Stanford University superstar sophomore Michael Thorbjornsen cruised past Matt Parziale 8&6 to win the Massachusetts Amateur Championship on Saturday afternoon at Brae Burn Country Club.
Thorbjornsen had 12 birdies in the first 18 holes to take a commanding lead into the second 18.
In the 30 holes that the match went, Thorbjornsen had 18 birdies, according to Mass Golf, it is one of the greatest performances in championship history.
“Just winning the amateur championship of Massachusetts from where I’m from, it means a lot,” said Thorbjornsen after the round.
He becomes the first teenager to win the Mass Amateur since Jim Salinetti did it in 1997.
While the Mass Amateur is over, the Rhode Island Amateur is still dragging on. The two tournaments are the same amount of rounds.
Incredible Performance
In almost any other year, Parziale’s performance would have had him in contention, maybe even winning, but there was only so much the 2017 champion could do to keep pace with the young superstar.
Despite shooting 5-under-par on the first 18, he still found himself down by six. Of the four holes he did win in the match, all of them were birdies or better.
“He’s a world-beater,” Parziale said of Thorbjornsen. “He’s incredible. I met him a few years ago. He’s a great kid, he’s got all the talent in the world. I’m rooting for him, and it’s his to take. He has a bright future if he keeps going in this space.”
Parziale got it back within five by driving the green on the 15th.
However, he would not get any closer and never really had a ton of momentum.