USGA

1999 U.S. MID-AMATEUR
CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

THE YOUNGEST AND THE OLDEST
The youngest is 25-year-old Eric McPhail of Waltham, Mass., who celebrates his birthday on Sunday (Sept. 26).

The oldest golfer in the field is 58-year-old Gus Kozina of Beach Park, Ill. A dentist, Kozina is enjoying a good summer, having just won his second Illinois State Senior Amateur title and successfully qualifying (68) for his third USGA Senior Amateur (Oct. 2-7 at Portland (Ore.) Golf Club). He reached the "Sweet 16" at the 1998 Senior Amateur.

Kozina certainly is the busiest of any of the 27 50-something-year-olds in the Championship. He is the grandfather of three (oldest age 14), and the recent father of 6 and 3-year-old sons.

A BIG HITTER
Terry Bruncken of Sioux Falls, S.D., says he always tries to use either height or weight to break ties when he bets. At 6'5" and 285 pounds, he probably wins all tiebreakers.

He survived a triple bogey on the last hole to earn his place in the field. He also lists surviving the cold South Dakota winters as one of his hobbies.

"I watch it snow and snow while waiting for the golf season to come around again in the spring," he says.

BIG FINISHES IN QUALIFYING ROUNDS
Ray Byrne of Albuquerque, N.M., birdied the last three holes for a 72 to earn the last of two spots and his third trip to a U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Joe Cantrell of Louisville, Ky., birdied four of the last five holes to earn medalist honors with a 73 in qualifying at Standard Country Club in Louisville.

Jerry Chang of Manhattan Beach, Calif., eagled the final hole for a 68 and avoided a playoff for the final spots at 70 in qualifying at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, Calif.

John Lindholm of Grand Bland, Mich., birdied the final hole for a 72 and then won one of the two remaining spots in a playoff. Lindholm was the low amateur at the 1997 U.S. Senior Open.

George Logan of Springfield, Ill., birdied the final hole to finish at 73 and earn the final spot in qualifying at St. Louis Country Club. He knocked out a handful of golfers l who finished at 74 and were waiting to play off.

MIXED EMOTIONS
Kevin Buntrock of Rapid City, S.D., had two tickets and was all set to attend this weekend's Ryder Cup Match in Boston when he won the first hole of his playoff at Sheridon, Wy., to earn a spot in the U.S. Mid-Amateur field. This is Buntrock's first Mid-Amateur appearance.

PRE-NUPTUAL ARRANGEMENT?
John Hadges of South Easton, Mass., was married in June and now his wife is his caddie for his first U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

BOWLING HALL-OF-FAMER
Leif Carlson, 46, of Bloomington, Minn., was inducted into the Minneapolis Bowling Hall of Fame in 1998. He is playing in his fifth U.S. Mid-Amateur after capturing the third spot in qualifying at Forest Lake, Minn. When he's not rolling a ball, Carlson is a computer systems programmer.

TRY, TRY AGAIN
Ray Makloski of Pueblo, Colo., is playing in his first USGA championship after trying 28 times to make a championship field. The 39-year-old Makloski failed in his nine previous attempts at making it to the Mid-Amateur. He is also 0-8 in his Open bids, and 0-10 in his Amateur bids.

He took no chances this time, earning medalist honors with a 69 in qualifying at Mira Vista Golf Club in Denver, Colo.

GOING FOR THE CYCLE (NEXT ONE IN SEVEN YEARS)
David Nelson, 43, of Reno, Nev., is in rare company now having qualified for all five of the USGA championships for which he is eligible. He has played in a Junior Amateur (1), Amateur Public Links (10), Amateur (2), Open (1) and now a Mid-Amateur (1). He must wait seven years to try for the Senior Open, and 12 years to attempt the Senior Amateur.

INTERESTING OCCUPATIONS
Tom Craffey, Park Ridge, N.J. Saloonkeeper
Steve Groom, Raytown, Mo. Sheet medal worker
Tim Hogarth, Northridge, Calif. Health foods broker
Bob Jordan, La Habra, Calif. Deputy District Attorney in LA
Dennis Konczyk, Phildelphia, Pa. Police Lieutenant in Philadelphia
Clay Long, Carlsbad, Calif. Golf club designer
Craig McDonnell, Palos Park, Ill. Jeweler
Bill McGuinness, Woodbury, N.J. Funeral home director
John "Spider" Miller, Bloomingn, Ind. Beer distributorship owner
Jim McNelis, Gig Harbor, Wash. Commercial airline pilot
Pat Youngs, League City, Texas Commercial airline pilot
Danny Nelson, Savannah, Ga. Landscape designer
Ronny Ocker, Van Buren, Ark. Funeral home director
Rick Sanders, La Mirada, Calif. Painting contractor
Craig Schnupp, Houston, Texas Crude oil trader
Todd Seidenschwarz, Albuquerque, N.M. Bartender
Steve Sheehan, Reno, Nev. Ski shop owner
Craig Steinberg, Van Nuys, Calif. Optometrist
Tom Yellen, New York, N.Y. Executive Producer, ABC News

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