Mid-Ams to take on Bayonne
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (October 6, 2017) – The MGA’s 2017 championship season comes to a close with its 11th Mid-Amateur Championship, October 17-18 at the spectacular Bayonne Golf Club in Bayonne, N.J.
Related: Starting Times | MGA Mid-Am History
The Mid-Amateur is the MGA’s second youngest championship, making its debut in 2007 at Hudson National. The two-day, 36-hole event—which Bayonne hosted in 2008—is an invitational to competitors at least 30 years of age based on finishes in MGA and Met Area events. The trophy, the Westmoreland Cup, is named for longtime MGA Tournament Director Gene Westmoreland.
The field, which includes 100 competitors, once again features a deep list of the area’s most talented players looking to close the season on a high note.
The Trevor Triple?
Two-time defending champion Trevor Randolph of Arcola is aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive victory in the event, following wins at Nassau and Tamarack in 2015 and 2016. Dennis Lynch of Nassau Players, in the field once again, also claimed the championship in back-to-back years, doing so in 2009-2010. Randolph will enter the Mid-Am following his recent win in the Nassau Invitational.
Even More Past Champions
Michael Reardon of Tuxedo (2007), Michael Karger of Century (2013), and two-time champion Niall Handley of Essex Fells (2011, 2014), are also in the field eyeing another title in the event. The five past champions in the field own eight of the championship’s 10 titles.
Mid-Am Momentum
Brad Tilley of Sleepy Hollow will look to carry momentum into the Mid-Am following his quarterfinal run in the U.S. Mid-Am, in which he also finished as medalist in on-site qualifying. Earlier this summer, Tilley finished as runner-up in the Westchester Amateur.
Multiple Mid-Ams?
Patrick Pierson of Hollow Brook, Hunter Semels of North Hempstead, and MGA eClub – Westchester/Fairfield member Michael Kennedy are all looking to double up on Mid-Am trophies, following wins in the Westchester, Long Island, and Connecticut Mid-Ams, respectively, this season.
Winners Aplenty
Many competitors in the field are aiming to build upon their successful seasons, having already logged prior victories. This list includes Darin Goldstein of Deepdale (Eagle Oaks Invitational), who also plays out of Bayonne; Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge (MGA Senior Masters); Jonathan Jeter of Nassau Players (Havemeyer Memorial and Boff Invitational); MGA past president Al Small of Fairmount (MGA Senior Amateur); Garrett Engel of Seawane (Long Island Amateur); and Matt Finger of Darlington (Bergen County Amateur).
Close Calls
Brian Komline of Black Oak and Mike Stamberger of Spring Lake are looking to break through in the Mid-Am, as both decorated competitors own a pair of runner-up finishes in the event. Komline finished second in 2016 and 2014, while Stamberger came up just short in 2015 and back in 2008 at Bayonne.
Format
- 36 holes of stroke play over two days
- Cut to the low 40 scores plus ties, and anyone within five strokes of the low score
Bayonne Golf Club
- Opened in 2006, hosted the MGA Mid-Am in 2008
- Construction of the links course used 7.5 million cubic yards of dredge from the New York Harbor
- Holes weave among giant, fescue-covered dunes, with spectacular Manhattan skyline views available throughout
- The par-4 16th was included in The Modern Dream 18 Presented by Rolex
Coverage
- 9 and 18-hole updates for Tuesday’s opening round
- Live hole-by-hole scores for the majority of groups during Wednesday’s final round
- Social Media: @MGA1897 on Twitter for updates through the day; additional content on Facebook and Instagram
- Scoring, recaps, interviews, and photos on mgagolf.org