ELMSFORD, N.Y. (April 23, 2012) - Another season of championship golf in the Met Area is here, and by early May the region's top amateurs will begin their season-long quest for the coveted MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award. The first two events eligible for MGA Polo Golf Player of the Year points are the NJSGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Galloway National Golf Club, May 1-3, followed by the Richardson Memorial at Seawane Country Club on Long Island, May 3-5. The first MGA championship in which points will be awarded is the 85th MGA Senior Amateur Championship, to be held May 7 & 8 at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson, N.J.

Players will be keeping a close eye on the Polo Golf MGA Player of the Year Points List throughout the season, as exemptions into various MGA championships are awarded based on the standings. Players accumulate points for their finishes in designated local, national and international championships, and eligible players who finish the season in the top 10 of the points standings are designated as being on the MGA Honor Roll.

The MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award has been presented annually since 1976 to the Met Area amateur who compiles the most points during the course of the year. The award is named for the late Jerry Courville Sr. of Shorehaven Golf Club, a six-time Ike champion and one of the most accomplished and admired golfers ever to represent the Met Area.

Past recipients of the award include many of the most prominent names in the history of Met Area amateur golf, such as Jeff Thomas, Jerry Courville Jr., John Baldwin, and 10-time winner George Zahringer III. Michael Miller of Knollwood Country Club joined that list after a spectacular 2011 season that included a memorable win in the Met Amateur at Piping Rock Club. Miller will look to defend his Met Amateur title at Hollywood Golf Club and has been playing exceptional golf this winter. A recent runner-up finish in the prestigious Terra Cotta Invitational in Florida has him poised for a strong season as he attempts to become the first player to win back-to-back Player of the Year titles since Jerry Courville Jr. in 2002-'03.

Players who compete in MGA and Met Area championships are encouraged to read the guidelines carefully to insure eligibility for the MGA Player of the Year Award. Note that two notable changes have also been made to the 2012 points breakdown, as the MGA will now award points for top 10 finishes in the LIGA and WGA Mid-Amateurs.

For the second consecutive year, the MGA is also pleased to welcome Polo Golf as the sponsor of the Player of the Year points system. Polo is a great supporter of golf in the Met Area and presents the Players of the Year winner with a blue Polo jacket each year.

For more on the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award, check out the following links:

2011 Final Standings

Past Winners