RYE, N.Y. (July 25, 2006) - As the first two rounds came to a close today at the 89th MGA/MetLife Junior Championship at The Apawamis Club in Rye, N.Y., most of the favorites coming into the championship had advanced to the Round of 16. Most notable among them was last year’s runner-up, Jeff Pike of Rye, N.Y., who defeated Rob Hellauer of Lebanon, N.J., in the first round and Robby Brand of Pleasantville, N.Y., in the second round.

Pike will be joined in the Round of 16 by a group of very accomplished junior players.  Tommy Mcdonagh of Wilton, Conn., the 2006 Connecticut State Amateur champion, defeated Dylan Newman of New Rochelle, N.Y., in the first round before eliminating Jeff Bradke of Oyster Bay, N.Y., in the second round.  Joining Mcdonagh, will be Michael Miller of Brewster, N.Y., whose father is the head pro at Knollwood CC in Elmsford, N.Y.  Miller held on to defeat top-seeded Michael Ballo Jr., the 2006 Connecticut Junior champion, in the second round, 1 up.  Chris Scialo of New City, N.Y., the 2004 WGA Junior champion also advanced after defeating Conor Walsh of Lincroft, N.J., and Andrew DeForest of Cottekill, N.Y.

In addition to Ballo’s second-round loss, the first day of the championship included a few upsets.  The 63rd seed, Andrew Heiberger of Milltown, N.J., defeated second-seeded Mark Constanza in the first round, 1 up.  Constanza was the 2003 MGA/MetLife Boys champion and a quarter-finalist in the 2004 Junior.  Fifth-seeded Jimmy Arbes of Westfield, N.J., who finished t-4th in the 2005 Carter Cup, also had an early exit, losing 1 up to Jeff Bradke of Oyster Bay, N.Y.

The Round of 16 is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday when Michael Miller will face off against Andrew Tursky of Hillsborough, N.J., in the first match.  The quarter-finals will begin immediately following the completion of the Round of 16.  For complete results for the first and second rounds, as well as Wednesday’s pairings, please visit the MGA website at www.mgagolf.org.