BAITING HOLLOW – Ken Cohen of Jeffersonville shot rounds of 75-76 at Baiting Hollow Golf Club in eastern Long Island to finish tied for fourth in the Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) Senior Amateur -- the most prestigious amateur competition for players 55 and older on the MGA calendar. It was Cohen’s second consecutive Top-10 finish in this event, tying for 6th last year. 

Ken Bakst came from five shots off the pace with nine holes to play to win the tournament by two. He birdied three of the final six holes to charge to victory. Cohen finished three shots back. He drew within one shot of the lead after a birdie on the short par-three 13th hole where he came two inches from a hole-in-one. But bogeys on three of the next four holes derailed Cohen’s chances to win the championship, though a closing birdie vaulted him into the Top 5.

Baiting Hollow played extremely difficult as steady winds of up to 25 miles per hour whipped across the course. The firm, fast greens and gnarly rough gave the 152 competitors all they could handle over two days. The cut to the low 40 and ties came at 8-over par, the highest cut since 2014.

“It was a good start to the year under extremely challenging conditions,” said Cohen, who turned 60 on Thursday. “I got close at one point, but some of the closing holes are straight into the wind and I bogeyed a few of them as did a lot of players. Kenny [Bakst] making three birdies over that stretch just lapped the field. I was happy to finish with a birdie and secure another Top 10 finish.” 

The Top 10 exempts Cohen into the MGA Senior Open in August and the MGA Mid-Amateur in October. Cohen was also recently selected as one of two seniors to represent the Westchester Golf Association in the annual Stoddard Cup against the Long Island and New Jersey Golf Associations. The one-day, Ryder Cup-style competition will be held June 29 at Deepdale Country Club in Long Island. 

“It was an honor to be selected to the team 20 years ago and maybe even more rewarding to get one of the two senior slots now,” said Cohen. It’s always a great day where you are treated like royalty and get to play a great course.”