By David Gordon, MGA Communications Intern

GREENWICH, CONN (August 5, 2013) – The sixth and final 98th Met Open sectional qualifying round brought spectacular weather to the slopes of Round Hill Club in Greenwich, Conn. as 145 players competed for the sixteen remaining spots (plus ties) in the MGA’s third and final major championship of the season. At the end of the day, 17 players punched their ticket to Old Westbury Golf & Country Club shooting no worse than two-over 73 on the demanding 6,703 yard par-71 layout.

1996 U.S. Amateur runner-up Steve Scott carded six birdies to shoot one-under 71 and win medalist honors. The head professional at Paramount Country Club birdied three of his last four holes including a sliding 30-foot putt on the 18th to secure his spot in the Open. Scott was ranked as the best amateur in the world in 1999 and has been a member of two Walker Cup teams.

Six players tied behind Scott at even-par 71, including 2010 Carter Cup champion and low amateur David Pastore of Griff Harris. Wykagyl professionals Paul Selvaggio and Benjamin Hoffhine matched each other’s scores at 71 as well.  Tony DeMaria of Willow Ridge and Colin Dolph of Huntington used eagles to help their tally -- DeMaria’s coming on a hole-out from 180 yards on the difficult 9th while Dolph started his day with an eagle on the short par-4 10th. Kyle Baehler of Sunningdale also shot 71 to qualify.

Kent St. Charles of Willow Ridge, Ryan Khalista of Innis Arden, Carl Alexander of Purcahse, and 2012 Mid-Amateur champion Mark Henderson of Saint Andrew’s fired one-over rounds of 72 apiece to qualify tied for eighth.

Six more players shot 73 and qualified tied for 12th to round out the final field in this year’s Met Open. Garret Murphy of Innis Arden, Tommy McDonagh of Shorehaven, Matt Noel of Silvermine, Brian Bartow of Sunningdale, Jerry Courville Jr. of Shorehaven, and Lewis Grant Sturgeon of Winged Foot will all have the chance to raise the 98th Met Open trophy starting August 20th at the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club in Old Westbury, N.Y.