Quagliano and Giuliani in Semifinals of MGA/MetLife Junior
Rye, N.Y.-Andrew Giuliani of New York, NY, son of former mayor Rudolph Giuliani, led a group of four determined juniors, who survived the third and quarterfinal rounds of the 86th MGA/MetLife Junior Championship on the second day of play at The Apawamis Club in Rye, NY. Giuliani, Michael Quagliano, of White Plains, NY, one of the pre-tournament favorites, along with Joseph Yastrub of Lake Grove, NY and Eric LeFante of Colts Neck, NJ all survived a day of hard-fought matches that began with sixteen juniors. The four advance to the semifinal rounds tomorrow, beginning at 7:40 AM.
Giuliani controlled his match against David Held, of Roslyn, NY as he won the first hole and never trailed for the remainder of the day. He reached the afternoon round with a 2 & 1 victory over 2003 NJPGA Junior Open champion, Marc Issler of Toms River, NJ. The 2003 USGA Junior sectional qualifying medalist and 2002 MGA/MetLife Boys champion, Quagliano edged his way into tomorrow’s semifinal round with a victory over Christopher Holmes of Gardiner’s Bay, NY in 19 holes. Quagliano easily reached the afternoon’s quarterfinals with a 5 & 3 victory over Tyler Zara of New Canaan, CT this morning.
LeFante dominated both of his matches today with consecutive 4 & 3 victories. He defeated 2002 USGA Junior Championship sectional qualifying medalist Tyler Kupper of Weston, CT in the morning’s round, and then went on to defeat Brian Clarke of Turnersville, NJ in the afternoon’s quarterfinals. Yastrub, who took the last spot in the Long Island sectional qualifying round, also edged his way into the semifinals with a 20-hole victory over last season’s MGA/MetLife Boy’s Championship runner-up, Ryan Shallcross of Westfield, NJ. Yastrub breezed into this afternoon’s quarterfinals with a 4 & 3 victory over Joseph DelGrosso of Carmel, NY. The four juniors will return tomorrow for the semifinal and final rounds that will determine winner of the nation’s oldest junior championship.
For more information contact Dan Miesieski or Gene Westmoreland of the MGA @ (914) 347-GOLF or visit the MGA website at mgagolf.org.
