ELMSFORD, N.Y. (May 2, 2006) – Two-time British Amateur champion Richard Siderowf of Century CC, TV talk show host Maury Povich of Hollywood GC, former Ike and NJSGA Amateur champion Bob Housen of Manasquan River and defending champion Stephen Rose of Fresh Meadow CC will join a field of 188 players set to compete for the 79th MGA Senior Amateur Championship at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey on Monday and Tuesday, May 8-9, 2006.

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 7th, after a cut will be made and the low 20 scores and ties 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 9th.

In addition to the aforementioned, the 2006 MGA Senior Amateur features an impressive list of former MGA Senior champions who look to add another title to their list of achievements. These accomplished players include Shawn McLoughlin of Ridgewood (CT), who won in 2001, Douglas Vergith of St. George’s (2004) and Ned Steiner of the host course (2000). The field also includes former Met Amateur champions Peter Van Ingen (1987) of Deepdale and Dennis Slezak of Knickerbocker, who won his title at Mountain Ridge in 1991.  MGA President Donald Hendler of Meadow Brook will also be among the contenders.

This year will mark the third time that the MGA Senior is played at Mountain Ridge, a highly acclaimed Donald Ross design. Founded in 1912, Mountain Ridge has also hosted the 1966, 1985 and 2000 Met Open Championships, won by Tom Nieporte, amateur George Zahringer III, and Mike Gilmore, respectively, and the 1979 and 1991 Met Amateur Championships, won by Jerry Courville Sr. and Slezak, respectively. It was also host to the 1997 French-American Challenge Matches, an elite team competition between the MGA, WMGA and the Ligue de Paris, and is set to host the 2008 Ike Championship. The golf course, which features plateau greens and a bunkering style typical of a Donald Ross design, promises to present quite a challenge to this year’s field.

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 Greg Midland at (914) 347-4653 or via email at gmidland@mgagolf.org.