ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 3, 2026) – Twelve of the region’s top amateurs have been named to the Met Area team for this year’s playing of the French-American Challenge, the biennial competition against the Ligue de Paris Île-de-France. This year’s matches will be played at The Bridge in Bridgehampton, N.Y., October 22-23.
This year’s team is filled with many returning competitors from the MGA’s International Teams – the French-American Challenge and the Carey Cup, played against Golf Ireland – plus three newcomers, all who will bring plenty of experience and accomplishments to the match play competition. The matches, which began in 1990, features seven men and five women on each team that compete in Foursomes, Four-Ball, and Singles matches over two days of play.
The Met Area team will look to secure the trophy and keep it on American soil; the Ligue de Paris won the last meeting in 2024 at Fontainebleau just outside of Paris, while the Met Area team claimed its first victory since 1991 in 2022 in a thrilling come-from-behind win at Quaker Ridge.
Meet the Met Area Team
Christian Cavaliere, Hudson National
5th MGA International Team
2025 MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year
Advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 U.S. Amateur
Runner-up at the 2026 Met Amateur
Third place finish at the 2026 Ike
Semifinalist at the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur
Winner of the 2025 New York State Open and Azalea Invitational
Mark Costanza, Baltusrol
6th MGA International Team
Three-time MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year (2023, 2021, 2020)
Winner of the 2025 and 2020 New Jersey Open
Winner of the 2023 MGA Mid-Amateur
Chris DeJohn, Arcola
5th MGA International Team
Winner of the 2026 and 2025 Travis Invitational
Fourth place finish at the 2026 Ike
Dylan Gallagher, Rockland CC
1st MGA International Team
Winner of the 2026 New York City Amateur
Runner-up finish at the 2026 Long Island Open
Top-10 finish at the 2026 New Jersey Open
Runner-up at the 2026 Long Island Open and Westchester Open
2026 graduate of Bryant University
Darin Goldstein, Deepdale
11th MGA International Team
2018 MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year
Quarterfinalist and on-site medalist at the 2026 Met Amateur
Fourth place finish at the 2026 Ike
Runner-up finish at the 2026 Havemeyer Invitational
Winner of the 2026 Richardson Memorial Championship
Ina Kim-Schaad, Deepdale
8th MGA International Team
2024 MGA Women’s Player of the Year
Winner of the 2025 and 2019 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Runner-up finish at the 2025 Women’s Met Amateur
Semifinalist at the 2025 Farrell
Winner of the 2024 New York State Women’s Amateur
Hana Ku, Meadow Brook
2nd MGA International Team
Runner-up at the 2026 Women’s Met Amateur
Quarterfinalist at the 2025 NGLA Women’s Invitational
Semifinalist at the 2025 NGLA Women’s Invitational
Qualified for the 2026 and 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Matt Lowe, Bethpage
4th MGA International Team
2024 MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year
Winner of the 2026 MGA Ike and Public Links (also won the Public Links in 2025 and 2023)
Winner of the 2026 New York State Amateur
Runner-up and Low Amateur at the 2026 Met Open
Finished third and Low Amateur at the 2026 New York State Open
Advanced to match play at the 2026 U.S. Amateur
Quarterfinalist at the 2026 Met Amateur
Winner of the 2026 Mittelmark Invitational and Havemeyer Invitational
Mimi McAndrew, Piping Rock
1st MGA International Team
Winner of the 2026 and 2024 Long Island Women’s Amateur Stroke Play
Qualified for the 2026 and 2024 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Semifinalist at the 2026 NGLA Women’s Invitational
Winner of the 2026 WMGA Match Play and Stroke Play Championships
Catherine McEvoy, Stanwich
4th MGA International Team
Winner of the 2026 Women’s Met Amateur
Top-10 finish at the 2026 Women’s Met Open
Qualified for the 2026, 2025, 2024 and 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Winner of the 2022 Farrell
Alexa Phung, Meadow Brook
1st MGA International Team
Winner of the 2026 Carter Cup
Winner of the 2026 AJGA Pete and Alice Dye Junior Invitational
Ranked 27th in the Rolex AJGA Rankings
Two-time Drive, Chip, and Putt National Champion
Brad Tilley, Sleepy Hollow
8th MGA International Team
2022 MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year
Semifinalist the 2026 Met Amateur
12th place finish at the 2026 Ike
Runner-up at the 2024 MGA Mid-Amateur
Winner of the 2022 Met Amateur, Westchester Open, and Farrell
The Met Area team will be captained by MGA President Ned Zachar, with Vice President Gregg Angelillo and WMGA President Judy Cuttone serving as Co-Captains.
The French-American Challenge was introduced as “Fred’s Cup” in 1990, named after sponsor and international jeweler Fred Joaillier. It was conducted annually from 1990-1998, and since 2000 has been played every other year while alternating between the Met Area and sites in France.
