Pacific Northwest Golf Association Announces Changes to Men’s Master-40
Beginning with the 2015 championship season, the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) will make three changes to the format and entry process of its annual Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship.
This year will mark the 40th playing of the PNGA Men’s Master-40 Amateur with Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland, Wash. hosting the championship on July 13 -16.
The most notable of the changes are that stroke-play qualifying will be contested over just 18 holes, rather than the former 36-hole qualifying. All players will still advance to single elimination match play, with the Championship Flight consisting of the top 32 players and remaining flights of eight players each.
With this change, the championship will now begin on a Monday and conclude on a Thursday.
The process of accepting entries into the championship will also change. The field of 128 players will now be filled by the order of entry receipt. In the last few years the field was determined at the close of entry by accepting the lowest handicap indexes. Beginning this year, players who register will know right away that they are in the field and can make travel plans.
The entry fee will also be lowered in 2015, from $200 to $175 per player, as a result of making the championship one less day.
Entrants into the championship must be 40 years of age or older by July 13, 2015 to be eligible for participation. Entrants must have a USGA Handicap Index or Golf Canada Handicap Factor of 16.4 or less at the time of entry. The field size will be limited to 128 players.
Entry includes one hosted practice round, a minimum of two championship rounds (and as many as six), range balls each morning, tee prize, lunch following round one and Kusak crystal for all flight champions and flight runner-ups.
Championship registration opened on Monday, March 2 and will close on Monday, June 22. Players can register online by clicking here.