BEDMINSTER, N.J. (August 20, 2014) - The second round of the 99^th Met Open at Trump – Bedminster is underway and the morning wave of players fired some excellent scores on the Old Course. After recording a 2-under 70 yesterday, Grant Sturgeon of Winged Foot followed it up today with a 4-under 68, giving him the clubhouse 36-hole lead at 6-under mid-way through the second round. Right behind Sturgeon is someone he is pretty familiar with, Mike Gilmore, also of Winged Foot, fired a 6-under 66 today and after yesterday’s 1-over 73 that puts him a shot behind Sturgeon at 5-under for the championship. When Sturgeon was asked what is in the water over at Winged Foot, he gave all the credit to his colleague.

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“I’m fortunate to work there [Winged Foot] and work for Mike,” Sturgeon said. “It’s a great membership with a great attitude and they support us and want us to play well.” The assistant pro at Winged Foot just wants to keep doing more of the same heading into tomorrow’s final round, which is driving the golf ball well and getting some good opportunities. “I’ve been really relaxed and I’m just having fun,” he said. “One shot at a time, I know that’s boring and we all say it, but that’s all golf is.” 

Gilmore, a former Met Open Champ, was 2-under through five holes today and then made a double-bogey on the par 4 6^th, but the Head Pro at Winged Foot somehow still managed to shoot an incredible score.  

“I just kept my composure out there,” Gilmore said. “I had some pretty good confidence coming in here with my putter, so I figure if I could hit some greens I could make some putts.” After a 2-under 34 on the front, he came in with a 4-under 32 on the back with birdies on 11, 13, 15, and 18. Gilmore said he felt a bit calmer today then yesterday. “I was a little more relaxed today, I just said I am going to hit some golf shots and wherever my ball goes that’s where it goes,” he said. He won this event in 2000 at Mountain Ridge, a feeling he has definitely missed over the years. “I haven’t been in this position in awhile,” Gilmore said. “It feels good, I just have to try and stay focused and do what I did today, tomorrow." If everything goes their way today, Gilmore and Sturgeon could find themselves together in tomorrow’s final group.

Tied with Gilmore and one back of Sturgeon is amateur Cameron Young of Sleepy Hollow, who fired a stunning 5-under 67 today. Young started on the 10^th hole and shot an even par 36 on his front nine, then just a few holes later, he found himself at 4-under through five holes on his back nine. “I made a bunch of long putts on the back nine,” the 17-year-old said. In his last four holes he would grab one more birdie on the par 5 8^th (his 17^th hole) to put him in great position heading into the final round. Young, coming off an appearance in the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals a week ago, finds himself near the top of the leaderboard at another Met Open. He would love to close this one out and become the youngest Met Open winner in the event’s history. “That would be an incredible honor,” Young said. “It’s a storied tournament and the list of winners is unbelievable, but I still have to get through another 18 holes.”

Also very much in the mix are a few big Met Area names. Cameron Wilson of Shorehaven carded an even par 72 today, putting him at 3-under for the championship. Amateur Dylan Newman of Hollow Brook followed up his even par score from yesterday with a 2-under 70 today and he sits four back of the lead. Tied with Newman is yesterday’s first round leader Rob Labritz of GlenArbor. Labritz shot a disappointing 2-over 74 today, but he is still alive and just four shots back of Sturgeon.

Notables currently on the course right now that could make a run at the leader are amateur Harrison Shih of Alpine, Mike Ballo of Woodway, Jeremy Quinn of Apple Ridge, and Anthony Aruta of Staten Island Golf Practice Center.

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