14th MGA Mid-Amateur Heads to Somerset Hills
Somerset Hills Country Club | Photo: Jon Cavalier
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 30, 2020) -- On October 6-7, the Met Area's top players aged 30 and above head to A.W. Tillinghast's classic Somerset Hills Country Club to vie for the 14th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship.
Related: Pairings | Mid-Am History
The championship debuted in 2007 at Hudson National and has since visited some of the region's most respected venues, with Bayonne Golf Club, Maidstone Club and Wee Burn Country Club hosting the most recent playings. Players earn the highly sought-after invite based on finishes in MGA and other Met Area events. The trophy, the Westmoreland Cup, is named for longtime MGA Tournament Director Gene Westmoreland who was instrumental in launching the championship and has a great passion for the mid-amateur game.
Past Champions
A total of 6 past champions that account for 9 of the championship's 13 titles are in the field at Somerset Hills:
Brad Tilley, Sleepy Hollow (2019)
Darin Goldstein, Deepdale (2018)
Trevor Randolph, Arcola (2016, 2015)
Niall Handley, Essex Fells (2014, 2011)
Michael Karger, Century (2013)
Dennis Lynch, Nassau Players (2010, 09)
Going for it Again
Brad Tilley aims to become the third player to successfully defend the title in the MGA Mid-Amateur. He would become the third player to do so, joining Dennis Lynch and Trevor Randolph. After winning the NYSGA, WGA and MGA Mid-Amateurs in 2019, Tilley has already defended his WGA title this year, while the NYSGA Mid-Amateur has been cancelled for 2020.
Mid-Am Momentum
Darin Goldstein of Deepdale owns the longest active streak of consecutive top-10s in the event (4), while Jonathan Jeter of Nassau Players (3), Tilley (3), Chester Patterson of Hamilton Farm (2) and Hunter Semels of North Hempstead (2) all aim to build on their own number of consecutive top-10 finishes. Of those who finished tied 10th or better last year at Wee Burn (13 players), 12 will be in the field once again this week. Ken Bakst of Friar's Head is in the field at Mill River Club for the 93rd MGA Senior Amateur Championship, which was rescheduled from it's typical playing in early May.
Points on the Line
With the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year race quickly coming to a close, players aim to make the most of limited remaining opportunities. This year's Ike and New Jersey State Open champion Mark Costanza of Hamilton Farm will look to extend his lead atop the listing with a strong performance, while Tilley stands 205 points behind Costanza in fourth place.
Met & Mid-Amateur
2017 Met Amateur champion Matt Mattare of Darlington is making his first start in the MGA Mid-Amateur. He'll aim to join Greg Rohlf as the only player to win both the Met Amateur and MGA Mid-Amateur.
Somerset Hills Country Club
- The Club was founded in 1899, while its present-day course was completed in 1917, replacing the original 9-hole Tom Bendelow design
- Perennially listed among the Top 100 courses in the country
- Known for an outstanding collection of par threes as well as contrasting styles from the front to back nines
- Hosting an MGA championship for the fifth time (1982 and 2003 Met Amateur, 2011 Ike, 2019 Women's Met Am)
- Hosted the 1973 and 1983 U.S. Girls' Junior and 1990 Curtis Cup
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 after 18 holes
Coverage
- Live hole-by hole scoring for both rounds
- Social Media: @MGA1897 for additional updates on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
- Scoring, recaps, interviews and photos on mgagolf.org