Headline: MGA Releases Schedule of 2017 USGA Local and Sectional Qualifying Sites & Dates

For Immediate Release: December 16, 2016

2017 USGA Qualifying Sites Include (from top): Pinehills GC, Crestview CC, Kernwood CC & Crumpin-Fox Club

Norton, MA — A total of 16 Bay State clubs are among the 21 courses in the New England region slated to host local and sectional qualifiers for USGA Championships in 2017. The announcement was made by Kevin Eldridge, the MGA's director of rules and competition, following the finalization of the schedule earlier this week.

CLICK HERE to view the list of USGA qualifiers.

“The Bay State continues to be a leader amongst golf associations in regards to hosting USGA qualifiers and we are excited to continue that in 2017,” said Eldridge. “Massachusetts has always been an epicenter for top amateur golfers’ and with so many clubs’ willingness to continue growing the game right here in our own backyards by hosting these qualifiers, the future continues to be bright for MGA players to compete on a national level.”

The first two local qualifiers for USGA events in 2017 will be for the U.S. Open Championship Proper, being held in mid-June at Erin Hills (Wis.), when the MGA host events at Pinehills GC and Crumpin-Fox Club in Mid-May.

Both sites will serve as the first step to qualifying for the Championship Proper, as those who advance past local stages will compete in sectional qualifiers, scheduled to be held on June 5, 2017, exactly 10 days prior to the start of the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, the same venue that hosted the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2011.  

The next sectional qualifier to be held in Massachusetts will be on May 24th for the U.S. Senior Open Championship. The qualifier will be held at Kernwood Country Club, the site of the 2016 MGA Junior Amateur Championship, and is only five miles away from the site of the 2017 Championship Proper, taking place at Salem Country Club in Peabody from June 29-July 2.

The U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, being held at Flint Hills National from July 17-22, will see a sectional qualifier held in Massachusetts on June 27 at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, the site of the 2015 MGA Amateur Championship. On the same day, Oak Hill will also be hosting the sectional qualifier for the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, which is taking place in late July at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Mo.

Two of four sectional qualifiers in the New England area for the U.S. Amateur Championship will be held in Massachusetts in July, while golfer’s can also expect sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship (Charter Oak CC) and U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship (Berkshire Hills CC / Framingham CC) to round out the 2017 summer schedule.

Several qualifiers for USGA Women’s Championships will also be held at Massachusetts clubs in 2017, including the U.S. Women’s Open Championship sectional qualifier (South Shore CC), the U.S. Women’s Amateur sectional qualifier (Indian Pond CC), the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship sectional qualifier (Haverhill CC) and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship sectional qualifiers (Blue Hill CC).

The final USGA qualifiers being held in Massachusetts during the 2017 season include the events for the 2018 U.S. Four Ball Championships. Wahconah Country Club and Black Rock Country Club will serve as hosts for the two Men’s qualifiers while Boston GC will serve as the local qualifying site for the Women’s.

A complete list of sites and dates for all USGA local and sectional qualifiers can be found by clicking here or by visiting the USGA Championships homepage.

The MGA is grateful for the support of its member clubs and is thankful for all those who have allowed us to host USGA qualifiers at their venues during the upcoming 2017 season!