Brennan, 16, in position to defend Middle Atlantic title

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Oct. 6, 2018) – With a round to play at the Middle Atlantic Amateur, the leaderboard looks similar, in some ways, to the way it did a year ago at this championship. Defending champion Michael Brennan will take a three-shot lead into the final round at Lakewood Country Club.

Brennan, of Leesburg, Va., has slowly climbed his way up the leaderboard this week. Rounds of 70-73-68 have made the 16-year-old the pace-setter. A year ago, Brennan became youngest winner of this championship.

In the year since Brennan’s 2017 victory, he won the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship and was fourth at the Eastern Amateur. Brennan played the U.S. Amateur and the Junior PGA Championship but missed the cut at both.

In Rockville, as he goes for a repeat title, Brennan leads William Wingerd of Nottingham, Md., and fellow 16-year-old Gordan Brixi of Potomac, Md. Brixi had the 36-hole lead, but dropped to a 76 in Round 3 and is now 2 under for the tournament.

Scott Shingler of Haymarket, Va., and Jeffrey Long of Ashburn, Va., are tied for third at 1 under. Shingler, a reinstated amateur who competed on the Golden Bear Tour and is a three-time Virginia State Golf Association player of the year, played his college golf at George Mason. Long played for this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Matthew Rendell.

Frank Alafoginis, the 2016 winner, is eighth after rounds of 69-77-73.