BEDFORD, N.Y. (August 7, 2007) – A talented field of 16 boys (under 16 years of age) will compete in the 39th MGA/MetLife Boys Championship on Thursday and Friday, August 9 and 10, at Bedford Golf & Tennis Club in Bedford, N.Y. The contestants will compete over two days of match play, preceded by a practice round and luncheon on Wednesday, August 8.

The MGA/MetLife Boys Championship is open to any boy, not yet 16 years of age, who is a student in good standing at an accredited school in the MGA district or who has playing privileges at an MGA member club.

All of this year’s championship competitors qualified concurrently during the Met Junior Championship’s four qualifying rounds in late June. Eight of those players competed in the Met Junior, with two reaching the semifinals and two others winning matches. The field is headed by Ryan McCormick of Middletown, N.J., a semifinalist in the 2007 Met Junior Championship and the NJSGA Boys Championship, and Jonathan Renza of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., also a 2007 Met Junior semifinalist. Among the other contenders will beMichael Miller of Brewster, N.Y., who finished fourth at this year’s Carter Cup/MGA Junior Stroke Play Championship and is the youngest player on the 2007 MGA Williamson Cup team; Robert Gelber of Scarsdale, N.Y., winner of two matches in the 2007 Met Junior;Kurt Brey of Farmingdale, N.Y., winner of his first-round match in the 2007 Met Junior; and Stephen Pastore of Greenwich, Conn., younger brother of  2006 Met Junior champion David Pastore.

In terms of longevity, Bedford is among the most venerable of all MGA clubs and was a founding member of the Association. Founded in 1890 as a tennis club, and opened in 1891, Bedford added golf in 1896 when a nine-hole course was built. It was not until 1927, however, that the course was expanded to 18 holes. The course features several dramatic changes in elevation and underwent an extensive renovation in 1999. This is the eigth time Bedford has hosted the MGA/MetLife Boys Championship, and the challenging layout should make for an exciting two days of match play.

Live scoring updates will be available on the MGA Web site, www.mgagolf.org, and full results will be sent out at the conclusion of play on both days. For more information on this year’s championship contact Lou Cutolo of the MGA at lcutolo@mgagolf.org or by phone at (914) 347-4653.