Dan MacDonald repeated at Quaker Ridge (Golf Digest photo)

The weather was the story last year, interrupting play and forcing the last several groups to return to the course on Tuesday morning to finish their rounds. MacDonald had already finished 36 holes at the time of the delay, and so all he had to do was come out and prepare for a possible playoff. When no one could match his score, he was declared the champion.

This year, MacDonald won the trophy on a Monday, although it was a roller coaster ride to get his hands back on it.

Pars were rare on his scorecard in both rounds, as his he kept picking up and then losing shots. In a first-round 2-over 72, he had five birdies, five bogeys and a double. That gave him a tie for the lead with four other players, including last year's U.S. Mid-Amateur medalist Brad Tilley and last year's New York City Amateur champion Thomas LaMorte.

The afternoon round was no less turbulent for MacDonald -- five more birdies, four bogeys and a double. But with Quaker Ridge inflicting pain on the rest of the field, allowing no score below MacDonald's 71 (matched by Jay Card), he was able to separate himself from the field and win by three shots over LaMorte (75).

Of the 52 players in the field, only five broke 75 (5 over) in the afternoon. Quaker Ridge was already in championship shape, having hosted the Curtis Cup Matches a week ago, and (perhaps taking a page from Shinnecock Hills a little farther east) proved to be a stern test of golf.

Finishing tied for third, four shots back at 8 over, were Connor Daly and Christian Cavaliere, who last week won the Westchester Amateur for the second week in a row.

John Brennan and Evan Quinn were joint fifth at 10-over 150.

Trevor Randolph, who earlier this month won a record fourth New Jersey Mid-Amateur, finished 14th.