News Release

For Immediate Release: July 28, 2008

Headline: Bradley Kushner Leads After Day 1 of Massachusetts Junior Championship

West Newton, MA – The 90th Massachusetts Junior Championship kicked off today at Brae Burn Country Club. A total of 122 players from three divisions took part in the first of three rounds of 18-hole stroke play.

Leading the charge as the only player to break par on the day was Bradley Kushner (CC of New Seabury) with a score of 1-under par 71. Kushner is no stranger to this event as he was the Pre-Junior champion in 2006 and finished T10 in his Junior Division debut just one year ago.

Kushner – along with the entire field that includes 60 Junior Division, 40 Pre-Junior Division and 22 Boys Division competitors – will return to Brae Burn Country Club on Tuesday to compete in a second round of 18-hole stroke play. Following the first two rounds of stroke play, the low 30 Junior, 20 Pre-Junior and 10 Boys Division scorers and ties will continue on to Wednesday's 18-hole final round.

On this day, Kushner used a red-hot 2-under par 35 to fuel his sub-par round and send him to the top of the leaderboard. The highlight of the round came early as he made an incredible eagle on the 308-yard, par 4 2nd hole. He followed that up with a birdie on the next hole to find himself 3-under par through three holes. He went on to make two bogeys and one birdie on that front nine. On the back nine, Kushner continued to make birdies – he had five on the day – but a costly double bogey on the 405-yard, par 4 16th hole sent him back a step to finish at 1-under for the day.

Two strokes back of Kushner with scores of 1-over par 73 are John Brennan (The Orchards GC) and Dan Fanion (The Ranch GC). Brennan's first round included three bogies and two birdies, while Fanion registered four bogies and three birdies on the day.

Last year's runner up, Josh Salah (Bass Rocks GC) will look to improve on his first round score of 7-over par 79. One year ago, Salah put up an impressive fight before falling to two-time champion Antonio Grillo by one stroke in this event. Another notable finisher was Anthony Dilisio (Salem CC), who last year paired up with his father Dana to capture the Massachusetts Father & Son Championship. Dilisio posted a score of 8-over par 80 this

Pre-Junior Division (Ages 14-15):
In another tight battle, Bob Marulli (The Orchards GC) posted a 4-over par 76 to lead Peter French (Maplegate CC), last year's Boys Division victor, by one stroke. Also very much in the mix following the first round is Nick McLaughlin (Far Corner GC) with a score of 6-over par 78. Just one year ago, McLaughlin finished second to French in the Boys Division.

Boys Division (Ages 13 & Under):
Athan Goulos (The Meadow at Peabody GC) led the way in the Boys Division with a score of 7-over par 80. Goulos holds a slim one-stroke lead over Matt Antonacci (Elmcrest CC). Also competing in that division is the field's only female competitor, Cora Bernier (MGA Links at Mamantapett). By participating this week, Bernier, who plays golf out of the MGA's junior golf facility in Norton, becomes the second female golfer to compete in this 90-year-old tournament. The Boys Division competitors are playing the course at a par of 36-37--73.