22nd Callaway MGA Senior Open Championship Begins Monday
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 24, 2018) – The 22nd Callaway MGA Senior Open takes place August 27-28, with the Met Area’s top professionals and amateurs aged 50 and older competing over two days at Glen Head Country Club in Glen Head, N.Y., to determine a champion.
Related: Pairings | Senior Open History | Senior Open Records
The Field
This year’s field contains 101 competitors, with 55 professionals and 46 amateurs. The growing popularity of the Senior Open led to the addition of sectional qualifying in 2013. This year, 39 competitors qualified from play at The Powelton Club in Newburgh, N.Y., while 13 more players qualified through their scores in the first round of the Glen Head Classic.
Past Champions
A total of 10 past champions are in the field at Glen Head, including each of the last five winners:
Bill Britton, Trump National – Colts Neck (2017, 2006)
Jim McGovern, White Beeches (2016)
Mark Mielke (2015)
Adam Kugler (a), Alpine (2014)
Craig Thomas, Metropolis (2013)
Mike Burke, Montammy (2011)
Bobby Heins, Old Oaks (2009, 2008)
Bruce Zabriski (2007)
Darrell Kestner, Deepdale (2005, 2003)
Ed Whitman, Knickerbocker (2004)
Making the Debut
As high caliber-players become eligible each season, the field continues to get stronger and stronger. This year, past Met Open champion Frank Bensel of Century joins the field, while Heath Wassem of Fenway and Scott Paris of Plainfield also make their debut appearance in the championship.
Adding to the Season’s Success
Several players in the field have already logged victories this season, including past champion Kugler who claimed the season-opening MGA Senior Amateur at Old Oaks. Meanwhile, Bensel this year won the Met PGA Senior Match Play Championship and Brent Studer of Metedeconk earned the victory in the New Jersey Senior PGA Professional Championship.
The Open Double
Seven players have won both the Met Open and the Senior Open, with Jim McGovern becoming the latest in 2016. Three-time Met Open winner Mark Brown of Tam O’Shanter, Bensel, and amateur George Zahringer of Deepdale will all look to add to that list at Glen Head.
Building Momentum
Brown led the senior contingent in the 103rd Met Open at Wykagyl, making the cut and finishing tied for 28th. Studer, Kestner, Bensel, and McGovern all made the cut at Wykagyl as well.
Amateurs to Challenge
A number of competitors aim to join Kugler and John Ervasti as amateurs to win the Senior Open crown. Those looking to accomplish the feat include Zahringer, 2018 Westchester Senior Amateur champion Tom Yellin of Stanwich, 2018 MGA Senior Amateur runner up Gary Zenkel of Old Oaks, two-time WGA Mid-Am champion Patrick Pierson of Hollow Brook, Jim Romaniello of Shorehaven and Glen Head’s own Ed Gibstein.
Format
- Ages 50 and over
- Two days, 36 holes of stroke play
- Field Cut to low 40 scores & ties (and anyone within five shots of the lead) following 18 holes
Coverage
- 9 and 18-hole updates for Monday’s first round
- Live hole-by-hole scores for a portion of groups during Tuesday’s final round
- Social Media: @MGA1897 on Twitter for updates throughout the day; additional content on Facebook and Instagram
- Scoring, recaps and photos on mgagolf.org