Ballo Collects 109th Met Open Title
DARIEN, Conn. (August 22, 2024) – It took a three-hole aggregate playoff to decide the winner of the 109th Met Open Championship Presented by Callaway, as Peter Ballo of The Connecticut Golf Club edged Ethan Ng of Knickerbocker, 13-15, on holes 10, 17, and 18 at Wee Burn Country Club. It was the first playoff to decide the Met Open since 2015 at Winged Foot Golf Club, when Ben Polland defeated Tyler Hall.
In a final round where as many as six golfers stood tied for the lead at one point, Ballo jumped ahead of the fray with a birdie on the driveable par-4 17th to move to 1-under for the tournament. He then pared the par-5 18th to finish at 1-under and become the clubhouse leader with five groups still to finish. "I knew if I could get under par starting today, I would have a good chance because I know how hard the course can play," said Ballo. "Luckily, today, the leaders came back to me."
Timely chips on the 18th hole not once, but twice (!), the second coming in the three-hole aggregate playoff at Wee Burn propelled Peter Ballo to his first career Met Open victory! pic.twitter.com/V0NQxtpD2O
— Metropolitan Golf Association (@MGA1897) August 22, 2024
"When I got done at 1-under, I just sat and waited," the first-time MGA winner said. "There were some holes out there that were birdie-able. When Ethan birdied 17, I started to go do my warm-up for a potential playoff," said Ballo.
Ng shared the 36-hole lead with amateur Christian Cavaliere of Hudson National at 3-under, with the duo owning a two shot lead heading into Thursday's final round. Playing in the final pairing, the 24-year-old Stanford grad sat at 1-over after playing the first 12 holes at 4-over par, but then birdied the par-4 14th to get back to even par. After making pars on the par-3 15th and the par-4 16th, Ng's drive found the greenside rough on No. 17. His chip then came to rest on the collar at the back of the green, and he got the ensuing putt to fall in the left side of the hole to tie Ballo at 1-under. On 18, Ng had a birdie putt for the win, but it fell just short, forcing the three-hole aggregrate playoff with Ballo, who earlier this summer claimed the New York State Open at Bethpage Black.
With a large gallery of members and spectators following along, the playoff started on the par-5 10th, where Ballo found the fairway and put his approach shot just below hole-high to the left hole location. Ballo two-putted to make a birdie and take a two-shot lead as Ng made bogey after his drive and subsequent layup both found the rough. "I hit it to almost the exact spot as in the third round," said Ballo. "I just had to put it on the green; I knew I had a good chance to two-putt for birdie. It was a good tone-setter."
Though Ng got one shot back on the par-4 17th with birdie after driving the green, Ballo made par on the last while Ng added another bogey. Ballo had a tricky chip shot from the right rough, but a soft touch and a lofted shot led the ball to come to rest behind the back hole location. Two putts sealed the win and earned Ballo the Walker L. Trammell Trophy and the $36,500 top prize of the $200,000 total purse.
Two former Met Junior champions, Colin Summers of Plainfield and Cavaliere shared low amateur honors, finishing at even par. Summers was the clubhouse leader at even par before Ballo finished at 1-under, while Cavaliere had an eagle putt on 18 to try and get into the playoff, but it came up short.
Also finishing at even par and in a tie for third were Armando Favela of Extracurricular Golf and Jack Wall of Manasquan River, who made his professional debut this week.
Ballo added afterward, "I get to put my name on a trophy with some of the greatest players to have ever touched a golf club. Growing up in this area, playing in the MGA events, this is like a Masters, U.S. Open event. The courses we play reflect it. To have that feeling of knowing I will have my name on that trophy for the history of this event is special."
Ballo is the first player to win the Met Open and New York State Open in the same year since Andy Svoboda did so in 2018.
"It is the greatest feeling," he said. "Wins don't feel good by yourself, I have the greatest wife, son, mother, father, and some of the best friends. They travel all over to watch me. I know my dad is proud. He was looking down through this process. It means the world," concluded Ballo.
Additional Coverage
Preview | Met Open History | Met Open Records
Rd. 1 Recap | Rd. 1 Photos
Rd. 2 Recap | Rd. 2 Photos