MARION - Following two days of stroke play at The Kittansett Club, the 100th Massachusetts Amateur Championship field has been reduced from 144 to only 32 players. Those low scorers from the first two rounds have earned the right to compete in the Match Play portion of the event, which begins on this morning.

In the battle for medalist honors, it was John Hadges (North Easton/Thorny Lea GC) who claimed that title for the fifth time in his career. The 47-year-old from North Easton has now been the medalist at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship in 1981, 1987, 1988, 2005 and 2008. Hadges, who finished with a two-day total of 2-over par 142, is hoping to become the first medalist to win the title since James Driscoll, now a current PGA Tour player, achieved the same feat back in 1998 at Belmont Country Club.

Of the local contingent, Scott Congdon was the only player to make the cut. Congdon, a Foxboro resident who plays out of the Foxborough CC, finished tied for 13th at a pair of 4-over-par rounds of 74 (148).

Just missing the cut were Michael Pyne (Foxboro/Foxborough CC) and Matt Broome (TPC-Boston), both just a shot off the pace at 152. Ryan Riley (Attleboro/Norton CC) was two shots below the cut line at 153, tied for 40th.

Other local golfers missing the cut were: Brian O'Leary (Norfolk/Ponkapoag CC) 154, Vincent Bucci (Norfolk/Charles River CC) 158, and Mark Grant (Mansfield/Foxborough CC) 174. Greg Brastow (Foxboro/Foxborough CC) withdraw after an opening round 89. The first match will commence at 7:30 a.m. with all matches to follow at nine-minute intervals. Winners from the Round of 32 will continue on to the Round of 16 which will take place during the afternoon hours. The quarterfinal and semifinal matches are scheduled for Thursday, while the 36-hole final match will be contested on Friday. This year's cut line fell at 11-over par 151 with 32 players hitting that mark or lower.