Headline: Mike Calef, Brian Higgins and Kevin Blaser Earn the Opportunity to Represent the Bay State at the 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship
For Immediate Release: September 7, 2010
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Mike Calef carded a 1-over par 71 at Longmeadow Country Club to secure one of six spots at U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying. |
Longmeadow, MA — For the second time in two years, Mike Calef (Brockton CC) will be making an apperance at a USGA Championship Proper.
Competing against a field of more than 75 top amateurs, Calef fired a 1-over par 71 at Longmeadow Country Club on Tuesday to capture one of the six available U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying spots.
Last August, Calef was one of three amateurs to qualify for and compete at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship.
"I'm really excited that I got through the qualifier today," said Calef, who made a nice par save on 18. "Because of the dates and the locations of the qualifiers we had one of the strongest fields that we have seen all year... I knew that I needed a really good round to move on to the Championship."
On this day, Calef recovered from a double bogie on the 453-yard, par 4 6th hole to post a 1-under par 34 on the back nine and secure his trip to Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, New York later this month.
"I am very happy to have qualified for my first U.S. Mid-Amateur," said Calef. "I am hoping that the experiences that I have had in past USGA events translate into some success in a couple of weeks at Atlantic Golf Club."
Finishing as medalist with a score of even par 70 was Robert Leopold (Cranston, RI), the 2009 Rhode Island State Amateur Champion who just last month advanced to the first round of Match Play at the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship.
Other Bay State golfers who qualified today were Brian Higgins (Franklin CC) and Kevin Blaser (Somerset, MA).
While a trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship is nothing new for Higgins — this marks the second straight year that the 2008 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year and defending Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Champion — has qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, Blaser will be enjoying his first USGA Championship Proper appearance.
Many will recall that earlier this summer Blaser — a former Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-State honoree at Coyle & Cassidy High School and then a long drive champion during the early 2000s — notched three aces in a 24-hour period. Incredibly, it was the first time that Blaser had ever made a hole in one in his career. Click here to read all about that amazing day.
Complete coverage of the 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship can be found online at www.usga.org.
2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Longmeadow Country Club (Longmeadow, MA)
Par 70 (35-35)
Qualifiers
1) Robert Leopold (Cranston, RI) 36-34--70
2) Mike Calef (South Boston, MA) 37-34--71
T3) Brian Higgins (Franklin, MA) 36-36--72
T3) Joseph Alvarez (Hampden, ME) 38-34--72
T5) Peter Keller (Rye, NY) 38-35--73
T5) Kevin Blaser (Somerset, MA) 37-36--73
Alternates
1st) Frank Vana, Jr. (Shrewsbury, MA) 37-36--73
2nd) Peter Keilty (Dover, NH) 37-36--73
