20th MGA Senior Open Championship

BROOKLAWN COUNTRY CLUB Fairfield, CT August 29-30, 2016 History of the MGA Senior Open

Though it is young as far as MGA championships go, the MGA Senior Open has a high profile among the top players in the Met Area. The already strong fields who gathered for the championship’s early years became even stronger in 2003 with the influx of several very accomplished 50-year-olds, headed by Darrell Kestner of Deepdale, a three-time Met Open champion, who won in his first year of eligibility in 2003 and again in 2005. Other recent champions of note include former PGA Tour winner Bill Britton of Trump National-Colts Neck (2006), two-time Met Open winner Bruce Zabriski (2007), and back-to-back winner Bobby Heins (2008 and 2009). Together with an ever-increasing number of top amateur competitors, these players have produced drama and excitement at recent playings of the Senior Open. The MGA Senior Open has been held at such storied venues as Tuxedo, Century, Metropolis, Fenway, Fresh Meadow, and Nassau. It is the largest event in local senior golf. The 36-hole event is contested at stroke play over two consecutive days, with the field cut after the first round to the low 40 and ties, and anyone within five shots of the lead. Due to the growing popularity of this event, the MGA added an 18-hole Sectional Qualifying Round for the Senior Open in 2013 to accomodate the growing demand of the championship.

Past MGA Presidents Jeff Holzschuh (left) and Allan Small (right) are in the field for this year’s MGA Senior Open.

Eligibility This competition is open to golfers who have reached their 50th birthday by July 2016 Prize Money Breakdown 25, 2016, and who are: Place Money Place Money 1. Past MGA Open Champions 1 $5,000 19 330 2 2,500 20 315 2. PGA members in good standing in the 3 1,500 21 300 Metropolitan and New Jersey PGA 4 1,250 22 300 5 1,000 23 300 Sections. 6 875 24 300 3. PGA Apprentices, employed at a golf 7 750 25 300 8 675 26 270 facility in the MGA territory, who are 9 625 27 270 enrolled in the Professional Golf 10 580 28 270 11 540 29 270 Management (‘PGM’). 12 500 30 270 4. Head and assistant professionals at 13 460 31 250 MGA member clubs. 14 440 32 250 15 420 33 250 5. Golf Professionals who are bona fide 16 400 34 250 members, with full golfing privileges, 17 375 35 250 18 350 at MGA Member Clubs, have a place

of residence in the MGA territory, and Note: All professionals who compete a current USGA Handicap Index not to and return scores for 36 holes will earn a minimum of $250. exceed 4.5 under the Men's USGA Handicap System. A Golf Professional Amateur Prizes (Gift Certificates) may not join an MGA member club Low Amateur: $750 for the sole purpose of gaining entry to 2nd Place: $400 the MGA Senior Open. 3rd Place: $300 4th Place: $200 6. Amateur members and applicants for 5th Place: $150

