Thorny Lea golfers top amateur field

Hadges bests Parziale in 100th title match

(Globe Staff / Barry Chin) John Hadges, 47, squeaked by 21-year-old Matt Parziale to win the 100th Massachusetts Amateur Championship last week in Marion.

Their grinding, thrilling 36-hole match complete, John Hadges and Matt Parziale shook hands and then rushed off in separate directions following the 100th Massachusetts Amateur Championship.

The two have played a number of rounds together in recent years, but last week, the Thorny Lea Golf Club members were the last two left standing after the five-day marathon at The Kittansett Club in Marion.

The title was not decided until the 47-year-old Hadges parred the 455-yard par 4 18th to emerge with a 1-up victory, the first medalist from the two rounds of stroke play of the event to capture the crown since 1998.

Hadges said he knows the 21-year-old Parziale wanted to win, but he was proud of the way he competed.

"Matt is a very good player and very mature," said Hadges, a North Easton resident who called Parziale after the tournament to talk about their match. "He knows how to play and what shots to hit. More importantly, he's a real nice kid."

Hadges calls Parziale a "kid" only because of the age difference, but he respects his maturity and play. Parziale said he was disappointed to lose, but he enjoyed the tournament and appreciated Hadges's phone call.

"We didn't have a second to talk after it, but it was fun," said Parziale, a senior at Southeastern University in Florida. "It was a win-win for the club. I would have liked to have won, but he deserved it. He played well."

Life returned to normal quickly after the completion of their play on Friday afternoon. Parziale took a nap. Hadges headed home and changed the diaper of his 18-month-old son, Jack.

Hadges weaves his tournament play between his job and his family. He and his wife, Dianne, are raising Jack and their 6-year-old daughter, Tate. Hadges said his wife has been supportive of his golf tournaments and enjoys it when their children are able to attend. So when he has the chance to play, he takes the time seriously.

"Managing time becomes an issue," Hadges said. "It's a lot of juggling, so it's difficult, but you make sacrifices."

Hadges and Parziale are at different stages in their lives. If anyone were going to beat Hadges, he said he would have been happy if it were Parziale.

Parziale returned to his native Brockton for the summer in May. He has been a member at Thorny Lea since high school, when he attended New Testament Christian School in Norton.

The runner-up finish was the best ever for Parziale at the state amateur. This week, he is competing in the New England Amateur at the Charles River Country Club in Newton.

Parziale said his putting was among the strongest facets of his game last week, because "if you hit a few bad shots, you can still escape with a good putt," he said.

Parziale said he enjoys playing summer golf and having the opportunity to compete against familiar faces. Playing in Florida allows him to play golf year round, but he finds time for plenty of golf in New England while he is out of school.

"I know pretty much all" the amateur golfers, he said. "I've been playing with these for quite a few years now. You get to know the guys. It's a good atmosphere and fun to play."

Parziale has steadily improved his game each year.

In 2007, he was named player of the year in the National Christian College Athletic Association after earning medalist honors with a 3-under par 141 (70-71) to lead the Fire to the Division 1 title. He is a three-time South Region Player of the Year.

"It just helps being able to play all year," Parziale said. "You miss so many months out of the year" in winter in Massachusetts. "In Florida, you can play every day and we play in a lot of good tournaments. It's always competitive and it's helped tremendously."

The day after Parziale completed the Mass Amateur, he went back to work in the pro shop at Thorny Lea. He said he was proud that he could represent the club at the state level.

"It's great for the club," Parziale said. "Everyone was excited about it."