News Release

For Immediate Release: August 9, 2006

Headline: Starting Times, Pairings Released for 2006 Massachusetts Public Links Championship

Norton, MA – The 2006 Massachusetts Public Links Championship will be contested next week, August 14-15, at The Ranch Golf Club in Southwick. In preparation for the two-day event, the MGA today released starting times and pairings for Championship Proper.

The Massachusetts Public Links Championship will consist of 18 holes at stroke play on Monday and Tuesday. The field will be repaired according to score following Monday's first round. This event is open to amateur golfers who maintain a USGA Handicap Index at an MGA member club that does not exceed 12.0 and who are public course players. Amateur golfers holding a membership in a private club are not eligible.

One year ago, Phil Miceli (Sagamore Spring GC) of Bradford stormed back from a two-shot deficit to defeat a host of talented players including then defending champion Bill Drohen (Bradford CC). It was Miceli's first MGA Championship victory.

Miceli will be on hand next week at The Ranch Golf Club to defend his title against the likes of other dominating players such as Bill Drohen, his older brother Andy Drohen(St. Anne CC), the 2003 Massachusetts Amateur champion and 2004 Massachusetts Mid-Amateur champion, and former Massachusetts Public Links champions Steve St. Amand (The Meadow at Peabody GC) and Jon Fasick (New England CC).

This year's field will consist of 11 exempt players and 88 qualifiers. Those 88 qualifiers advanced to Championship Proper following qualifying rounds which were held on July 25-26 at six sites located across the state.