MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association IllustrationIllustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: September 16, 2008

Headline: Higgins Leads Heading Into Final Round of Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship

PITTSFIELD – Conditions were calmer on day two of the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship, and as one could expect, many of the state's best players took advantage of the lack of wind at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield to make a strong move up the leaderboard.

One player who stood out from the rest was Brian Higgins (Franklin CC), who leads the way with a two-day score of 2-under par 142 at this prestigious and popular MGA Championship event.

Defending champion Philip Smith (Vesper CC), former Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year Steven Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) and 2008 Berkshire Hills Singles Champion Kim Mertes (Wyckoff CC) stand two strokes back at even par 144.

Higgins is well poised to capture his first MGA Player of the Year award as he is capping off yet another strong performance. After posting a 1-over par 73 on Monday, Higgins – the 2008 Massachusetts Four-Ball and New England Invitational Champion – came through with a 3-under par 69 this afternoon.

Beginning his round on the 10th hole, Higgins made the turn at 1-over par 38. The front nine is where he separated himself from the pack by posting a sizzling 4-under par 31 that featured four birdies and zero bogies! Winning this championship will be yet another feather in Higgins' cap as he has also qualified for and competed in the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships this year.

Smith, who struggled on Monday with a 3-over par 75, used a strong start this morning to fuel his stellar 3-under par 69 round. Following a par on his first hole of the day, Smith made eagle on the 560-yard, par 5 2nd hole – one of five par 5 holes on this Pittsfield layout. He went on to make 13 pars, one bogey and two birdies. One year ago, Smith, a reinstated amateur who earlier this year captured the Norfolk County Classic title, made headlines by capturing his first MGA Championship and dethroning seven-time winner of this event Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC).

Tasho, a 1998 champion of this event, maintained his composure on the lightening fast Berkshire Hills Country Club greens to finish with four birdies and two bogies on the day. The North Easton resident is enjoying a terrific end-of-the-summer run as he finished as medalist at U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying earlier this month at Springfield Country Club.

Mertes enjoyed sole possession of second place following a first-round score of even par 72. He equaled that score on Tuesday with a two birdie, two-bogey effort to put himself in title contention heading into day three.

Phil Miceli (Sagamore Spring GC), the 2005 Massachusetts Public Links Champion, and day-one co-leader Joe Cunningham (Brookline GC) are in fifth place with scores of 1-over par 1 45. First-round leader Jeff Mucciarone (Walpole CC) could not equal his Monday score of 1-under par 70 this afternoon as he dropped to seventh overall with a two-day total of 4-over par 148. Mucciarone currently sits in a two-way tie with Vana.

Following today's round, the starting field of 120 players was reduced to the low 31 scorers. Only those golfers will return to Pittsfield on Wednesday to compete in a third and final round of play to determine the 2008 champion.