RYE, N.Y.-After day one sixteen juniors survived rounds one and two of the 86^th MGA Junior Championship. The first round of this year's Championship was especially competitive with seven matches going into extra holes, including a first-round match that lasted 21 holes won by Tyler Kupper of Weston, CT, over John Labiak, of Simthtown, NY.  Of the original nine exempt from the four sectional qualifying rounds held in the Met Area, only three will return tomorrow for another opportunity to advance. 

The squad includes 2003 US Junior Sectional Qualifying medalist Michael Quagliano of White Plains, NY, who edged out Jon Weininger of the Bronx, 2 up in the second round.  The sixteen-year-old advanced to the afternoon round with a 7 and 6 morning victory over Mark Huntington of Brewster, NY.  Tyler Kupper of Weston, CT, 2002 US Junior Sectional Qualifying medalist, barely made it through the first two rounds of play with a 21-hole victory over John Labiak of Smithtown, NY in the first round and 1-up victory in the afternoon over David Chung of Berkeley Heights, NJ.  2002 MGA Junior Championship runner-up Marc Issler of Toms River, NJ defeated Mark Costanza in a heated match that lasted 20 holes and then went on to win 5 & 3 against Isaac Lim of Piscataway, NJ.

Andrew Giuliani, of New York, NY, son of former mayor Rudolph Giuliani, also advanced to the third round with a 6 and 5 victory over Eugene Donnelly of Brewster, NY.   Those who comprise the remaining field include Tyler Zara, Michael Lacey, Christopher Homes, Brian Clarke, Brad Ernske, Eric LeFante, David Held, Doug Saidenburg, Ryan Shallcross, Matt Czarnecki, Joseph Yastrub and Jospeh DelGrosso.  

For more information contact Dan Miesieski or Gene Westmoreland of the MGA @ (914) 347-GOLF or visit the MGA website at mgagolf.org.

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