Matt Naumec '15 likes this state amateur thing.
The Wilbraham resident won two matches Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 108th Massachusetts Amateur Championship at Taconic Golf Club in Williamstown.
The former Western New England Prep School champion meets Alex Jeffers of Woodland GC Thursday morning at 8:10 a.m.
Naumec earned the fifth seed after 36 holes of stroke play qualifying earlier in the week. The GreatHorse member reached the semifinals in 2015, a year after he won the Massachusetts Junior Amateur championship.
"In the second round of match play, I played very solid,'' Naumec told the Massachusetts Golf Association. "I didn't bogey until the 13th hole. Tim played great! He birdied four in a row on holes 10-13. I was able to cover the first two. I was 4-up through 10 and I went down two and had an errant one on 13, but I was able to hold and play solid. I was very happy about it."
With Umphrey itching at the lead as the round neared completion, Naumec made birdie on the 16th hole to push the lead back to 2 up.
"I was able to hold onto it,'' Naumec said. "I played great. I put my tee shots on the right side of the fairway and was able to give myself good looks."
Naumec and former state amateur champion John Kelly of East Longmeadow acwere the only Western Massachusetts golfers to advance among the four who reached the 32-player match play field.
After Thursday afternoon semifinals, a 36-hole final is scheduled for Friday.