MGA Senior Amateur Championship

MGA Championship

Northland Country Club | Duluth, MN
August 27-29, 2012

Tournament Information

Entry Fees:

Deadline: Monday, August 13, 2012

Entry Fee: $150 per player

Entries are limited to the 144 players, including exempt players.

Players are encouraged to enter all MGA events online. Entry forms will not be accepted prior to Monday, April 2, 2012, but must arrive by the deadline of Monday, August 13, 2012, at the office of the Minnesota Golf Association. Entry is on a first-come basis, and the full entry fee must accompany the entry form.

Late or incomplete entries are not acceptable and will be returned. Entries submitted by telephone, email or fax are not acceptable. Time limit for entries means time of receipt by the MGA.

Entries with insufficient funds will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn. The entrant is responsible for any fees incurred by the MGA for such payment and must pay such fees before entry into further MGA events is allowed.

Eligibility:

Entries are open to amateur golfers:

Who are currently Associate Members of the MGA at the club from which they are playing,
Whose club is a current Member Club of the MGA,
Whose USGA Handicap Index for 18 holes does not exceed 7.4 at the time of entry, and
Who must be at least 55 years of age prior to Monday, August 27, 2012.

All entries are subject to rejection at any time by the MGA Tournament Committee.

NOTE: Handicap requirment IS NOT in effect for the Grand Master Division.

Additional Information

First played in 1922, the MGA Senior Amateur Championship has a rich history. The Championship was played at Somerset Country Club for the first 33 years as an Invitational. Beginning in 1956, the Minnesota Senior Golf Association was created and took over sponsorship and conducted the event through 1986. Finally, in 1987, the MGA took over the event and has been responsible for it ever since.

Runcie Martin holds the record of most Senior titles won with five (1935, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1944) but also had four runner-up finishes. Dave Tallman won four titles, including three consecutively (1926-1928) to go with his four runner-up finishes. There are many others with multiple wins, including the "Loyal one", Bud Chapman (Minneapolis Golf Club), and recent two-time winners Jerry Gruidl (Golden Valley Golf & Country Club), Rick McArdle (Olympic Hills Golf Club) and 2008 and 2010 Champion Leif Carlson (Hastings Country Club).

In 2011, Pebble Creek GC's Steve Whittaker fired a final round 72 (even par) to overcome a two-stroke deficit and win his first Senior Championship. His victory helped propel him to his second consecutive MGA Senior Player of the Year. His even par, 216 total was the lowest since Ron Clayton's 215 total at Alexandria GC in 2007.

Alone in second place one stroke back was second round co-leader David Kokesh of Bent Creek GC. Don Howe (Olympic HIlls GC) and Pat Vincelli (Brackett's Crossing CC) shared third at 218. Mike Cleland (Pebble Creek GC) was alone in fifth after three consecutive 73s (219). The other second round co-leader Jeff Wiltse (Bemidji T&CC) struggled with a 79 and tied 2010 champion Leif Carlson (Hastings CC) for sixth.

Local legend Ray Galarneault (St. Cloud CC) claimed the Grand Master Division by five strokes over John Harrigan (The Minikahda Club), while Vincelli took the Master Division title by three strokes over Hazeltine's Robert Leaf.