14-year-old becomes youngest golf champ at Country Club of New Bedford

Oct 21, 2021

At age 14, Dartmouth resident Matthew Oliveira, son of Roger and Christine, just became the youngest golfer to win the Men’s Club Championship in the 119-year history of the Country Club of New Bedford.

After qualifying into the Club Championships with 15 other players, Oliveira beat well-established local golfers including Nick Valm in the round of 16, last year’s CCNB Club Championship runner-up William LaFrance in the quarterfinals, and Standard-Times Player of the Year Paul Zeller in the semifinals.  

Oliveira faced Ryan Hemingway, who outlasted last year’s champion, Adam Bradshaw, in 19 holes in the other semi-final match.  Matthew Oliveira became the youngest Men’s Club Champion in the 119-year history of the Club, home of America’s Oldest Fourball.

In April, Oiveira won the United States Challenge Cup – New England Qualifier and played in the Scott Robertson Memorial Tournament at the Roanoke Country Club in Virginia.

In July, the 14-year-old qualified and played in the US Kids World Teen Championships at Pinehurst, North Carolina. He partnered with friend John Scully to win the Taconic Junior Four Ball Tournament and Two-Person Best Ball Gross. 

Earlier this fall, Oliveira also won the Allendale Junior Club Championship.

Oliveira currently attends Bishop Stang High School, where he continues to play on the school's golf team.

“Congratulations to Matt Oliveira for winning the 2021 Men’s Club Championship,” said Vincent Forte, the Country Club of New Bedford’s PGA Club Professional. “Good luck this golf season Matt. Stang has a talented young man for the next few years.  We look forward to seeing you get better every year!”