Headline: Top Senior Golfers - Professionals and Amateurs - Head to Dennis Pines GC to Compete in 2016 U.S. Senior Open Sectional Qualifier

For Immediate Release: June 27, 2016

Top professionals and amateurs (like Geoff Sisk and Frank Vana, Jr.) will be competing in a U.S. Senior Open Sectional Qualifier at Dennis Pines GC.

Norton, MA — In August, the 37th U.S. Senior Open Championship will head to Columbus, Ohio and Scioto Country Club where some of the top golfers in the world will compete for the title of 2016 US Senior Open champion.

On Tuesday, June 28, the U.S. Senior Open will be given local ties when one of the 34 sectional qualifier sites for this year’s tournament will be held at Dennis Pines Golf Course.

CLICK HERE to read a preview of the event, courtesy of Wicked Local Cape Cod's (and MGA rules official) Jim Horvath.

There, a total of 84 golfers - 40 professional and 44 amateur - will compete for one of the two qualifying spots and two alternate spots up for grabs at the course, which will play at a total length of 6,800 yards. The East Dennis course will be set at a par 72 for the qualifier.

In total, there will be 51 Massachusetts residents competing against the field of 81 players vying for a chance at the tournament’s Francis Ouimet trophy. To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4, or be a professional, and be 50 years of age at the start of championship play.

Nine other states will have players represented in the field Tuesday in addition to five players from Canada and one from Australia. Dennis Pine is the only club in New England to host a US Senior Open sectional qualifier and one of only four to be held in the Northeastern United States.

Among the notable players from Massachusetts competing in the field are professionals Rick Karbowski (Worcester, MA) of Worcester and Geoff Sisk (Marshfield, MA), who finished T13 at the 107th Massachusetts Open held two weeks ago at Worcester Country Club.

They will be joined by a number of top amateur golfers who hail from the Bay State, including nine-time MGA Player of the Year Frank Vana Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Dave Houghton (Captains GC), the reigning New England Senior Amateur Champion.

The 2016 Senior Open Championship will be held from August 11-14 and will be the fifth Open Championship contested in Ohio. Scioto CC will be hosting the event for the second time, and the first time since 1986. The US Senior Open Championship comes on the heels of the club’s centennial celebration.

Following the 2016 tournament, the US Senior Open Championship will return to Massachusetts when the 2017 Proper will be held at Salem Country Club. Previously, Salem CC hosted the 2001 US Senior Open, which was won by Bruce Fleisher.

For a complete listing of player information and tee times for the 2016 US Senior Open sectional qualifier at Dennis Pines GC, visit mgalinks.org.