News Release

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2007

Headline: MGA State Amateur Qualifying Kicks Off at Bay Club of Mattapoisett & Springfield CC

Norton, MA – The battle for the 2007 Massachusetts Amateur Championship title has officially begun. The first of six days of qualifying for this prestigious event was held at Springfield Country Club and Bay Club at Mattapoisett.

A total of 26 golfers advanced to next month’s Championship Proper as a result of today’s qualifying. This year’s main event is scheduled for Concord Country Club on July 9-13.

Leading the field of 15 qualifiers in Mattapoisett were Kevin Blaser (Segregansett CC), Bill Kidik (Poquoy Brook GC) and Brian Baker (LeBaron Hills CC) with scores of 2-over par 73. On what was a challenging layout, the first and last qualifiers were separated by only three strokes. Also qualifying at that site was a former Massachusetts Golf Association Champion, Carter Fasick (Indian Meadows GC), who captured the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship with his brother Jon four times (1986, ’91, ’97, ’98) over the course of his career.

In the western part of the state, Bobby Loguidice (Franconia GC) was on fire as he posted a sizzling 2-under par 70 to earn medalist honors over second-place finisher Brian Foley (Springfield CC). Former Massachusetts Amateur Champion Flynt Lincoln (Longmeadow CC) also advanced after posting a score of even par 72. Lincoln was victorious in this event in 1993. Another former champion to qualify in Springfield was Paul Nunez (Longmeadow CC), who won the Massachusetts Senior-Four Championship in 2003 and 2004 with partner Jim Ruschioni.

Here is a schedule of qualifying that will be held over the next nine days at sites across the state:

June 6: Franklin CC (Franklin); Indian Ridge CC (Andover); Wianno Club (Osterville)
June 7: Vesper CC (Tyngsboro)
June 11: Milton-Hoosic Club (Canton); Pine Brook CC (Weston)
June 12: Green Hill Municipal GC (Worcester)
June 14: Bass Rocks GC (Gloucester)

About the Massachusetts Amateur Championship
The oldest and most venerated event conducted by the MGA, the state amateur annually crowns the best amateur player in the state. Arthur G. Lockwood was the inaugural champion in 1903 and now shares his name on the championship trophy with such golf legends as Francis Ouimet, Jesse Guilford, Frederick Wright, Ted Bishop, Kevin Johnson and James Driscoll.

Entries for the Massachusetts Amateur Championship are open to amateur golfers who hold membership in an MGA member club and have an up-to-date MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4 (as determined by the April 20, 2007 Handicap Revision), or who have completed their handicap certification as defined on the Entry Form.