Lord had already parred the final playoff hole, so Quinn knew he could secure a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur if he sank his 12-foot birdie putt. Quinn’s caddie and former St. John’s High teammate, Dom Garbarino, gave him a good read, and he sank the putt.
Quinn pumped his fist and high-fived Garbarino.
“I was pretty excited,” he said, “but obviously I didn’t want to show too much emotion because you’re feeling kind of bad for the other kid who played great all day.”
Quinn ranks qualifying for his first USGA event as the highlight of his young golfing career, surpassing qualifying for the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego the summer before his junior year at St. John’s. He tried to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2022 and 2023, but fell short.
“My main goal is to make match play,” Quinn said. “That’s always the big goal in a USGA event. I know I have the capability to do so if I go out there and play freely and relax.”
Quinn has learned to calm down while playing golf after previously getting too nervous and amped up.
“Just relax and have fun with it,” he said. “It’s just a game at the end of the day.”
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Quinn has worked hard on his chipping and putting, and he has turned them from a weakness into a strength.
Quinn, his parents Chris and Leslie, and his sisters Emma and Hannah, live in Holden. Emma will be a senior on the Wachusett Regional golf team this coming year, and Hannah will be a sophomore basketball player.
Quinn was scheduled to leave for Michigan on Friday with his father and Garbarino, who will caddie for him again. Other relatives and friends will be rooting for him and following his progress online.
“It will be cool just knowing that I have everyone’s support,” he said. “All of my friends as well, I’m excited to have their support and know that they will be cheering me on all week.”
As a Quinn, he has plenty to live up to in the world of golf. His father played golf at Rutgers and is a former club champion at Worcester CC. His uncle Fran is a PGA Tour Champions golfer who he watched play in the U.S. Senior Open at Newport CC last month. Uncles Fran, Brian and Kevin have all won the Mass. Open. His cousin Owen, Fran’s son, won the Worcester County Amateur in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and now he’s trying to make it as a pro golfer.
“It’s cool,” Quinn said. “I have so many people around me who I can ask for advice about the game, so many people who can help me. They all have so much experience so learning from them is really valuable.”
Quinn received some tips from Fran, who played at Oakland Hills in the 1996 U.S. Open. Oakland Hills has two 18-hole courses, both designed by Donald Ross. Quinn is familiar with Ross courses because he belongs to Worcester CC, another Ross design. Fran and Owen belong there as well, so Quinn plays a lot with his cousin.
Quinn has not played in the junior club championship at Worcester CC, but he lost in extra holes in the semifinals of the Worcester CC men’s club championship each of the past two years. Both golfers who beat him, Taylor Fontaine and John Pagano, went on to win the club championship. That experience helped Quinn survive the playoff in the U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier.
Quinn caddied for Jake Mrva, his fellow Worcester CC member, during the Mass. Amateur at Framingham CC this month. Mrva, a Shrewsbury resident who will be a senior on the golf team at Fordham this fall, reached match play.
“We play together all the time, so I know his game, and I think I was able to help him a good amount,” Quinn said. “He played well, so it was fun.”
Owen starred in golf at Lehigh University, and he helped convince his cousin to go there as well. Quinn will be a sophomore on the Lehigh golf team this fall. As a freshman, he made the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Quinn figures he’ll be one of the few players in the U.S. Junior Amateur who already has played a year of college golf.
Quinn began playing golf at age 7, and he took up tournament golf at 14. He was a two-time T&G Hometeam All-Star in golf at St. John’s, and he captained the team as a senior when he carded the low score for the Pioneers as they finished second in the Division 1 state championships.
Quinn has no plans to become a pro golfer. He’s majoring in finance and plans to enter the business world. But golf will remain important to him. He is a Quinn afterall.
Fine New England Amateur for Whitney
Ethan Whitney of Oak Hill CC in Fitchburg tied for fifth last week in the 95th New England Amateur at Laconia (N.H.) CC. The 21-year-old Westminster resident shot 68-71-71 for a 6-under 210 total.
Whitney will be a senior on the Temple University golf team under Northborough native Brian Quinn. At St. John’s, he was not only a T&G Hometeam All-Star in golf, he was T&G Hometeam Skier of the Year.
The week before the New England Amateur, Whitney lost, 1 up, in the semifinals of the Mass. Amateur at Framingham CC to Ricky Stimets of Worcester CC. Stimets fell in the 36-hole final, 4 and 3, to Matthew Naumec of the host club.
Stimets, 33, tied for 13th in the New England Amateur at 3 under after rounds of 70, 72 and 71.
Matthew Quinn tied for 27th at 1-under after rounds of 72, 71 and 72.
Winchenbaugh put together an incredible final round to rally from eight shots back and win the New England Amateur. He carded an 11-under 61, including an 8-under 28 on the back nine that included an eagle on the par-5 13th, to tie for first with John Broderick of Dedham Country and Polo Club at 11 under for the tournament. Then Winchenbaugh birdied the first playoff hole to win.
Ideas most welcome
You can suggest story ideas for this golf column by reaching me at the email listed below. Comments are also welcome.
—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @BillDoyle15.
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