Concord, NH – The Round of 16 of the Four Ball Match Play Championship was contested Wednesday at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, with eight teams advancing through a day that featured dominant performances, a marathon extra-hole battle, and several tightly contested matches. Few top seeds remain in the tournament as the Round of 16 was all about upsets with seeds 12, 13 and 14 all advancing on to the Quarterfinals.
One of the day’s most impressive performances belonged to top seeds Nate Stevens and Jeremy Quelch, who demonstrated why they earned the #1 seed. Facing the 16th-seeded team of Raney and Dowell, Stevens and Quelch seized control early and never looked back on their way to a 3 & 2 victory.
Stevens and Quelch claimed the opening hole and quickly extended their advantage by winning the second hole. After adding another hole on the fifth with a birdie, they embarked on a dominant stretch that effectively put the match out of reach. Wins on holes six and seven pushed the lead to 5 up, and the top seeds reached their largest advantage of the day at 6 up through 10 holes. Consistent play and timely birdies kept the pressure squarely on their opponents throughout the match.
Raney and Dowell attempted a comeback on the back nine, trimming the deficit to 3 up through 14 holes, but Stevens and Quelch never allowed the momentum to fully shift. The match concluded on the 16th hole, sending the tournament’s top team into the Quarterfinals with a convincing victory.
Stevens and Quelch will now face ninth-seeded and defending champions Dan Mulkern and Brett Wilson, who advanced after receiving a concession from Hamel and Dyer.
One of the day’s most dramatic contests came between the #4 seed of Johnston and Sovis and the 13th-seeded duo of Craig and Matt Steckowych. Neither side could gain a decisive edge throughout regulation, forcing the match into extra holes. The Steckowych team eventually prevailed on the 20th hole, earning one of the biggest victories of the round and securing a Quarterfinal meeting with Ricky Dichard and Steve Lane, who posted the most lopsided result of the day with a 6 & 4 win over Arsenault and Webster.
The bottom half of the bracket featured another strong showing from a top contender as second-seeded Mike Mahan and Jim Cilley advanced with a 3 & 2 victory over Gibson and Somero. Mahan and Cilley will take on seventh-seeded Andrew Surprenant and James Shattuck, who moved through to the Quarterfinals after their Round of 16 match ended in a concession.
The closest match decided in regulation came between third-seeded Sean Gavin and Andrew McIlvene and the 14th-seeded team of Cole Anderson and Shane Foye. Anderson and Foye defeated the #3 seed by a narrow 1 up margin. They now advance to face sixth-seeded Moquin and Duhamel, who secured a 2 & 1 victory over Browning and Cameron.
With the field narrowed to eight teams, the Quarterfinals are set to feature several compelling matchups, including the tournament’s top seed against defending champions Mulkern-Wilson pairing. As the championship continues at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, the race for the Four Ball Match Play title continues on July 30th.
Four Ball Match Play | Championship Flight Bracket
