By Dalton Balthaser

 

CRANSTON – Playing match play is a completely different animal than playing stroke play.

 

In stroke play, each shot matters. In match play, if you have a bad hole it is just one hole. That bad hole doesn’t define your whole round.

 

Regardless of format there’s always pressure. 

 

Especially when you are the one with everything to lose.

 

Spencer Dumas, the No. 1 seed in the Junior Boys’ Division of the 99th Rhode Island Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship, didn’t succumb to pressure in the Round of 16 of the #RIGAJunior Tuesday at Alpine Country Club (par 72, 6,627 yards).

 

Dumas defeated No. 16 seed Matt Siegal of Newport Country Club, 6&5. 

 

“I always feel pressure on the first tee,” said Dumas, 16, of Plainville, Mass. “I knew I didn’t want to lose but coming in as the No. 1 seed gave me the confidence I needed. I would say the pressure was normal, but I felt good when I got to the golf course today.

 

“I wanted to minimize my mistakes. I didn’t think a lot of birdies would be made. I wanted to take my opportunities when they came and stay away from bogeys.”

 

His first opportunity came on No. 1 (par 4, 326 yards). After laying well back with an iron, Dumas hit a 9-iron from 140 yards to six feet. An opening birdie that put him out front early.

 

“After birdieing No. 1, I said to myself to make more birdies,” said Dumas. “It was a good start. I didn’t want to get too excited that early on.”

 

Not much excitement otherwise for Dumas on the front nine. He made a few bogeys but no more birdies. As a result of Siegal’s struggles on the front, Dumas was 3-up. Then things kicked into gear.

 

“On the front nine when I was making my bogeys, I was grinding over downhill putts to try to save par,” said Dumas. “On the back nine, I was putting from below the hole each time I made a birdie. I learned my lesson on the front nine. The greens were so firm, I started to figure it out on the back nine.”

 

He birdied No. 10 (par 5, 505 yards) after hitting a lob wedge from 50 yards to 10 feet on his third shot.

 

Then he won No. 11 (par 4, 371 yards) with a par and won No. 12 (par 3, 177 yards) with a birdie. A 6-iron to four feet put him dormie over Siegal. A two-putt par on No. 13 (par 4, 407 yards) was all he needed to advance.

 

“I wanted to play as few of holes as possible today,” said Dumas. “Closing out your competitor late in a match is hard to do. I was happy to not have to do that today.”

 

Dumas, of Wannamoisett Country Club, has only seen all 18 holes at Alpine once, which was on Monday. But you wouldn’t know that with the way he’s playing.

 

Next up for Dumas is No. 9 seed Shayne Bigelow in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The Connecticut National Golf Club member rallied from a 3-down deficit at the turn to defeat Swansea Country Club’s Connor Sullivan, 2&1.

 

“There’s nothing crazy here at Alpine, which I like,” said Dumas. “It is not a long golf course so I can hit my 3-wood a lot, which is my favorite club. The Par 5s are gettable and actually, the Par 3s suit my eye. I feel comfortable.”

 

The upset of the day came from Ledgemont Country Club’s Ben Sapovits. Sapovits, the No. 15 seed took down No. 2 seed Mark Wilson of Wannamoisett, 3&2.

 

Sapovits said it was a bit of a surprise.

 

“I made a grip change two weeks ago,” said Sapovits, 17, of Mansfield, Mass. “My old grip was too strong, and I hit a lot of hooks. I weakened it and now I can’t hit my driver left.” Which is why I hit driver on No. 16.”

 

Sapovits had a 4-up lead at the turn and headed to No. 16 (par 4, 388 yards) dormie over Wilson. Water looms all down the left side of the hole, making it a tough driving hole for someone whose miss is left.

 

“Two weeks ago, I don’t know what I would have hit off the tee,” said Sapovits. “I think any club I would’ve hit could have gone in the water. I am hitting my driver as straight as an arrow and if I miss it, I am missing it to the right, not left. I am swinging confident.”

 

Sapovits, pulled driver confidently and bashed it into the narrowest part of the fairway. A flip wedge and a two-putt sealed the deal for Sapovits, whose grip change couldn’t have come at a better time.

 

“My mentality has changed,” said Sapovits, a rising senior at The Wheeler School in Providence. “I have been able to hit the ball a little bit farther because I have gotten stronger. Before if I made a couple of bogeys, I would have to hang on to break 80. Now I feel like I can make birdies to counteract any bogeys. I feel like I am never out of it.”

 

Next up for Sapovits is No. 7 seed Ethan Mossey in the quarterfinals at 8:10 a.m. Wednesday. The Potowomut Golf Club member won the last two holes to defeat No. 10 seed Teddy Murphy of The Aquidneck Club, 2-up.

 

“Today was the first time in match play I felt I was in control,” said Sapovits. “In the past, I would’ve tried to make pars and hope my opponent would make bogeys. I don’t want to leave the match in my opponents’ hands.”

 

Girls’ Division

 

In the lone match of the Girls’ Division, Ledgemont Country Club’s Hanley Correia defeated Kirkbrae Country Club’s Jordan Vrees in 19 holes.

 

Correia will face medalist and No. 1 seed Vinny Papa of Valley Country Club at 8:20 a.m. Wednesday.