Amateur Reinstatement at MGA Note: All amateurs who compete Member Clubs with a current USGA and return scores for 36 holes will be awarded a minimum gift Handicap Index not exceeding 4.5 certificate of $100. under the Men's USGA Handicap System. 2016 Final Field Bold denotes previous champions. Name Club Carl Alexander Golf Club of Purchase Jim Alexander H. Smith Richardson George Ancuta Knoll Country Club Greg Baker Rockaway River Country Club Jim Beadle Essex Golf (a) Jay Blumenfeld Mountain Ridge Country Club (a) Dave Boccia Huntington Country Club Charles Bolling Glen Cove Golf Club Allan Bowman Cherry Valley Country Club, NJ Bill Britton - 2006 Trump National Golf Club - Colts Neck (a) Brian Brown Southward Ho Country Club (a) Edward Bugniazet Winged Foot Golf Club Mike Burke - 2011 Montammy Golf Club Peter Busch - 2012 Galloping Hill Golf Course Mike Caporale North Hills Country Club (a) Frank Ciulla Rye Golf Club (a) Joe Collins Sr. Winged Foot Golf Club (a) Robert Colucci Sterling Farms Mens Golf Club (a) Dan Connell Brooklawn Country Club (a) Matt Corrigan Nassau Players Club Jerry Courville Jr. Shorehaven Golf Club (a) Jim Craffey Jr. Arcola Country Club Chris Dachisen North Jersey Country Club John Deforest Sr. Rondout Golf Club (a) Chuck Del Priore Wykagyl Country Club (a) Philip Dessinger Bonnie Briar Country Club Mike Diffley Pelham Country Club (a) Michael Doetsch Winged Foot Golf Club (a) Jon Doppelt Fresh Meadow Country Club Patrick Eggeling Old Oaks Country Club (a) Don Enga Cherry Valley Club (a) John Ervasti - 2010 Sleepy Hollow Country Club Frank Esposito Jr. Forsgate Country Club Al Fanelli Crab Meadow Club (a) Anthony Fioretti Ballyowen Golf Club Sean Garrity Griff Harris Men's Golf Club (a) Edward Gibstein MGA eClub - Long Island (a) Myles Gillespie Winged Foot Golf Club Mike Gilmore Winged Foot Golf Club (a) James Graham Winged Foot Golf Club 2016 Final Field

Name Club (a) Stu Greenberg Shackamaxon Country Club Bobby Heins - 2008, 2009 Old Oaks Country Club (a) Jeff Holzschuh Winged Foot Golf Club (a) Bob Howe Winged Foot Golf Club Terence Hughes Mahopac Golf Club Gregory Hurd North Hempstead Country Club (a) Tom Hyland Pebble Creek Golf Club Michael Ken Jackmack Paramount Country Club Donny Jarvis Wind Watch Golf & Country Club (a) Richard Kelsey Old Oaks Country Club (a) Patrick Kerin Brooklawn Country Club Darrell Kestner - 2003, 2005 Deepdale Golf Club Bill King Spring Lake Golf Club (a) Adam Kugler - 2014 Alpine Country Club Michael Lanzetta Mansfield Golf Center (a) Woody Lashen Wheatley Hills Golf Club (a) Steve Leblanc Rockaway Hunting Club Paul Lejeune Suburban Golf Club (a) Dan Levinson Bayonne Golf Club (a) Michael LoCastro Rolling Green Golf Club Nelson Long Century Country Club (a) Dennis Lynch Nassau Players Club Baker Maddera Rock Spring Club (a) Anthony Mancini AGC Dyker Beach GC Mike Mangiaracina Oyster Bay Golf Course (a) Michael Marotta South Shore Golf Club Mark McCormick Suburban Golf Club Ron McDougal Golf & Body NYC James McGovern White Beeches Golf & Country Club (a) Scott Michels Hackensack Golf Club Mark Mielke - 2015 Unaffiliated Bob Miller Knollwood Country Club (a) Robert F Moriarty Country Club of Fairfield Kregg Moyer Centennial Golf Club Garrett Murphy Innis Arden Golf Club (a) Michael Oakley Southampton Golf Club (a) John O'Malley Forsgate Country Club (a) Patrick Pierson Hollow Brook Golf Club (a) Harris Podvey Rolling Green Golf Club Peter Procops Jr Lawrence Yacht & Country Club 2016 Final Field

