Kelly wins 106th Mass. Amateur championship

SALEM – It was a dream that played out in his head for many years, but the reality was so much sweeter for John Kelly (Twin Hills CC).Under perfect playing conditions at Kernwood Country Club on Saturday, the 25-year-old Kelly claimed an impressive 3 and 2 victory over Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich GC) to become the 106th Massachusetts Amateur Champion.?I don?t really know if you think coming into the week that you will be in the final,” said Kelly. “To win it is unbelievable.”The word unbelievable is what many would have used to describe his play.He entered the final match having played 10-under par golf through his previous two rounds (a total of 30 holes). Despite taking on a perennial all-star and the reigning Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year in Clapp, Kelly was unflappable.?I was a little nervous the whole time and especially on the first tee,” said Kelly, who works for his family business based in Springfield. “Once we got started I calmed down and then when I got the 5-up lead I got pretty nervous. I tried to stay in the moment and not think about what might happen.”He will now have plenty of time to think about what happened and it will bring a quick smile to his face.It all started on the 418-yard, par 4 3rd hole where – with both players off the green with their approaches – Kelly chipped in from 25 feet right of the green. That fantastic shot gave him a 2-up lead and set the tone for the rest of the first 18 holes.He would build up a 5-up lead through 17 holes and then take a 4-up advantage into the break after he made bogey on the 18th hole.?I played really well on the first 18 to get that 5 up lead at one point,” said Kelly. “I made a crummy bogey on 18 to go 4 up but I was still trying to stay positive.”As expected, Clapp did not relent and he made a charge that would see him cut Kelly?s lead to just 1 up through the 25th hole, despite losing the 19th hole after a Kelly birdie.?There was still plenty of time to go,” said Clapp. “In 36 holes, I figure I am going to have a stretch or a three-hole stretch where you go boom, boom, boom and then all of a sudden you start thinking about it and maybe he starts doubting himself and it starts to snowball but it just didn?t.”Kelly responded like true champions do to capture his first ever Massachusetts Cup. His name will now be etched on that prestigious trophy alongside golf greats such as Fred Wright, Francis Ouimet, Jesse Guilford and Ted Bishop.?The second 18 wasn?t stellar golf by any means but I did what I had to do,” said Kelly, who is a 2011 graduate of the University of Rhode Island.A major turning point came on the 26th hole, one hole after Kelly suffered a bogey and his lead was cut to just one. He stepped up to the very next tee and decided to hit driver on the 340-yard, par 4 8th hole. What looked to be a risky play turned out to be a gem.He sent his drive dead straight and landed it no more than 55 yards from the hole. He calmly chipped to six feet to regain a 2-up advantage.?There really wasn?t a second thought,” said Kelly when asked about that club selection. “I was fuming a bit and the last thing I want to do when I am running hot is lay up with a 5 iron. I wanted to rip a driver and that?s what I did.”Kelly all but sealed his victory on the 31st and 32nd holes.With a 1-up lead, Kelly hit driver and 3 wood onto the green on the 525-yard, par 5 13th hole to set up a birdie win. He then – after finding trouble off the tee – drained a 40-foot par putt to halve the hole and secure a 3-up lead with four holes to go.The match ended on the very next hole when Clapp could not win the hole and Kelly was told that his putt was conceded for the last time at Kernwood Country Club.?My legs are shaking still,” said Kelly. “I need to talk to my family and then it will probably sink in.”