WEE BURN SHOWING ITS TEETH IN EARLY GOING AT MGA SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

DARIEN, Conn. (May 5, 2008) – The 2008 MGA season is officially underway, with Wee Burn Country Club playing host to the 81st MGA Senior Amateur Championship. The Met Area’s top senior amateurs opened first-round play early this morning, and as scores started to come in it was clear that even-par 72 would be an outstanding score on this demanding, 6,602-yard layout. There was plenty of movement atop the leaderboard early on as several players flirted with par, but by the afternoon four players stood tied at four-over par 76, good enough for the top spot.  

   James Graham of Winged Foot, John Heise of Connecticut GC, Joseph Sommers of Winged Foot and Peter Freides of Glen Arbor are all in the clubhouse with a share of the lead. Nearly half of the 184 players are still out on the course, all hoping to overtake or remain within striking distance of the lead heading into tomorrow’s second round. Ray Sommerstad of Port Jefferson posted a one-under par 36 through nine holes, the best nine-hole score of the day. Defending champion Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge (N.J.) was three-over par after nine holes. Playing alongside Blumenfeld, 2006 NJSGA Mid-Amateur champion Allan Small of Fairmount (N.J.) posted a four-over par 39 through nine holes.

   While there is a four-way tie atop the leaderboard, several golfers are in the clubhouse and very much in the hunt. Jim Hamburger of Red Hook went out early and posted a five-over par 77, good enough to put him within a shot of the clubhouse lead. James McKenna of Woodway CC, John Powers of The Creek and Robert McIntyre of Plainfield (N.J.) are all in good shape to make the cut (low 30 plus ties) at six-over 78.

   The two-day event is the first MGA championship to be played on the newly-renovated Wee Burn track since the MGA last visited the club in 2003 for the Father & Son Championship. In 2006, Fazio Golf Company lead architect Tom Marzolf completed a thorough renovation that preserved the essential character of the course created by original architect Devereux Emmet. The most significant changes awaiting the players are the lengthened of the course, as well as the deepened and repositioned bunkers. Wee Burn is sure to challenge and reward the accuracy and aggressiveness of the competitors.

   The MGA Senior Amateur is open to players 55 years of age or older with USGA Handicap Indexes of 9.0 or better. The field will play 18 holes of stroke play on Monday, May 5th, after which a cut will be made and the low 30 scores and ties who will advance to the second round. Winners in each of four age categories will also be determined after 18 holes. The championship will conclude with 18 holes of stroke play on Tuesday, May 6th.

   Complete coverage of the MGA Senior Amateur will be available at www.mgagolf.org, where you can also find Live Scoring for the final round provided by the USGA’s live scoring system, TPP Real Time.

   For more information on the MGA Senior Amateur Championship please contact Bob Nielsen at bnielsen@mgagolf.org or (914) 347-4653, ext. 239, or Gene Westmoreland at gwestmore@mgagolf.org or (914) 347-4653, ext. 225.