Age Requirement Lowered To 25 For NJSGA Mid-amateur Championship

The New Jersey State Golf Association has lowered the minimum age requirement for eligibility in its annual Mid-Amateur Championship from 30 to 25, beginning with the 2018 season.

The 35th NJSGA Mid-Amateur Championship takes place June 5-7, 2018, at the Bedens Brook Club in Skillman.

Since its inception in 1984, the NJSGA Mid-Amateur Championship had set the minimum age requirement at 30. Now, with the change to a minimum age requirement of 25, the NJSGA falls in line with the age requirement utilized by the USGA, which first established the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 1981.

“We are moving the age from 30 to 25 to give the golfer who is only a few years out of college another opportunity to compete in an important event,” said Kevin Purcell, NJSGA executive director.

“We want to make sure we give younger golfers as many opportunities to compete as possible. The Mid-Amateur was created with the true amateur golfer in mind.”

The inaugural NJSGA Mid-Amateur took place in 1984 at Montclair Golf Club with Angelo Petraglia of Navesink crowned champion. This year’s winner was Peter Barron of Stone Harbor, age 41. The NJSGA presents the Gigi Carnevale Trophy, named after the former Rutgers University golf coach, to the champion of each year’s Mid-Amateur. The trophy was donated to the NJSGA by Bill King, longtime Director of Golf at Spring Lake Golf Club, in honor of Carnevale, whom he considered a mentor and role model.