GLEN COVE, N.Y.-- In what turned out to be a two-man race Ken Macdonald, of Upper Montclair GC, showed veins of steel outlasting Marc Turnesa, of Rockville Links, by one stroke successfully defending his title in the 45^th MGA/MetLife Ike Stroke Play Championship.

Macdonald, paired with Turnesa in the final group along with Michael Hyland of Southern Jersey, fired a final round even-par 69 to finish with a 54-hole total of 1-over par 208 today at Nassau CC in Glen Cove, NY.  The 22-year New Jersey native, and recent Richmond University graduate, plans to turn pro in wake of his plans for the U.S. Amateur.  “ Fairways and greens is my game,” Macdonald said after missing only 8 greens all week.  “I only made 4 birdies but I did what I had to do and played my game,” explained the New Jersey State Amateur Champion, “ I felt very confident having won the tournament last year”.

Confident he was, rolling in a 30-foot birdie putt to pull even with Turnesa on hole 15.  When Turnesa lipped out for a three putt double bogey 5 on the par 3 16^th, Macdonald had to only par in for the victory.  Turnesa kept it interesting, coming back with a birdie 3 on the par 4 17^th, but Macdonald stayed strong closing out with two pars to capture the championship and becoming the first repeat winner since Jerry Courville Jr. in 1990 & ’91.  Courville, the three-time champion from Shorehaven, finished in a tie for 3^rd along with 1994 champion Ed Gibstein of Engineers.     

Andrew Svoboda and Jim Graham of Winged Foot narrowly edged out Daniel Macdonald and Christopher Blum of Plandome to capture the team title by one stroke, thus  making Winged Foot also a repeat champion in the team championship.

The 45^th Ike Championship proved to be one of the best ever and was played on one of the Met Area’s finest and truly historic courses.  With upcoming sites scheduled for Montclair CC in Montclair, NJ, Meadow Brook Club in Jericho, NY, Quaker Ridge GC in Scarsdale, NY and Baltusrol GC in Springfield, NJ for the years 2002-2005 ,respectively, the MGA/MetLife Ike Championship will continue to add to its storied history in this new millenium.