ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 23, 2015) – The 9^th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship is heading to Nassau Country Club on September 28-29, when the Met Area’s best amateurs over the age of 35 will compete over 36 holes of stroke play to decide a winner. The field of 70 was invited based on top finishes in MGA and Met Area events.

Related: Pairings | Mid-Am Championship History

Reigning champion Niall Handley of Essex Fells took a one-stroke victory in windy final round conditions last year at Mountain Ridge and became the second two-time winner in the event’s brief history. Niall will be gunning to become the first three-time champion, as will Dennis Lynch of Nassau Players who won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Handley owns a record five top-10 finishes in the event.

While there are four past champions in the field, Trevor Randolph of Arcola and Joe Saladino of Huntington are certainly two contenders to watch as each seek their first title in this event. Randolph is a two-time NJSGA Mid-Amateur champion and has had a quality summer, finishing tied second in the Arcola Cup, second in the NYC Amateur, and placing eighth at the Ike. He’s finished inside the top five at the MGA Mid-Am each of the last two years, including a runner-up finish in 2013. Saladino, a two-time MGA Player of the Year, has also had a strong summer on the links, recently qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur and logging semifinal and quarterfinal appearances in the Met Amateur and LIGA Amateur, respectively. Both currently rank inside the top 10 in the 2015 MGA Player of the Year race, Randolph No. 7 and Saladino No. 10.

The championship’s inaugural winner, Michael Reardon of Tuxedo, and 2013 winner Michael Karger of Century look to be back in the mix for another title as well. Karger’s rally from six strokes back entering the final round remains as the record for largest comeback.

Allan Small of Fairmount brings his lengthy golf resume to the Mid-Am. Small has most recently collected five NJSGA Senior Amateur titles, and competed in the British Senior Amateur in early August. Other decorated players looking to grasp the Mid-Am title include two-time NJSGA Amateur champion Michael Stamberger of Spring Lake and 1997 Mid-Am champion Ken Bakst of Friar’s Head, who also competed in the British Senior Amateur this year.

Others in the field to watch for include Roger Hoit of Baltusrol, who competed in this year’s U.S. Senior Open; past MGA President Jeff Holzschuh of Stanwich; Ryan Chin of Arcola, who finished third in last year’s event; and Nick Desai of Baltusrol.

Nassau is no stranger to hosting MGA events; in fact, no club has hosted as many MGA major championships as Nassau. As one of the USGA’s original 50 founding members, the historic club dates back to 1896 and has been the site of eight Met Amateurs, three Met Opens and two Ike Championships. Nassau has also stood out on the national stage, hosting the U.S. Men’s Amateur in 1903 and the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1914 and 2014, just two years after its green complexes received an outstanding rebuilding. The challenging course is sure to help decide a worth Mid-Am champion.

The MGA Mid-Amateur was inaugurated in 2007, making its debut at Hudson National Golf Club in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. The MGA’s second youngest championship is a two-day event over 36 holes, and is an invitational to those aged 35 or older based on finishes in MGA and Met Area events. Following the first round of play, the field is cut to the top 40 and ties, plus anyone within five strokes of the lead. The champion earns the Westmoreland Cup, named for long-time MGA Tournament Director Gene Westmoreland.

Scoring updates will be provided by the MGA throughout both days of the championship, offering 9 and 18-hole updates during the first round and hole-by-hole scores for the majority of groups during Tuesday’s final round. Live updates will also be available on the MGA’s official Twitter, @MGA1897.