From almost missing the cut to advancing to the final match, Belmont’s Jim Cilley experienced just about everything he could at the State Amateur Championship. Everything except winning the title.
The 41-year-old Cilley (Laconia Country Club) challenged 23-year-old Brandon Gillis of Nashua – the 2021 runner-up – for 35 holes, but it was Gillis who claimed the 119th State Amateur Championship presented by Smuttynose on Saturday, 3 and 1, at Abenaqui Country Club.
Gillis – a member of the University of Rhode Island golf team – birdied on the second hole to go 2 up, but Cilley tied it with birdies on the third and fourth holes. Cilley bogeyed on the fifth hole to allow Gillis to regain the lead and he birdied on the seventh and eighth to extend his lead to 3 up.
Gillis took his biggest lead of the match on the 12th hole, 4 up, but Cilley made some key putts on the back nine to cut the deficit to 2 up through the first round. That was as close as Cilley would get.
Over the second round, Gillis occasionally extended his lead to 3 up and 4 up, enough to hold the lead, but not enough to keep Cilley out of striking distance.
Cilley was in the match until he missed a putt on the 17th hole. That put a bogey on Cilley’s card, while Gillis made par to secure the title.
Cilley was competing in his first state am final match since he won the title at Nashua Country Club in 2011. He started off the week a bit rocky, shooting a 9-over 81 on the first day, but upset No. 17 Valentino Cheek (Pease GC), No. 16 Jon Dyer (Nashua CC), No. 33 Will Ducharme (GC of New England), No. 8 Mark Stevens (Beaver Meadow) and No. 5 Joe Bowker (Pembroke Pines) in match play.
This title is the first in the state am for Gillis, who had a tough road to get to the final, defeating No. 2 Ryan Kohler (Hooper Golf Course) in the semifinals and two-time defending champion James Pleat (Nashua CC) in the Round of 16.