Name Club (a) David Prowler Bethpage State Park Golf Club (a) Herrol Pryce Baychester Golf Club David Quinn Links Golf Club (a) Michael Reardon The Tuxedo Club John Reeves Willow Ridge CC (a) Robert Riefberg Cold Spring Country Club (a) Jim Romaniello Shorehaven Golf Club William Rowland Rockrimmon Country Club (a) Peter Scelfo Nassau Players Club Peter Serafimoff Millbrook Golf & Tennis Club (a) Jay Sessa Gardiners Bay Country Club (a) Guy Shutt Brooklawn Country Club Steve Sieg Navesink Country Club (a) Allan Small Fairmount Country Club Jim Smoot Huntington Country Club (a) Joe Sommers Winged Foot Golf Club (a) Brad Steinthal Winged Foot Golf Club Charles Stucklen Sebonack Golf Club Brent Studer Metedeconk National Golf Club Michael Summa The Stanwich Club Kevin Syring Alpine Country Club Craig Thomas - 2013 Metropolis Country Club (a) Peter Van Ingen Deepdale Golf Club Bill Van Orman Meadow Brook Club (a) Ron Vannelli Forsgate Country Club Martin Vybihal Paramount Country Club Jim Wahl Whippoorwill Club Dennis Ward Stanwich Club Jeff Warne The Bridge Bret Watzka Oyster Bay Golf Club Ed Whitman - 2004 Knickerbocker Country Club Garnet Wright Metropolis Country Club Mark Yannotta Anchor Golf Center Jerry Yochum Rockrimmon Country Club David Young Sleepy Hollow Country Club Bruce Zabriski - 2007 Westchester Country Club (a) Ned Zachar GlenArbor Golf Club (a) George J. Zahringer III Deepdale Golf Club

About Brooklawn Country Club

Brooklawn Country Club was organized in 1895 by a group of business and social leaders in Bridgeport on a sixty-acre farm leased from Clapp Spooner, whose farmhouse would become Brooklawn’s first clubhouse. The club purchased some adjacent land and in 1910, and added a second nine holes in 1911, which Founded: were rebuilt by A.W. Tillinghastin 1929. 1895 Course Opened: In 1915 ground was broken for a new clubhouse. 1895 Brooklawn saw the success of Gene Sarazen, who worked as the club’s assistant professional. Architects: Brooklawn has hosted one MGA major, the 1919 Met Members Amateur, as well as three USGA championships, the A.W. Tillinghast 1974 Junior Amateur, the 1979 U.S. Women’s Open, Course Rating: 73.3 and the 1987 U.S. Senior Open, won by Gary Player Slope: 138 with four rounds in the 60’s. 19th MGA Senior Open Championship Engineers Country Club, Roslyn, N.Y. August 31-September 1, 2015

Mark Mielke turned in the only even-par score as he tallied a 2-under 140 tourna- ment total for a two-shot victory, earning his fourth MGA title. Two-time former champion Darrell Kestner of Deepdale and Paul Lejeune of Suburban finished at even-par for the championship to share second place.

Final Results

Finish Player Club To Par R1 R2 Total Earnings 1 Mark Mielke Unaffiliated -2 69 71 140 $5,000 T2 Darrell Kestner Deepdale Even 70 72 142 $2,000 Paul Lejeune Suburban Even 69 73 142 $2,000 T4 Frank Esposito Jr. Unaffiliated +1 70 73 143 $1,125 David Young Sleepy Hollow +1 68 75 143 $1,125 T6 James McGovern White Beeches +2 71 73 144 $815 Greg Baker Rockaway River +2 68 76 144 $815 8 Bruce Zabriski Westchester +3 72 73 145 $675 T9 Jim Beadle Essex +6 74 74 148 $600 Mark Yannotta Anchor +6 73 75 148 $600 (a) Jay Sessa Cherry Valley +6 72 76 148 Amateur (a) Adam Kugler Alpine +6 68 80 148 Amateur Past Champions

Year Champion Score Site 1997 John Gentile 66-75—141 Tuxedo 1998 Russell Helwig 71-70—141 Preakness Hills 1999 Russell Helwig 72-71—143* Fresh Meadow 2000 Jim Miller 73-72—145* Fenway 2001 Carl Pederson 73-70—143 Royce Brook 2002 Peter Famiano 65-73—138 Woodmere 2003 Darrell Kestner 67-71—138 Preakness Hills 2004 Edward Whitman 69-70—139 Century 2005 Darrell Kestner 68-69—137 Tuxedo 2006 Bill Britton 72-70—142 Nassau 2007 Bruce Zabriski 69-71—140 Metropolis 2008 Bobby Heins 70-70—140 Hollywood 2009 Bobby Heins 70-69—139 Woodmere 2010 John Ervasti (a) 72-70—142 Rolling Hills 2011 Mike Burke Jr. 69-71—140 Crestmont 2012 Peter Busch* 68-72—140* Garden City CC

