By Dalton Balthaser

 

CRANSTON - If Spencer Dumas was being assessed in school for his performance so far in his first Rhode Island Golf Association Junior Amateur, he would be passing with flying colors.

 

Dumas, the No. 1 seed, continued to cruise through his competition and advanced to the semifinals of the 99th#RIGAJunior at Alpine Country Club (par 72, 6,627 yards) after a 4&2 victory over No. 9 seed Shayne Bigelow of Connecticut National Golf Club

 

Joining Dumas in the semifinals Thursday will be No. 4 seed Harry Dessel of Rhode Island Country Club, No. 6 seed John Baldwin of Little Compton, R.I. and No. 15 seed Ben Sapovits of Ledgemont Country Club.

 

In Thursday’s morning matches, Dumas will face Dessel and Baldwin will face Sapovits. Both matches will be in the same group at 8 a.m. The 18-hole Final will take place following the conclusion of the semifinal matches.

 

Dumas, of Wannamoisett Country Club, fell behind early after losing No. 2 (par 5, 510 yards). He rebounded nicely with victories on Nos. 3 (par 4, 325 yards), 4 (par 5, 515 yards) and 5 (par 4, 442 yards).

 

Dumas said was No. 3 was the key hole of the match. He hit his drive into the fairway bunker off the tee and chunked it into the greenside bunker 40 yards away, which he said is the hardest shot in golf.

 

But Dumas hit it to 10 feet and converted the putt to win the hole since Bigelow three-putted, giving Dumas the momentum.

 

He then canned a 30-footer for birdie on No. 4 to go 1-up and that was all he needed.

 

“The putter was hot on the front nine,” said Dumas, 16, of Plainville, Mass. “I wasn’t missing much of anything. The back nine it cooled a little bit. The putter has been consistent all week. Having a good putter is a nice bonus.”

 

Dumas continues to impress. He said the nerves are still there, but he has started well in both matches he’s played. Playing from in front is where you want to be in match play.

 

“Thursday, I want to get out of the gates and win my early match quickly,” said Dumas, a rising junior at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Mass. “That way I can be firing on all cylinders for the Final. I play 36 holes each day, so I am not worried about that part.”

 

Dessel, a rising junior at Moses Brown School, punched his ticket to the semifinals after a 5&4 victory over Potowomut Golf Club’s Jack McMullen.

 

Dessel, a finalist last year at Kirkbrae Country Club, has some unfinished business. He lost to Metacomet Golf Club’s Brendan Fay.

 

He knows is capable of winning it all. But there’s that added pressure of knowing he’s one of the players to beat.

 

“I really didn’t want to lose in the first round after making the Final last year,” said Dessel, 17, of Barrington. “But I got a hard draw having to play Max Jackson but was able to get by him. Now I feel like a weight has been lifted off me and I feel better about continuing to advance.”

 

Dessel birdied two of the first three holes to get out in front of McMullen. A beautiful splash from the greenside bunker to two feet on No. 2 and he hit a 50-degree wedge from 120 yards to 15 feet on No. 3 to take an early lead. And he wouldn’t surrender it.

 

“You have to try and get up early in matches,” said Dessel. “You feel more comfortable playing from ahead than having to force things.”

 

Baldwin took down No. 3 seed Gary Taraian of Pawtucket Country Club, 3&2, keeping his hope of winning the #RIGAJunior in his last year of eligibility alive.

 

The recent graduate of St. George’s School will be playing collegiately at Babson College. He parred each hole he played on the back to close out Taraian.

 

“I need to trust my swing,” said Baldwin, 18, of Little Compton, R.I. “When I give up on it my play drops. I know if I am playing my best, not many people can beat me.”

 

Sapovits, continues to be the giant killer. He took down No. 7 seed Ethan Mossey of Potowomut, 3&2, keeping the momentum he built in Tuesday’s Round of 16 by eliminating No. 2 seed Mark Wilson of Wannamoisett.

 

“I hit the ball better than I ever have on Tuesday,” said Sapovits, 17, of Mansfield, Mass. “I didn’t hit it as well today, but it was still some of the best golf I have played. I just have to keep that mentality going.”

 

No. 12 (par 3, 177 yards) at Alpine has been Sapovits’ hole. He’s birdied it the last two days. On Tuesday he stuffed a 7-iron and Wednesday it was a 6-iron.

 

“It’s nice to be in the semifinals because I lost to Nolan Marcoux last year in the quarterfinals.” said Sapovits, a rising senior at The Wheeler School. “I was disappointed. If I focus on myself, I’ll be fine.”