SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (August 3, 2006) – Reigning MGA/MetLife Public Links champion Mark Farrell of Higgins started off the day with five consecutive bogeys, a deficit few players would be able to overcome.  But the 2005 Connecticut Player of the Year managed to do much more. His 36-hole total of 143 earned him medalist honors during stroke play qualifying at the 104th Met Amateur Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club.  Sixteen-year-old Morgan Hoffmann of Arcola, who finished tied for second at the 36-hole Carter Cup Invitational on Wednesday at Baltusrol, finished two strokes back of Farrell with a three-over-par total of 145.

A field of 68 players began the day, with one round each on both the Upper and Lower Courses at Baltusrol. The top 16 finishers advance to match play, beginning Friday. Among the other qualifiers was 2005 Ike Champion Andrew Giuliani of Van Cortlandt. Giuliani finished his morning round on the Lower Course with an 81, but was able to finish his afternoon round with three birdies and shoot a 68 to advance to match play.  Giuliani, who currently stands in second place on the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year points list, has played at an elite level throughout the season.  He was the runner-up at the Ike Championship as well as the Havemeyer Memorial, and qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship last week.

The 2006 Ike Champion, Roger Hoit, used the home-course advantage to advance to match play after rounds of 74 and 75. The morning round leader, Terry Maguire of Storm King, followed his two-under-par 69 on the Upper Course with a 77 on the Lower Course to advance.

A six-man playoff was needed to determine the final four spots, but thunderstorms prevented the start of the playoff, which will be played at 7:00am Friday morning. The Round of 16 matches will begin at 7:30am.

After the Round of 16 is complete, the quarterfinals will begin at 12:30 p.m., and the semifinals will be played on Saturday afternoon. The final, a 36-hole match over both the Lower and Upper Courses, is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. Log on to www.mgagolf.org for scoring updates throughout the day.