WEST NEWTON, Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship will be held at historic Brae Burn Country Club beginning on Tuesday, September 24 for the 36th playing of the Championship. The event will include the Bay State’s top amateur golfers who are 25 years of age or older. This three day stoke play event will feature 120 competitors who qualified through exemption or through one of the six qualifying events held in August. Following the first two rounds, a cut to the low 30 competitors & ties (or anyone within 5 strokes of the leader) will be made.
ONLINE: STARTING TIMES | SPECTATOR INFORMATION | MID-AMATEUR HOME PAGE
Founded in 1897, Brae Burn Country Club’s storied past and integral role in advancing the sport of golf in America, has established it as one of the most prestigious country clubs in the Northeast. Brae Burn has been the site of many historic golf moments such as Francis Ouimet’s victory at the 1914 Massachusetts Amateur, just one year after his thrilling U.S. Open victory over Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. It also played host to the 1919 U.S. Open won by Walter Hagen and the 1928 U.S. Amateur won by Bobby Jones.
Please find additional information regarding this year’s Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship proper below:
SCHEDULE OF PLAY:
Tuesday, September 24
First Round, 18 Holes Stroke Play
Wednesday, September 25
Second Round, 18 Holes Stroke Play
**The low 30 competitors & ties (or anyone within 5 strokes of the leader) will advance to the final round**
Thursday, September 26
Final Round, 18 Holes Stroke Play
PAST CHAMPIONS:
There are 8 past champions competing in this year’s Mid-Amateur Championship, holding a combined 17 Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship victories. Below is a list of these former champions:
Frank Vana Jr. (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2018)
Colin Brennan (2017)
Herbie Aikens (2014)
Mike Calef (2011)
Brian Higgins (2008, 2009)
Andy Drohen (2004)
Steven Tasho (1998)
Jon Fasick (1990)
PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
Frank Vana Jr. – As a 10-time champion of this event and a 15-time Mass Golf Championship title winner, Vana will certainly be a player to watch.
Herbie Aikens – One of four players in this year’s field to have competed in the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur, and the only one to have made the cut. He shot steady rounds of 71 and 72 to make the cut and advance to the match-play portion of the event.
Mike Calef and Nick Maccario – Winners of the 2019 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship held in May. They held off the team of Matt Parziale and Herbie Aikens to claim the title. Calef played well at last year’s Mid-Amateur, advancing to the playoff before falling to Frank Vana Jr.
Steven Tasho – Won the 2019 Ouimet Memorial Tournament (Lowery Division) by an impressive 8 strokes, shooting a three round total of 4-under par.
Michael Beaty, Alex Jeffers, and Tommy Parker – This group of players qualified and competed in the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur held in Aurora, Colorado last week.
Ryan Riley – Winner of the 2019 Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship. Was the only player in the field to break par in both rounds of the tournament.
Admission for all Mass Golf events – including the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship – is free of charge for the general public. Spectators are welcome to attend and enjoy a special “inside the ropes” experience.
MID-AMATEUR RESOURCES:
An event that has been held since 1984 as an opportunity for golfers of common age to compete without going head to head with some of the younger collegiate stars. Here are helpful resources about the current and past versions of this event.
2018 CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS:
Frank Vana. Jr. (Marlborough CC), the winningest golfer in Mass Golf history, continued to create even more history on Friday when he captured his record 10th Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship title.
The nine-time Mass Golf Player of the Year sent his iron approach shot to two feet on the 418-yard par 4 18th hole during the first sudden-death playoff hole at Plymouth Country Club.
That shot drew cheers from the gallery and set the stage for what would be a winning par over Mike Calef (Pine Oaks GC) and Jack Kearney (Elmcrest CC). The trio all finished with scores of even par 138 following the regulation 36 holes.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Brae Burn has been the site of some historic golf moments, serving as the host of four major tournaments of the United States Golf Association. Walter Hagen won the U.S. Open in 1919, Ray Gorton challenged Bobby Jones in the U.S. Amateur in 1928, and U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships were won by Harriot Curtis in 1906, Beth Daniel in 1975, and Silvia Cavalleri in 1997. Brae Burn hosted Curtis Cup Matches in 1958 and 1970. MGA Amateur victories by Francis Ouimet in 1914 and Eddie Stimpson in 1935 are also highlights in Brae Burn’s rich history.
Par and Yardage: The course will be set up at approximately 6,800 yards and will play to a par of 72. The Course Rating is 74.4 and the Slope is 140.
Hole Par Yardage Hole Par Yardage
1 4 335 10 5 494
2 4 362 11 4 466
3 4 365 12 3 163
4 4 440 13 5 486
5 5 570 14 5 555
6 3 160 15 4 315
7 4 457 16 4 408
8 3 225 17 3 255
9 4 310 18 4 440
Out 35 3224 In 37 3582
WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING (WAGR) COUNTING EVENT
The World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), which comprises a women’s ranking and a men’s ranking for elite amateur players, is offered by The R&A and the USGA as a global service to golf. WAGR is updated every Wednesday on www.wagr.com and is available to national federations and organizers of amateur and professional events and tours for purposes of offering exemptions, selecting national teams and assembling Orders of Merit. WAGR currently incorporates over 4,000 events with over 10,000 players and endeavors to be the most comprehensive and accurate ranking in golf by effectively comparing players from around the world who may never directly compete against one another.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
For complete coverage of the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship, visit MassGolf.org or follow @PlayMassGolf on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Interact with us throughout the tournament by using #MassMidAm.
