As the Mid-Senior Championship returns, yet again, it is still RJ Nakashian who comes in as the favorite. The 2017 Championship is heading south to The Forest Country Club's Bobcat Course in Fort Myers as 96 of Florida's best amateurs hope to end Nakashian's championship dominance. To be eligible to play in the Mid-Senior Championship, the participant must be 40 years old and older, providing them a championship experience without collegiate nor junior golfers.
The 2017 Mid-Senior Championship is a 54-hole, stroke play competition with no cut after 36 holes. The lowest score after the final round is complete will be crowned champion of the Mid-Senior Championship. One individual that is no stranger to the Mid-Senior Championship winning circle is RJ Nakashian, of Palm Beach Gardens. Dominance is an understatement as Nakashian has won the Mid-Senior Championship two out of the last three years. The only other time since 2015 he lost was to his friend, Stephen Anderson in a playoff. In 2016, Nakashian shot rounds of 71-72-71 to win by one shot over 2015 champion, Stephen Anderson at Mission Inn Resort. Having won the event in 2014 & 2016, Nakashian joins three other individuals to win the event two times. Rennie Law won back-to-back in 1993 & 1994 while Doug Ritter and Paul Melson spread out their two wins over three and four years, respectively. If Nakashian were to claim victory this week, he would join Mike Yahl, of Naples in having won three Mid-Senior Championships. Yahl won his three Mid-Senior Championships in a span of five years beginning in 1976. The only individual to record more than three wins is Ron Clayton who won the event four times. Clayton won the event back-to-back in 1982 & 1983 before claiming his third and fourth championship in 1985 and 1987.
Competing against Nakashian is a tough field filled with past champions like him. 2015 Champion, Stephen Anderson, of Hobe Sound, along with Peter Wegmann (2008) and Rick Woulfe (2007) join Nakashian as the only other past champions in the field. Recent Four-Ball Champion, Kelly Sellers will tee it up without his partner to attempt to win his second FSGA Championship of the summer. Another FSGA Champion is missing his partner this week as Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Champion, Bob Campione goes for the title this week. 
The only 2016 Four-Ball Champions team making a full appearance this week is 2016 (North) Mid-Senior Four-Ball Champions, Time Hume and Kelly Gose as well as 2016 (South) Mid-Senior Four-Ball Champions RJ Nakashian and Stephen Anderson. Mid-Amateur Champion, Robert Bechtol tees of at 9:30 A.M. off of the first tee Friday with Senior Amateur Champion, George DeSear, who is trying to nab last minute Southeastern Challenge points. Senior Amateur Match Play Champion, Owen Joyner, is also needing some last minute Southeastern Challenge points and will be playing off the 10th tee Friday at 8:50 A.M.
Defending Champion, RJ Nakashian begins his 2017 Mid-Senior Championship Friday morning off of the 10th tee at 8:30 A.M. Nakashian will be teeing it up with 2007 Mid-Senior Champion and perhaps FSGA's most decorated player, Rick Woulfe as well as 2016 Mid-Amateur Champion, Chip Brooke. 2016 Mid-Senior Championship runner-up and 2015 Champion, Stephen Anderson, sits one group back of good friend and rival, Nakashian, as he is set to tee off at 8:40 A.M. off of the 10th tee.
Spectators and media are highly encouraged to attend this year's Mid-Senior Championship as some of the state's best male golfers over the age of 40 tee it up with hopes of ending Nakashian's dominance and claim the 2017 Mid-Senior Championship.
