ELMSFORD, N.Y.-Jerry Courville, Jr., of Shorehaven Golf Club in East Norwalk, Connecticut, and Andrew Svoboda of Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY, were honored as co-winners of the MGA’s Jerry Courville, Sr. Player of the Year Award at the Association’s Annual Meeting on December 3rd at Westchester Country Club. It is only the second time in the 28-year history of the award the MGA has named co-winners. 

 

The Jerry Courville, Sr. Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the Metropolitan Area amateur who compiles the best record in select events during the season. The selection is by the MGA’s Executive Committee based on a system which allocates points for finishes in designated local, national and international championships.  Both Courville and Svoboda had incredibly successful seasons and had accumulated near record totals in the standings which lead to the decision to declare co-winners.

 

Courville took his first major step towards winning the award in late June with his fourth victory in the Hochster Memorial at Quaker Ridge.  Shortly thereafter he finished second in the Ike Championship, but it was his performances in two national championships that made the difference.  In August, he won three matches in the U.S. Amateur, then in early October, he again won three matches in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, a title he won in 1995.  A twelfth-place finish in the Met Open and a late-season victory in the Connecticut Mid-Amateur capped off his season, and gave him the lead in Player of the Year points by a small margin.

 

Svoboda’s season was equally impressive.  Highlighted by a dominating performance in the MGA’s premier event, The Met Open, Svoboda become only the sixth amateur to win the area’s most coveted title and he did it in resounding fashion over one of the area’s most demanding courses,  Metedeconk National in Jackson, NJ.  Earlier in the season, Svoboda capped a record breaking collegiate career at St. John’s with individual wins in seven college tournaments, accomplishments that are not reflected in the point system.  He also qualified locally for the US Open, had a fifth place finish in the WGA Open, qualified on-site for the US Amateur and late in the season posted wins in both the Boff and Nassau Invitationals.  This is Svoboda’s first Player of the Year title.

 

George Zahringer, who earned his first selection to the Walker Cup Team this year and reached the quarter finals of the US Amateur and the semifinals in defense of the 2002 US Mid-Amateur title, finished third. Met Amateur Champ Mike Stamberger and New Jersey veteran Allan Small rounded out the top five on the Honor Roll.

 

Other items of business at the Association’s Annual Meeting included the election of officers and the presentation of the Association’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award to Met PGA Executive Director, Charlie Robson. 

                     

For More Information Contact: Jeanne McCooey or Dan Miesieski  (914) 347-4653