Hingham—Somewhere along I-90 around 7:45 last night, Mike Slosek couldn’t contain his excitement anymore.

You see, his golf game—like his enthusiasm—had been bottled up during the early part of the season.

Two weeks ago, two big numbers led to a disappointing 78 in the Stockbridge Classic. Then he shot rounds of 82-79 and finished in the bottom half of the field in the Western Mass. Open earlier this week.

But all of that negative momentum reversed itself during yesterday’s Mass. Open qualifier at Black Rock Country Club.

Despite bogeys on two of his first three holes, Slosek rallied to shoot a 1-under 71 and secure one of 22 berths into next month’s state open.

“I’m so pumped,” Slosek said, while driving home. “I don’t even have the words to describe it.”

Slosek missed a two-foot par putt on No. 9 to shoot 38. But he birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 13 then missed a pair of birdie putts inside ten-feet on the next two holes and bogeyed No. 17 to settle for a 2-under 33.

“I could have lit up that back nine,” he said.

Slosek, a member at Skyline, credits his game’s rebirth to a tip from Head Professional Jim Mitus that has him hitting the ball 30 yards farther.

“I missed the cut last year and couldn’t wait for this event,” said Slosek, who shot a pair of 77’s in last year’s Mass. Open.

Donnie Troy will join Slosek at Kernwood Country Club on June 18^th. Like Slosek, Troy struggled early, making double on No. 3 and bogey on No. 5, both the result of short missed putts.

But Troy responded with birdies on Nos. 4, 7, 13 and 15, and added an eagle from 5-feet on No. 18 to shoot 3-under 69 and clinch his 4^th consecutive appearance in the Mass. Open.

“I think I should be getting into the event,” said Troy. “I belong there.”

Pittsfield’s Matt Donovan had to wonder if he belonged at qualifying yesterday. After all, he had finished in the top 25 of the Mass. Open for the past four years, and had been exempt from qualifying since 2003. Nonetheless, there was Donovan, shooting a solid round of par 72 at Foxborough Country Club to qualify easily.

Qualifying continues today at Ballymeade Country Club. Troy and Slosek each earned 70 points for their performances. Troy, with 112.5 points, leads the Men’s Player of the Year standings, presented by the Scarafoni Financial Group.