News Release

Results Links: Final Results Highlights Links: Event Preview Round 1 Highlights Tee Time Links: Round 1 Starting Times Round 2 Starting Times Qualifying Highlights: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Results Links: Highfields G&CC Chicopee CC Quashnet Valley CC CC of Halifax Turner Hill G&RC Framingham CC Related News Links: 2005 Event Page

For Immediate Release: June 20, 2005

Headline: Steven Alminas Holds One-Shot Lead at Day 1 of Massachusetts Open Championship

Tyngsboro, MA – Steven Alminas (Elmcrest CC) dominated a daunting field and a challenging golf course on Monday to take a one-stroke lead following the first round of the Massachusetts Open Championship, which is being held this week at Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro.

Alminas, who began his title pursuit on the 10 th tee this morning, made the turn at 3-under par 33 courtesy of birdies on the 12 th, 16 th and 18 th holes. Unrelenting down the stretch, he then made birdie on the 296-yard, par 4 1 st hole and then posted consecutive birdies on the 6 th and 7 th holes. The only blemish on Alminas’ scorecard came on his final hole of the day – the 216-yard, par 3 9 th hole. Although only 20 years old, Alminas is no stranger to MGA competition as he was victorious at the 2001 Massachusetts Junior Championship and the 2005 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship with younger brother Peter.

Nipping at Alminas’ heels at 4-under par 68 are newly-turned-professional David Spitz (Norwell, MA) and Rick Finlayson (Country View GC). Also still very much in the hunt is four-time and defending champion Geoff Sisk (Marshfield, MA), who currently sits in a seven-way tie for fourth place at 3-under par 69. Included in that list of players tied for fourth are a host of former MGA champions such as 1998 Massachusetts Open Champion RodneyButcher (NewPortRichey, FL), 2002 Massachusetts Amateur Champion RobOppenheim (Andover, MA) and 1998 Massachusetts Junior Champion Michael Carbone (Brewster, MA).

While the top players traipsed unceremoniously down the fairways, a wily veteran by the name of BobToski (Boca Raton, FL) drew the biggest crowd of the day. Toski, the 1958 State Open champion and the leading PGA Tour money winner back in 1954, is playing in his first State Open in more than 40 years and fired a solid score of 9-over par 81 this afternoon. Toski, 78, was paired with fellow former State Open champions Paul Barkhouse (1976) and Charlie Volpone (1971-72).

The Massachusetts Open Championship debuted in 1905 when Donald Ross captured the inaugural title. This year marks the 100 th year and the 96 th playing of the State Open Championship. In addition to Toski, other great golfers to claim this prestigious title include Walter Hagen, Jesse Guilford, Francis Ouimet, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Paul Harney.

The Massachusetts Open represents the only event on the MGA Championship schedule that is open to both amateur and professional golfers. Competitors for this year’s event must have an up-to-date MGA /USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4.

©2004 Massachusetts Golf Association.