Shuman, Drohen, Hedges lead after Round One of Mass. Amateur

During the first round of the 106th Massachusetts Amateur Championship at Kernwood, three competitors took full advantage of the favorable weather conditions and perfect greens to share the lead following the first round of play.Jake Shuman (Blue Hill CC), Bill Drohen (Brookmeadow CC) and John Hadges (Thorny Lea GC) carded scores of 4-under par 66 on Monday to stand atop the leaderboard with one more round of stroke play remaining.Following the conclusion of the second round of stroke play, the starting field will be reduced to the low 32 scorers who will continue on to match play on Wednesday, weather permitting. In the event of a tie, a sudden-death playoff will be used to determine the final Match Play competitors.On this day, the leaderboard was colored by names that represent up-and-coming talent and two former champions.Shuman, who will be a freshman at Duke University in the fall, grabbed headlines early on in the day by making eagle on the first hole and was 5-under par through his first seven holes. During that impressive stretch, the 18-year-old from Needham followed up an eagle on that 490-yard, par 5 1st hole with birdies on the 4th, 5th and 6th holes.?I made a 15 footer on the first and then four, five and six were all tap-in birdies within three feet so I wasn?t working too hard on the greens during the first few holes,” said Shuman. “I was lucky to hit some good wedge shots to get off to a good start and then I coasted in from there. I probably should have been more aggressive, but it?s a good learning experience.”Shuman?s stranglehold on the top spot was short-lived, however, as Drohen – the 2009 champion of this event – carded his own 4-under par 66.?What a day,” said Drohen, who is also a three-time Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Champion. “I don?t think that I have had this kind of a round since when I won the Pub Links and shot a 30 on the (New England Country Club) back and it felt like that the whole day. I wasn?t missing fairways, and I don?t think that I have ever hit my irons this close. It seemed as if I was within 10 to 15 feet all day long.”Hadges is another past champion – he won this title in 2008 and 2010 – who fared well on day one.?I didn?t make any mistakes,” said Hadges. “I hit it good, I putted great and when I missed a green I got up and down and was in the right spot.”A Homecoming For Matthew BullockMatthew Bullock (Kernwood CC) stepped up to the 8th tee on Monday afternoon and sent his first shot of the 106th Massachusetts Amateur Championship straight down the fairway.It was a moment that Bullock won?t soon forget as it signaled the start of a memorable week for the 18-year-old from Marblehead.After all, this year marks not only his first career Championship Proper but he is also the lone Kernwood Country Club member in the field. Despite having the weight of an entire membership on his shoulders, Bullock is savoring every moment of this week.?I was a little nervous,” said Bullock, a rising senior at the Loomis Chaffee School (CT) who previously spent two years at St. John?s Prep. “We don?t normally play on (hole) 8 up at the right, but I hit a good shot and was happy about that … I just wanted to get off to a good start.”Bullock?s journey back to his home course began last month when he was one of 12 competitors to advance to Championship Proper at a qualifier at Bass Rocks GC. His composure showed that day as well when Bullock recovered from a quadruple bogey on his seventh hole of the day to finish within the cut line.