Battle of the Hawks: Xaverian teammates needed all 18 holes to decide the Mass. Junior Amateur

Boston Globe

7 days ago

They were both one hole away from a championship.
'It was definitely a little weird at first,' Constantine said. 'He's a competitor, we're both super competitive, and we both wanted to win.'
On the 18th hole, Morrow faced a difficult wedge shot from the right side of the rough. After laying up at 160 yards, he hit his approach pin-high left. Constantine responded with a soft chip shot, leaving him a three-foot putt.
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After Morrow's birdie attempt slid past the hole, Constantine sank his birdie putt to become the first Massachusetts Junior Amateur champion to win on their home course in a decade.
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The hometown hero delivers... Franklin CC's Thomas Constantine birdies the 18th in the final match to win the
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf)
'It meant a lot to me to represent my home course,' said Constantine, who went even-par 71 in the final. '[The] course has been generous to me and I've spent hundreds of hours playing there. Making that last putt felt surreal.'
Despite the loss, Morrow was pleased with his showing.
'I wanted to play pretty well, and to make finals is definitely a big accomplishment for me and exceeded what I thought I was able to do at the tournament,' he said.
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Christopher Morrow, a rising sophomore at Xaverian, reached the final of the Mass. Junior Amateur at Franklin Country Club.
David Colt
Just 16, Morrow finished with a 2-over-par 72, after defeating Franklin CC's Maxx Zides, 3 and 2, in the quarterfinals.
For the sophomore, facing a teammate in the final was exciting, but didn't change his approach.
'It's just another match, I try to stick to my game plan and play the same way [I had] been playing all week, but I definitely think it lights a fire in me.' Morrow said. 'I didn't get the win, but it was definitely a lot of fun to play against him.'
In the semifinals, Morrow defeated Nehoiden Golf Club's
Constantine's enjoyed a successful summer. Before winning the Mass. Junior Amateur, he also
The 107th Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship, powered by
— Mass Golf (@PlayMassGolf)
Entering his senior year at Xaverian, the Franklin resident understands the importance of preparing for the fall season through summer play.
'It's definitely crucial to have a good summer going into the fall because this helps build a lot of confidence and gives you momentum knowing you've been playing well,' said Constantine. 'I've seen a huge change in my ball striking. I've worked on my swing a lot, and I've been practicing a lot on my home course — just trying to improve and clean my game up.'
The 17-year-old plans to continue hitting the links at a Division 1 school. His performances this summer have certainly helped his stock.
'I've definitely had a couple more coaches reach out to me after the win, so that was very helpful,' Constantine said . 'Hopefully, I'm committed by the start of the school year.'
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Thomas Constantine is hoping to lead Xaverian to a state championship this fall after finishing as runners-up last year.
David Colt
For now, both players are focused on the upcoming fall season, with high expectations for the Hawks. Xaverian finished the 2024 season with a 14-2 record, and first-place hardware from the Cape Cod National Tournament, Catholic Conference Tournament, and the Division 1 South Sectional tournament. The Hawks finished second in the MIAA Division 1 state championship last October.
'We've been really solid, but we haven't been able to get over the hump,' said Constantine. 'I expect this year that we have the depth. Everyone's been practicing and I think we might have enough to win it all this year.'
Xaverian begins play Sept. 2 against Catholic Memorial at the Charles River Country Club in Newton.
Alexandria Evans can be reached at