ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 7, 2014)– The field for the 67th MGA Public Links Championship is set and Charleston Springs Golf Course in Millstone Township, N.J., will play host to the 36-hole stroke play event.  A field of 61 determined golfers will take on the South Course on July 10th and the competition promises to be spectacular. There are many notable names that could provide for an interesting finish and claim the trophy.

Two past champions are in the field, including last year’s winner Jacob Henny of Oak Hills Park. Henny, a semi-finalist at last year’s Met Junior, will look to tie the record for consecutive Public Links Championships, which hasn’t been done since 2005-2006. Only a few days after the MGA Public Links, Henny will head to Newton, Kansas for the U.S. Amateur Public Links at Sand Creek Station. The 18-year-old qualified for the final playing of the championship in Connecticut. Another former champion in the field is Eric LeFante of Neshanic Valley, who won in 2012 at Bethpage Black. LeFante is also a two-time NJSGA Public Links Champion and shares the record for most MGA Public Links runner-up finishes with two (2011 & 2009).

Some other players in the field at Charleston Springs will be joining Henny at Sand Creek Station - David Pastore of MGA eClub Westchester/Fairfield was the medalist at the Sectional Qualifier at Bethpage’s Blue Course.  Pastore will look to continue his blazing hot summer by trying to win his first MGA Public Links Championship. The 2010 Carter Cup Champion, and two-time Met Junior Champion captured the Ike at Montclair just a couple of weeks ago. Pastore is perhaps playing the best golf of his young career coming off an injury earlier this fall. He recently graduated from the University of  Virginia and hopes to add a few more amateur trophies to his collection before turning professional for the Met Open at Trump-Bedminster in August. 

Another top player to watch is Jonathan Renza of Mohansic. The newly crowned WGA Amateur winner is also headed to the U.S. Amateur Public Links the week after the MGA Public Links. Like Pastore, he has been recording top finishes this season, including a runner-up finish at the Hochster Memorial and coming in tied for seventh at the Mittelmark. Ethan DeForest of Roundout and of the well-known DeForest golfing family will look to earn his first MGA win at Charleston Springs. Ethan made an appearance in the round of 16 at last year’s Met Junior and he was also co-runner up at the 2012 Carter Cup. He will be heading to Bowling Green this fall and will play on the golf team. Reigning New York City Amateur Champion Xander McDonald-Smith of Marine Park will also be vying for his first MGA victory. His best finish in the Public Links came in 2011 at Hominy Hill where he tied for third.

Other notable names in this year’s championship include Dylan Crowley of Glen Cove who was a member of this year’s St. John’s Big East Championship team. Crowley was a quarterfinalist in last year’s Met Amateur as well as a former met junior runner-up. Mark Reilly of Peninsula is a routine MGA Public Links competitor. The University of Richmond golfer was the runner-up in 2012 at Bethpage Black. David Prowler of Bethpage State Park is off to a hot start this season after finishing as the runner-up at the MGA Senior Amateur in May. Another frequent MGA Public Links competitor in this year’s field is Dennis Lynch of Nassau Players. The 53-year-old proves year after year he can still go toe-to-toe with the young guns, as evidenced by his best MGA Public Links finish in 2011 coming in 6th as well as his back to back MGA Mid-Amateur Championships in 2009 and 2010.

Charleston Springs Golf Course, part of the Monmouth County Parks System, opened in 2002 and was designed by Mark Mungeam. This is the first time that the MGA Public Links Championship will be back at Charleston Springs since 2003. The South Course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and greens with a steep drop-off behind them.

The MGA Public Links Championship was first played in 1936, and since its inception has been held at highly acclaimed public courses including Bethpage Black, Richter Park, and Hominy Hill. The championship is open to male golfers who reside in the MGA district and do not hold any playing privileges at a private course, who hold a Handicap Index of 8.0 or less.

The format of the championship is 36 holes of stroke play. The MGA will be conducting live scoring throughout the event, including 9 and 18-hole scoring in the morning round and hole-by-hole scoring for the final groups in the afternoon round.