News Release

For Immediate Release: November 11, 2005

Headline: Frank Vana, Jr. and Jim Ruschioni Named 2005 MGA Players of the Year

Norton, MA – For a record fifth straight year and seventh time overall (1994-95, 2001-05), Frank Vana, Jr. (Boylston, MA) was named the 2005 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year by the Massachusetts Golf Association (MGA). Vana, the 1990s MGA Player of the Decade, collected 958 points this past season, which represents the third most points ever recorded by an amateur player in this state.

During his record-setting season, Vana became only the eighth player in Massachusetts golf history to successfully defend his Massachusetts State Amateur title and then, two months later, went on to win his record sixth Massachusetts State Mid-Amateur Championship (1999-2003, 2005). As a result, Vana has established himself as the most dominating amateur golfer in Massachusetts since the days of Francis Ouimet and Frederick J. Wright.

After firing a career-best score of 63 during the final round of the Northeast Amateur Championship in June, Vana continued his dominating play at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship where he knocked off collegiate standout Ben Spitz by a score of 6 & 5 in the 36-hole final which was held at Essex County Club. Two months later, Vana capped off his MGA season with a two-stroke victory at the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship… an event in which he set himself apart from the field with a final-round score of 2-under par 68.

In addition to his feats on the local level, Vana, a 13-time club champion at Marlborough Country Club, also made waves on the national golf scene. He was one of only five players to advance to both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships. For the latter event, he was medalist in sectional qualifying at Golf Club of New England (NH) and advanced to the round of 16 at the championship proper. Later in the summer at the U.S. Men's State Team Championship where he was one of only three players to make a sixth consecutive appearance, Vana led the three-person Team Massachusetts to a seventh-place finish. Vana himself finished tied for fifth in overall stroke play against a field of 155 competitors.

Over the course of his career, Vana has now won a total of 11 MGA Championships and has participated in 26 USGA Championships.

George M. Cohen MGA Senior Player of the Year – JIM RUSCHIONI:
There is no question who is the most dominating senior amateur player in the state. For the third time in his three years of eligibility, Jim Ruschioni (Fitchburg, MA) was named the George M. Cohen MGA Senior Player of the Year. In 2005, he finished as low senior at the Ouimet Memorial, third at the Massachusetts State Senior and second — with partner Paul Nunez, Jr. — at the MGA State Senior Four-Ball (which they lost in a playoff). Ruschioni also earned bonus points for qualifying for match play at this year's Massachusetts Amateur Championship and for finishing third at the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship, which was held at his home course of Oak Hill Country Club where he is a 18-time club champion.

Vana, and Ruschioni will be recognized as the 2005 MGA Players of the Year at the MGA's annual Salute to Champions award ceremony which will take place at Wellesley Country Club on Wednesday, January 4, 2006.

Christopher Cutler Rich MGA Junior Player of the Year – EVAN HARMELING:
For the first time in four years, the MGA has named a first-time recipient of the Christopher Cutler Rich MGA Junior Player of the Year. Evan Harmeling, a junior at Phillips Andover Academy, captured the attention of the local junior circuit this past summer when he was victorious at the Massachusetts Junior Championship held at Red Tail Golf Club. This 17-year old battled on the final day for an impressive come-from-behind victory over Colin Brennan. Two weeks later, Harmeling struck gold again when he posted a 66-71, 36-hole performance to finish first in the 16-to-19 year old division of the World Series of Junior Golf tournament held in Providence. He also finished fourth in the 2005 AJGA Fidelity Investments Junior Classic at Cyprian Keyes Golf Club.