Why to like the Ike

-Billy Condon

The MGA's amateur stroke play championship, the Ike, is one of the toughest tests of regional amateur golf in the country and brings out one of the premier Met Area fields. Looking at the numbers, it doesn't take long to comprehend why this event is so difficult to win, and why George Zahringer III's five Ike titles will probably never be matched.

20 former MGA champions are in the field of 110, with three of those being former Ike winners (Mike Ballo Jr., Greg Rohlf and Roger Hoit). Cameron Wilson and Joe Saladino, the last two winners of the MGA Player of the Year award are also competing, and both of them, along with Rohlf, played in the MGA's French-American Challenge at Metropolis in 2008, giving the trio an added knowledge of the course.

When you add in the accomplishments and recent strong play of players such as Mike Miller, Dave Pastore, Brian Komline and John Ervasti, the championship will surely be well deserved for the player who comes out on top.

With such a stacked field and outstanding golf course testing the competitors, it is hard to not like the Ike.

Rohlf in Similar Position

-Billy Condon

In last year's Mid-Am, Greg Rohlf found himself four shots out of the lead going into the final round. After a solid round, Rohlf played the waiting game while the rest of the field fell back and he wound up in a four-man playoff that he eventually won.

Today, Rohlf again entered the final round four-shots back, and on another cool and windy day that is reminiscent of that final round at Bayonne, Rohlf looks to become the first player in the championship's young history to have his name etched into the Westmoreland Cup for the second time.

It should also be noted that Rohlf was out of commission for a large portion of the 2009 season due to injury. However, Rohlf is now healthy and finds himself right in the mix.