Live From: 96th MGA Senior Amateur Championship
David Mattana putting on the 18th green in the opening round.
BAITING HOLLOW, N.Y. (May 15, 2023) -- David Mattana of Meadow Brook carries a two-shot lead into Tuesday's final round of the 96th MGA Senior Amateur Championship at Baiting Hollow Club after carding a 1-under 71 in the opening round. Mattana's 71, which came on his 63rd birthday and as he saw the course for the first time, leads the field by two shots, with reigning champion and host club member Dennis Lynch, Stephen Boyd of Baltusrol and Bill Henry of Morris County all posting 1-over 73s on Monday.
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“I had a good feel for the speed, which kind of makes up for other sins,” said Mattana on the keys to his performance. “I two-putted from 30-40 feet a lot of times to within six inches. I hit it pretty solid and kept it in play.” He hadn't been able to play a practice round since he was at NCAA Division-II East Regionals with his Adelphi University men's golf team.
Following Monday’s opening round, a cut was made to the low 40 players and ties. A total of 44 players made the cut with scores of 8-over 80 or better. Tuesday's final round will began at 8:30 a.m., with groups of two going off both the first and tenth tees. The final pairing of Mattana and Boyd tee off at 9:55 a.m.
Lynch is aiming to defend home turf and his title in the championship, having won last year at Haworth. Lynch won the MGA Mid-Am in back-to-back years (2009-10), with the last person doing so in the Senior Amateur being George Zahringer in 2015-16. Al Small is the last to win the championship at his home club, doing so at Fairmount in 2017.
Baiting Hollow Club is hosting its first-ever MGA Senior Amateur Championship. The 1964 Robert Trent Jones Sr., design has impressed the field, with its layout rolling across the hills just off the Long Island Sound. Lynch referenced its lush rough as one challenging aspect, but many players also commented on the quality and challenge found on the greens.