ELMSFORD, N.Y. (April 30, 2008) – The 2008 MGA season officially begins with the 81st playing of the MGA Senior Amateur Championship, to be held Monday and Tuesday, May 5 and 6, at Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, Connecticut. Defending champion Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge (NJ), 2006 and 2001 Senior Amateur champion Shawn McLoughlin of Ridgewood (Conn.), 2006 NJSGA Mid-Amateur champion Allan Small of Fairmount (NJ), and 2004 champion Doug Vergith of St. George’s (LI) look to lead a competitive field of 192 players. Blumenfeld comes into 2008 after a successful 2007 campaign that included victories at the Travis Memorial (Senior Division) and Society of Seniors Dale Morey Championship.

The 2008 MGA Senior Amateur field also features an impressive list of former MGA champions who look to add another title to their list of achievements. These accomplished players include two-time MGA Senior Amateur winner Steve Rose (’03 & ’05) of Fresh Meadow along with Dick Siderowf of Century, the 1996 Senior Amateur champion and five-time Met Amateur champion. They will be joined by 2005 MGA Player of the Year and Met Amateur champion Ron Vannelli of Metuchen and former Ike and six-time NJSGA Amateur champion Bob Housen of Manasquan River. The 2000 Westchester Amateur champion Joe Sommers of Winged Foot, 1991 Westchester Amateur champion Tom Yellin of Stanwich and Knickerbocker’s Dennis Slezak, the 1991 Met Amateur champion, are all looking for their first MGA Senior Amateur title. Former MGA President Don Hendler of Meadow Brook and MGA Executive Director Jay Mottola of Tuxedo are also in the field of competitors.

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 lengthening of the course, as well as the deepened and repositioned bunkers. Wee Burn is sure to challenge and reward the accuracy and course management 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.

First-Round Pairings

Course Information: