Costanza Wins 17th MGA Mid-Am in a Playoff
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (October 4, 2023) – After finishing as runner-up last year, Mark Costanza of Baltusrol moved up one spot on the leaderboard and won the 17th MGA Mid-Am Championship on Wednesday in a playoff at the Country Club of Fairfield.
It is the fourth career MGA title for Costanza. His other wins were the 2003 Boys', 2007 Met Junior, and the 2020 Ike.
"To win is great. To win in a playoff is even more gratifying," said Costanza. "And it feels terrific to do it against a great player like Brad and a good friend."
Costanza edged Brad Tilley of Sleepy Hollow with a birdie on the par-3 11th, the second playoff hole, to claim the Westmoreland Cup, named in honor of longtime MGA Tournament Director Gene Westmoreland. The 34-year-old put his 7-iron to 18 feet and drained the putt. Tilley had a birdie opportunity to extend the playoff, but his bid just missed. The pair birdied the first playoff hole, the par-5 10th, with Costanza getting up and down from behind the green and Tilley amazingly from the penalty area that fronts the green.
Costanza added, "To be on the trophy, with all the great players that have won this, and mid-ams in this area, have such a great history means so much. And, Gene Westmoreland, I've known him since I was a little kid playing in junior events; it feels even more gratifying to have won this trophy, with his name on it, and with all the other great players."
In the final round, Costanza fired a bogey-free 5-under 65 to erase the one-shot deficit to Tilley he faced after the opening round. The final round started like the opening round for Costanza, with a birdie on the par-5 first. Two more birdies on the front followed at Nos. 3 and 8. Costanza caught Tilley's lead of 8-under with a birdie on the par-4 12th.
Tilley did move to 9-under with a birdie at the par-3 14th but gave the shot right back with a three-putt bogey on the par-4 15th. The 40-year-old had a chance to win on the 18th hole after he used the backstop at the back of the green to bring his approach shot down to hole-high. The ensuing birdie putt missed by inches on the high side.
Tilley equaled his first-round score of 4-under 66. He carded five birdies and the lone bogey on No. 15. It is Tilley's third time finishing as the runner-up in the MGA Mid-Amateur.
Costanza's 8-under finishing total of 132 is the lowest winning total in championship history. Wednesday was the second time in the championship's history that a playoff was needed to determine a champion; 2018 was the other, when Darren McCormack defeated Darin Goldstein and Ryan Hom at Maidstone.
Jack Maerki of Meadow Brook and MGA eClub - New Jersey member Matthew Mattare shared third at 4-under. Maerki carded 5-under 65 on Wednesday, and Mattare posted a 4-under 66.
Rounding out the top five were Ryan Coughlin of Westchester Country Club and Trevor Randolph of Arcola, both at 3-under for the championship.
Country Club of Fairfield, a Seth Raynor layout, has previously hosted the 1994 MGA Father & Son, won by Peter & Greg Bisconti, the 2008 Met Open, won by Mark Mielke, and the 2016 Met Amateur, won by Stewart Hagestad.
Additional Coverage
Round 1 Recap | Round 1 Photos
Mid-Am History | Mid-Am Records