Mike Karger ’89 Plays “the round of a lifetime” and wins MGA Mid-Amateur Championship


Congratulations Mike Karger ’89 for winning the prestigious Westmoreland Cup at the MGA Mid-Amateur Championship in Lincolndale, NY. He is the first player to win both the MGA Mid-Amateur and WGA Mid-Amateur championships. Just days before, he also won the MGA’s father-son championship with his father, Hackley alumnus, Tom Karger ’63. Click here to view an interview with Mike from the Metropolitan Golf Association website.

Article from The Journal News

"Michael Karger burns up Mid-Amateur with 65 to win by one stroke"

LINCOLNDALE — When he pulled into Anglebrook Golf Club for the final round of the MGA Mid-Amateur Championship, Michael Karger was hoping to play well enough to finish inside the top 20 and gain an exemption into next year’s championship.

It’s good to have goals. It’s better to surpass them.

The 42-year-old Century member was five shots off the lead Tuesday when he stuck a tee in the ground, and promptly bogeyed the first hole. And then he caught a perfect wave. Karger wound up setting the amateur course record with a 65 and went home with the Westmoreland Cup after finishing one shot ahead of Trevor Randolph with a 7-under 137.

Mark Henderson, a St. Andrew’s member who won last fall, was third.

“It was the best round of my entire life,” said Karger, a Cortlandt Manor resident who did not begin playing competitive golf until after college. “Ridiculous. I can’t even believe it. Who thought? I honestly had no expectations coming in. I just wanted to shoot a good enough round to get back here next year.”

He recovered quickly after his mistake on the opening hole, and was 3-under at the turn.
Karger needed a caddie for the final round, and with carts in play, convinced his father, Tom, to wear a bib for the first time just three days after they won the MGA’s father-son championship.

An eagle from five feet on the 10th really provided a jolt.

“I was almost going to lay up.” Karger said. “I looked at my dad and said, ‘You know what? I’m going to do this. When am I going to have a chance like this again?’ I had 225 yards to a pin that was near the water, so I decided to hit a cut 3-wood and I pulled it off. I was so pumped.”

Randolph was nearly flawless, but surrendered his lead when he lost his footing on the 17th tee and took a double bogey.

“The number was 125 yards to the pin, so I decided to hit a hard gap wedge,” the Arcola Country Club member said. “I slipped during my downswing and dug in. The ball went 60 yards. It was awful.”

Randolph lipped out the bogey putt, and was two inches short on a birdie putt at the 18th.

“I thought it was in,” he said. “Michael is such a good dude. I’m sad about the way things went for me, but I’m happy for him.”

(Read more Hackley Alumni News stories here.)
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