It appeared after the first round of play that Salem Country Club’s Steven DiLisio might join a select group of players who have won the Massachusetts Open and Massachusetts Amateur.
DiLisio, a professional who has continued his membership at Salem, fired as five-under-par 65 on opening day at the 114th Massachusetts Open at Willowbend on Cape Cod.
The Swampscott resident was solo in second place, one stroke off the lead set by Walpole club pro Jack Boulger. But DiLisio, a third-generation Salem member, could not maintain the form he displayed in the first round in the succeeding two rounds.
The Duke University graduate carded a 72 in the second round and finished tied for fourth place at 3 under par. The three co-leaders, including eventual winner Brandon Berry, Boulger and the only amateur in contention, James Imai, all stood at 5 under, well within reach for DiLisio.
But as the only North Shore-connected player to make the 36-hole cut of plus-8 (148), DiLisio slipped to a 73 final day and a level 210 total. That was good for a tie for ninth place, six strokes behind Berry, from Great Falls, Va., who shot 66-69-69-204.
DiLisio shared ninth place with former PGA and Champions Tour pro Fran Quinn, who is nearly three times DiLisio’s age.
The following North Shore-connected players did not make the cut: Kernwood amateur Christian Emmerich at 149, Myopia assistant pro Greg Kelly at 151 with former Danvers resident and current Portland CC head pro Dan Venezio, former St. John’s Prep standout Nick Pandelena at 153, former Prepster Greg Landry at 154, Kernwood amateur Aidan Emmerich at 155, Peabody resident Athan Goulos at 157 with Salem amateur Kevin Daly and former Salem goilf director and instruction director Kirk Hanefeld, Kernwood member Max Emmerich at 162, Kernwood head pro Frank Dully at 166, Ferncroft amateur Ian Rourke at 168 and Kernwood assistant pro Steve Bramlett at 86-WD.
DiLisio had become the first Salem CC member to win the Massachusetts Amateur in 2019 at The Country Club.