Stroke Play Qualifying Results

Match Play Bracket

LOCUST VALLEY, N.Y. (August 4, 2011)– The first day of the 109th Met Amateur Championship at the Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., provided enough drama for an entire championship. With ideal weather and scoring conditions on the classic C.B. Macdonald layout, the 63 competitors who began today’s 36 holes of stroke play qualifying showcased their talents. By the time the final putt dropped, the top 16 players had punched their tickets to the match play portion of the event, with the cut coming at two-over-par 144.  

Earning stroke play medalist honors was 2010 Met Amateur semifinalist Alex Edfort of Neshanic Valley, who will be the No. 1 seed going into match play. Edfort followed up a morning round of 3-under-par 68 with a dazzling 5-under 66 in the afternoon, for a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, the third-lowest stroke play medalist score in Met Amateur history. Edfort, 19, had his putter working in his favor today, among other things.

“I was controlling my distances well with my irons and managing my way around the golf course really well,” Edfort said. “I gave myself a lot of makeable birdie opportunities, and I had the putter rolling and got a couple to go in.”

Edfort, who made it to the Round of 16 at this year’s U.S. Public Links Championship at Bandon Dunes, made eleven birdies over his 36 holes, and looks to build on past match play success as the week goes on. “I’ve picked up a lot more match play experience, between last year in this tournament and the U.S. Public Links. I’ve gotten more comfortable playing match play, and the more you play it the more confident you get.”

Stu Kaufman and 2007 Carter Cup champion Max Buckley, both of Westchester Country Club, finished at five-under-par 137 and earned the two and three seeds in match play, respectively. Buckley, who won the 2011 Hochster Memorial Tournament and recently took medalist honors at a U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying round, used his significant knowledge of the course and improved confidence to fire an impressive morning round of 68.

“I love this course. My godfather is a member out here and I’ve played here probably 10-15 times,” said Buckley. Heading into match play, the level-headed Buckley stated that he does not foresee himself changing his game plan based on how his competitor plays; “No, I try to play my game and not change my strategy. If someone hits a horrible shot, I may play more conservatively, but I’m not going to change my routine or my philosophy based on what they do.” Buckley is well aware of a statistic that haunts him, which is never making it passed the Round of 16 in this event, and he hopes to change that tomorrow morning.

After setting the first-round pace with a 66 of his own, 2010 Carter Cup champion David Pastore of Griff Harris also claimed a match play spot and will face off against two-time Met Amateur champion (2008 & 2006) and 2011 Ike winner Tommy McDonagh of Shorehaven. McDonagh is coming off a win at the Connecticut Amateur and made a recent trip to Ireland, and said the tactics he used to navigate the courses in the Emerald Isle could come in handy if the wind picks up at Piping Rock.

Other notable players advancing to match play include 2011 MGA/MetLife Public Links winner Anthony Aloi of MGA eClub-New Jersey (142); 2010 Met Junior champion and current MGA Polo Golf Player of the Year Points leader Mike Miller of Knollwood (142); 2010 MGA/MetLife Boys champion Matthew Lowe of Colonial Springs (142); and former Met Open low amateur Sam Bernstein of Century (138).

There was a dramatic four-man playoff at two-over 144 to determine the final two spots in match play, as competitors and a sizeable gallery headed back to the par-five 18th hole. Newly crowned Carter Cup champion Cameron Young (76-68) of Sleepy Hollow made his mark early by hitting a sparkling hybrid shot from 220 yards out to three feet below the hole. Young, who already has an unfounded three wins this week, made the eagle putt to secure the #15 seed and will play Kaufman. Conor Casey of Madison and Bernard D’Amato of MGA eClub-Westchester/Fairfield both made birdie in the playoff, while former MGA President and 2009 MGA Senior Amateur winner Al Small of Fairmount made par to be knocked out. The 59-year-old Small would have been the oldest player to make match play by more than a few years. Heading back to the 18th tee, it was Casey who prevailed with another birdie while D’Amato’s struggled with a greenside chip to fall short.

The two nines of Piping Rock played nearly identical as the scoring average on the front was 37.2 while the back averaged 37.9. While 300 birdies were made on the day, only four eagles were recorded (not counting Young’s in the playoff).

The Round of 16 kicks off at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow, with the quarterfinals beginning at 12:00. The two semifinal matches will be conducted on Saturday at 12:00 and 12:10, with the 36-hole finale taking place on Sunday, August 7. Hole-by-hole live scoring will be available for all matches tomorrow on www.mgagolf.org.