MAMARONECK, N.Y. (June 12, 2006) - The Met Area will  be well represented at the 2006 U.S. Open when it begins on June 15th at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Andrew Svoboda, who grew up playing at Winged Foot, Chris Nallen of Panther Valley CC and Hackettstown, N.J., and PGA Tour regular J.J. Henry, a Connecticut native from the Patterson Club, will not only all be in this year’s field, but the trio of Met Area standouts will be paired together in the first group of the day (7:00 a.m., 1st Tee) when official play begins on Thursday.

Svoboda, a four-time club champion at Winged Foot (1999-2002), is one of only four players to simultaneously hold Met Open (2003) and Met Amateur (2004) titles, and is currently playing on the Hooters Tour where he sits in 77th place on the money list with two top-20 finishes. Svoboda will look to continue his success at Winged Foot where he reached the quarter-finals in the 2004 U.S. Amateur Championship.  He qualified at the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Round at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J. with a  score of 72 - 65 = 137 (-5).

Chris Nallen,  playing in his second season on the Nationwide Tour is currently ranked 72nd on the money list, which includes a t-10th place finish at the Rheem Classic in Fort Smith, Arkansas in mid-May. It was Nallen’s first top-ten finish since winning the Gila River Classic in 2004.  Nallen also achieved success at Winged Foot during the 2004 U.S. Amateur, where he reached the semi-finals.  Nallen qualified at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J. with rounds of 69 - 68 = 137.

J.J. Henry, former Met Amateur finalist, now in his fifth consecutive year on the PGA Tour is having his best year ever and is playing in his third consecutive U.S. Open.  He began his great play early in the season with a t-2nd finish at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 5th.  Henry also finished t-4th at the Bell South Classic on April 2nd and currently sits in 47th place on the PGA Tour money list with $824,683.00.  Henry also qualified at Canoe Brook with a 70 - 65 = 135.

So be sure to follow Svoboda, Nallen and Henry as they try to make their mark at the famed Winged Foot Golf Club, site of so many memorable moments in U.S. Open history.

For more information on these players and for the U.S. Open leaderboard please visit the MGA website at www.mgagolf.org.