88th Amateur

COMPETITIONS:

Eighteen (18) hole qualifying rounds will be held at Winters Run GC and Lake Presidential GC, on Monday, May 4, 2009, and at Clustered Spires GC on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.  The MSGA will make the final course assignments.  The number of qualifying places shall be that number required to create a minimum starting field of 120 players (including the exempt entrants) at the 18 hole qualifying round at the Chevy Chase Club on Thursday, June 4, 2009.  Any ties for the last qualifying score at each site shall advance to the qualifying round at Chevy Chase.  The final qualifying round at Chevy Chase shall determine a match play  field  of  32, with  the  defending  champion  automatically qualifying unless he elects to compete for the Medalist prize.  Ties for medalist and for the last place in the match play field shall be resolved by a sudden death playoff immediately after the conclusion of the qualifying round.  Two 18 hole matches will be played on both Friday and Saturday with a 36 hole final match on Sunday.

ELIGIBILITY:

This tournament is open to male amateur members of member clubs of the MSGA with an up-to-date USGA index at a licensed club of 5.4 or less as of November 15, 2008 or March 1, 2009 (entrant’s choice).  The handicap index must be at the member club shown on the entry form, must be current both on 4/1/09 and the date of the event, and must be viewable on the verification site of www.msga.org.  Entries may be rejected by the MSGA at any time, including during the competition.  The reason for rejection may include unbecoming conduct or failure to comply with the requirements of the handicap system. 

 Field:  The field will be a minimum of 120 players including exempt players plus those players who qualified at each of the three qualifying sites.

A cookout will be available from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 4th.  The canteen will be open at 6:30 AM until late in the afternoon each of the four days.  PAYMENT IS BY CASH ONLY.  There will be no charge-backs to a player's club. 

Fee for Motorized Golf Carts are not included in the entry fee, if used by a caddie at the qualifying sites to transport player's clubs, the cart must be paid for at the Pro shop.
AUTOMOTIVE TRANSPORTATION IS PROHIBITED FOR PLAYERS AT THE QUALIFYING SITES.

AT THE CHEVY CHASE CLUB, AUTOMOTIVE TRANSPORTATION IS PROHIBITED FOR THE PLAYERS AND THE CADDIES---A PLAYER MAY EITHER CARRY HIS OWN BAG,  BRING HIS OWN CADDIE, OR MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CHEVY CHASE CLUB FOR A CLUB CADDIE.  PULL CARTS ARE PROHIBITED. 

SPECTATOR CARTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.

All players reaching quarter final round will receive silver prizes.

All players who are non exempt as defined below and in the entry form must qualify at one of three(3) sites on Monday, May 4,2009 or Tuesday, May 5, 2009.  Please register online for Amateur/Open Qualifying-Winters Run GC, or Amateur/OpenQualifying-Lake Presidential GC or Amateur/Open Qualifying-Clustered Spires GC.  You may enter to qualify for the "Amateur" or the "Open" .   You may also try to qualify for both the Amateur and the Open by qualifying at one of the three qualifying sites using the same score to determine if you qualify for either or both.  If you wish to try to qualify for both, you must complete the entry forms for both the Amateur and Open separately and pay the required entry fee for both events. For exempt players register online for Men's Amateur Championship, or the Maryland Open. (Not for one of the three qualifying sites) Following are the exemptions for both the Amateur and Open Championships. 

EXEMPTIONS FROM LOCAL QUALIFYING:

The following shall be exempt from the local qualifying and shall advance to the final 18 hole qualifying round at Chevy Chase Club on Thursday, June 4, 2009: those who competed in the round of sixteen of the 2008 MSGA Amateur Championship; those amateurs who completed 54 holes in the 2008 Maryland Open; Maryland Amateur Champions of 2004 through 2008; Maryland Open Champions (if amateurs at the time) of 2004 through 2008; 2008 MSGA Senior Open Champion (if amateur at the time); 2007 and 2008 MSGA Mid-Amateur Champions; 2008 MSGA Senior Amateur Champion; 2008 MSGA Junior Amateur Champion; 2008 MSGA APL Champion; 2008 Player of the Year top 10; 2008 Senior Player of the Year top 5; and all qualifiers for 2008 USGA Championships. These exempt players must also meet the previously outlined eligibility requirements of the Championship. AN EXEMPT PLAYER MUST SUBMIT AN ENTRY ON A TIMELY BASIS. 

Range balls are included in the entry fee.