2013 Craig Thomas 69-67—136* Sunningdale

2014 Adam Kugler (a) 69-68—137 Alpine

2015 Mark Mielke 69-71—140 Engineers * Won in playoff

2017 MGA Senior Open Site: Forsgate Country Club Senior Open Records

AGE CHAMPIONS Oldest Winners: Most Wins 59 years, 2 weeks - Peter Busch, 2012 2 – Russell Helwig, 1998 & 1999 58 years, 7 months – Bobby Heins, 2009 2 – Darrell Kestner, 2003 & 2005 57 years, 8 months – Peter Famiano, 2002 2 – Bobby Heins, 2008 & 2009

Youngest Winner: Second Place to First Place in 50 years, 22 days – Craig Thomas, 2013 Consecutive Years 50 years, 25 days – Bruce Zabriski, 2007 Darrell Kestner – 2004-2005 50 years, 27 days – Darrell Kestner, 2003 Bobby Heins – 2007-2008

Winners of Senior Open and Met Open Mike Burke Jr. Darrell Kestner Bill Britton Bruce Zabriski Bobby Heins

Amateur Winners John Ervasti, 2012 Adam Kugler, 2014

MISCELLANEOUS Most Top 5 Finishes 8 – Darrell Kestner 7 – Bobby Heins 6 – Tom Joyce

Darrell Kestner at his second Senior Open win in 2005 holds the record for most top 5 finishes in the Championship’s history. Senior Open Records

SCORING Lowest Score, 18 Holes Largest Margin of Victory 64 – Mike Caporale, 2009, Woodmere 6 strokes – Russell Helwig, 1998 65 – Peter Famiano, 2002, Woodmere 4 strokes – Darrell Kestner, 2003 & 2005 65 – Ed Whitman, 2012, Garden City CC 4 strokes – Adam Kugler, 2014 65 – Mark Mielke, 2013, Sunningdale Largest Lead After 18 Holes 66 – John Gentile, 1997, Tuxedo 6 strokes – Russell Helwig, 1998 66 – Bobby Heins, 2003, Preakness Hills 5 strokes – Mike Caporale, 2009 Lowest Final Round 67 – Craig Thomas, 2013, Sunningdale 69 – Jim Miller, 1999, Fresh Meadow 69 – Darrell Kestner, 2005, Tuxedo 69 – Bruce Zabriski, 2007, Metropolis 69 – Bobby Heins, 2009, Woodmere

Lowest 36-hole Score 136 – Craig Thomas, 2013, Sunningdale 136 – Mark Mielke, 2013, Sunningdale 137 – Darrell Kestner, 2005, Tuxedo 138 – Peter Famiano, 2002, Woodmere 138 – Darrell Kestner, 2003, Preakness Hills

Lowest 36 Holes by Amateur 141 – John Baldwin, 2002, Woodmere 141 – Ron Vannelli, 2005, Tuxedo 142 Richard Jung, 2007, Metropolis – John Ervasti was the first amateur 142 – John Ervasti, 2010, Rolling Hills to win the Senior Open. 142 – Allan Small, 2012, Garden City CC The Metropolitan Golf Association extends its sincere gratitude to

Brooklawn Country Club

for their kind hospitality in hosting the 20th MGA Senior Open Championship

Club President Alexander Trembicki Golf Course Superintendent Peter Bly

Head Golf Professional Jim Fatsi

The MGA also wishes to thank our valued corporate partners for their support of the 20th Senior Open Championship: