ELMSFORD, N.Y. (October 3, 2014) - A field of 86 players is ready for the 8th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, N.J., on October 7 and 8. The 36-hole stroke play event brings together the Met Area’s best amateurs over the age of 35 who are invited to compete based on top finishes in MGA and Met Area events.

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Headlining this year’s field is defending champion Michael Karger of Century, who hopes to become the second man in this event’s young history to capture the trophy in back-to-back years.  The last man to do it was Dennis Lynch of Nassau Players, who is the only two-time winner and will look to add a third win this year. Last year at Anglebrook, Karger set a new Mid-Am record for the largest comeback after 18 holes after trailing by six strokes heading into the final round.

2012 champion Mark Henderson of Saint Andrew’s will be looking for another win as well. When he won at Meadowbrook, he shot the lowest round ever for the event with a final round 64. Two more past champions will play at Mountain Ridge - 2007 Champion Mike Reardon of Tuxedo and Niall Handley of Essex Fells, the 2011 winner, are set to tee it up on Tuesday. 

Reigning MGA Senior Open Champion Adam Kugler of Alpine will also be in the field. Kugler became only the second amateur to win the MGA Senior Open and did it with a fantastic 36-hole score of 7-under.

Two-time winner already this season Brian Komline of Black Oak will also be in the field. Komline won the Eagle Oaks and Brae Burn Invitationals this year, and is always among the top contenders. Jay Blumenfeld, a two-time MGA Senior Amateur Champion also hopes to conquer Mountain Ridge, his home course, at this year’s event. Blumenfeld has strong championship experience at Mountain Ridge, and  it was just two years ago he advanced to match play at the U.S. Senior Amateur when it was held at the club.

Trevor Randolph of Arcola and Mike Stamberger of Plainfield will be coming into the Mid-Am off appearances in the USGA Men’s State Team Championship for New Jersey. Just a couple of weeks ago Randolph claimed the New Jersey Mid-Am title, and in 2013 he finished as the runner-up to Karger. Stamberger won his second consecutive NJSGA Amateur Championship this year and is looking for his second MGA win. The two will team up again to play for the MGA in the French-American Challenge in Paris later this month.

Others to watch out for include 1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Ken Bakst of Friar’s Head, 2013 Hochster Memorial champ Gregg Angelillo of Baltusrol, ten-time MGA Player of the Year George Zahringer of Deepdale, five-time NJSGA Senior Amateur champion Allan Small of Fairmount, MGA President Jeff Holzschuh of Winged Foot, Mountain Ridge member John Adelman, and Nick Desai of Baltusrol, who is looking to top his best finish in this event, which was fifth in 2011. Newly crowned MGA Senior Masters champion Ron Vannelli  of Forsgate is also in the field.

The MGA Mid-Amateur was created and debuted at Hudson National in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., in 2007, and it is the MGA’s second youngest championship. It is a two-day 36-hole stroke play event that has the field cut to the top 40 plus ties and anyone within five strokes of the lead at the end of the first round. It is open to players over the age of 35 and eligibility is based on invitation as well as other criteria. The winner takes home the Westmoreland Cup, named for long-time MGA Tournament Director Gene Westmoreland.

The MGA will provide live scoring for the Mid-Am, including 9 & 18 hole scores throughout the first round followed by hole-by-hole scores for the majority of groups during the final round on Wednesday. For more information and on the Mid-Amateur, click here.