Headline: The Bay State's Top Seniors Look to Capture a Major Title; 57th Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship Set For September 18-19 at Oakely CC
For Immediate Release: September 16, 2017
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Keith Smith will look to defend his Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship title at Oakley Country Club this week. |
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Norton, MA — Less than three weeks after competing in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in Minnesota, five Bay State natives will highlight the field of 120 competitors at the 57th playing of the Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship, being contested at Watertown’s Oakley Country Club September 18-19.
The 11th MGA Championship Proper of the season is the area’s top senior event and this year features the winners from each of the past 11 MGA Senior Amateur Championships.
Following four qualifiers held during the month of August, the 120 competitors in the field will play 36-holes over the course of two days to determine this year’s winner.
Entries were open to amateur golfers who have reached their 55th birthday by September 18, 2017 and who have an active MGA/GHIN Handicap Index at any public, private, semi-private, municipal or non-real estate MGA member course/club not exceeding 8.0 (as determined by the July 1, 2017 Handicap Revision) or have completed their handicap certification.
All competitors earned a spot in the field by qualifying at one of four sites – either Springfield Country Club, Pine Brook Country Club, Willowbend Country Club or Marshfield Country Club, or were exempt based on previous success in MGA Championship Propers.
“This year’s field is deeply talented and will once again display the rich competition of golfers that exist here in the Bay State” said MGA Director of Rules and Competition Kevin Eldridge. “With all five competitors who represented the Bay State out in Minnesota in this field, as well as many who competed in this past week’s New England Senior Amateur Championship, we are excited to begin the MGA Senior Amateur Championship and crown a champion Tuesday at Oakley Country Club.”
Those five individuals who competed at the US Senior Amateur Championship at the Minikahda Club – Frank Vana, Jack Kearney, Ronald LaVerdiere, Mike Arter and Brian Secia – will join 2017 New England Senior Amateur Super Senior Division Champion Jim Ruschioni, a two time MGA Senior Champion, in the field, who shot a 5-over par 147 over 36 holes to win the prestigious title at Connecticut’s Wethersfield Country Club this past Wednesday.
This year’s Senior Amateur Championship also features seven competitors who are eligible for the first time in 2017, having turned age 55 sometime between the completion of last year’s Championship, which was won by Keith Smith at Turner Hills Golf Club and the beginning of this year’s Championship Proper.
This is the second Senior Amateur Championship to be hosted at Oakley Country Club. In 1987, John Gargalianos won the 27th MGA Senior Amateur that was held at the Watertown club.
57th Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship Notes & Quick Links
Age Breakdown
55-59: 52
60-64: 41
65-69: 21
70 +: 3
Oldest in the Field:
David Houghton, the 2014 MGA Senior Amateur Champion, and 2017 MGA Super Senior Amateur Champion, is age 73
Youngest in the Field:
Frank Vana, Jr., a 9-time MGA Player of the Year and member of the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame, turned 55 in late August. He is four days younger than the next youngest competitor, Mark McCormick (Harmon GC).
New England Senior Amateur Championship & Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship:
41 of the 55 competitors from Massachusetts who played in the New England Senior Amateur Championship will also be playing in the Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship.
Round 1 Pairings & Tee Times:
https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/1129008
Past Champions:
http://www.mgalinks.org/championships/archives/pastchampions/pastchamps_senior.html
About the Course:
http://www.oakleycountryclub.org/club/scripts/public/public.asp?NS=PUBLIC
Follow:
Stay up to date with everything regarding the 2017 Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship by visiting mgalinks.org or following the Massachusetts Golf Association on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #MassSenior.
