ALOI WINS MET JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
ALOI WINS MET JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
DENVILLE, N.J. (July 17, 2008) – Anthony Aloi of Plainsboro, N.J., defeated Dillon Corbo of Montville, N.J., in 19 holes in the final match of the 91st Met Junior Championship, sponsored by MetLife, at Rockaway River Country Club. This was Aloi’s second victory at the club after capturing the 2005 NJSGA Boys title in 2005.
Aloi, who will attend Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and play on the golf team, started the day by knocking off championship favorite Cameron Wilson of Norwalk, Conn., in 20 holes. The 18-year-old Aloi trailed Wilson for most of the front nine until a birdie at the long, par-three 11th hole pulled the match back to even and another birdie at the 13th hole put him one up. After a bogey by Aloi at 15 evened the match again, he would sink a 10-foot birdie putt at the 17th to go one up with only the par-five 18th left to play. Aloi faltered again on the 18th hole when a wayward third shot left him short of the green, while Wilson put his third to within five feet and made a birdie to send the match to extra holes. The players halved the first extra hole before Aloi birdied the second extra hole to pull off the biggest upset of the week.
“I knew he was an accomplished player,” said Aloi of facing Wilson. “I tried not to make too many mistakes and I was able to make the putts I had to.”
Corbo, the 2007 Rockaway River club champion, faced off with Michael Furci of West Sayville, N.Y., in his semifinal match. The fifteen-year-old high-school junior never trailed and, with a bogey to Furci’s double on the par-three 14th hole, he took a one-up lead that he never relinquished.
Aloi once again fell behind to his opponent in the final match. Corbo carded four birdies on the front and two bogeys to take a two-up lead after the front nine. He was able to use his extensive knowledge of his home course, especially on the greens, where he rarely made an error on the front nine.
Corbo would give one hole back with a bogey on 10, but quickly regained the two-up lead with a birdie at the short, par-four 12th hole. It was on the 15th hole that Aloi displayed his grit and determination. He made par at the par-five 15th after Corbo made a birdie to cut the lead to one up. After trading pars on 16 and 17, Aloi scratched out a hard-fought par on 18 to send the match to extra holes. Corbo, who had putted well all day, missed a short par putt that would have halved the hole and won him the title. On the second extra hole, Aloi, despite a drive 25 yards left of the fairway, made another par to seal the victory.
“When you get down early it puts a little more pressure on you,” said Aloi of the final match. “I was waiting for him to make a mistake, which he didn’t, but I found a way to pull it out.”
The win earns Aloi an exemption into the 2009 Ike - MGA Stroke Play Championship at Nassau Country Club and he is scheduled to play in the Carter Cup - MGA Junior Stroke Play Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on August 6.
