Michael Brown Leads 67th Ike After Day One
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (June 27, 2022) -- Michael Brown of Rock Spring used a bogey-free round of 67 to take the lead after round one of the 67th Ike MGA Stroke Play Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club. His 4-under round earned him a one-stroke lead over the field.
“I felt like I was striking the ball well all day," said Brown, who recently won the Philadelpha Amateur Championship. "I made a few good up and downs on my first nine and those kept things rolling. I hit a great five-iron on 16 and made a 15-20 footer on 17, but I think the key to the round was being solid around the greens."
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Brown made birdies on holes five and seven and finished his round strong with back-to-back birdies on the par-3 16th and the par-5 17th. On a day when rain peppered the golfers off and on for most of the day, Brown remained composed throughout his impressive opening 18.
“I had an awesome caddie today,” said Brown. “My buddy who I played high school golf with was on the bag and he kept me calm all day so it was no problem at all.”
Just one stroke behind Brown, Charlie Berridge of Wykagyl came into the clubhouse with a 3-under 68. Berridge used a string of three birdies in a row on Nos. 2-4 – his second nine of the day – to propel himself up the leaderboard.
“On two, I played to the right of that green because it slopes so much and had a big swinging putt down the hill that I just dripped in,” said Berridge. “I was playing to the middle of the green on three and my iron came out a little hot, but it worked out and was able to make another putt. Then I hit a great iron on four and had a tap in.”
Berridge, who just finished his freshman season at the University of California, Berkeley, was in contention at last year’s Carter Cup but shot 3-over on the Lower Course.
“I came back here knowing I had to prove something on this Lower Course,” said Berridge. “I feel comfortable here for whatever reason. I love this place and it’s really a true test of golf.”
Reigning MGA Mid-Amateur champion Chris DeJohn of Arcola, 2020 Met Open Champion Luke Sample of Old Oaks and 2021 Williamson Cup member Ben Loomis of Winged Foot all finished at 2-under, to sit tied for third. Sample missed two short putts on the final two holes, but still managed what he felt was a very solid round.
“I was pretty happy with the way I struck the ball today,” said Sample, who is coming off his freshman season at Duke. “A couple wedges got away from me and I could have given myself a few better looks, but overall, very happy with the way I played today.”
DeJohn said he was happy with his final score but felt there was room for improvement going into Tuesday.
“The round was kind of sloppy if I’m being honest,” said DeJohn. “I usually drive it well and today I didn’t. Overall, I’m very happy with the score, but I still think there are some things to work on going into tomorrow.”
In total, seven players finished under par in day one of the Ike. Stephen Wentz of Baltusrol and Tyler Gerbavsits of Huntington Crescent each finished the day at 1-under.
Two-time reigning MGA Player of the Year Mark Costanza of Hamilton Farm fought back from a four-over start through his first seven holes to card an even-par round. Newly crowned MGA Public Links champ Peicheng Chen of Rock Hill finished at 1-over. Past Carter Cup champion Ben Carpenter of Country Club of Darien also provided a highlight on the day, making an ace on Baltusrol's iconic par-3 fourth hole.
The cut finished at 3-over, with 43 players making it through to the 36-hole finale on Baltusrol’s Lower Course.
Baltusrol, a founding member of the MGA, is making history as it welcomes the Ike, becoming the 19th MGA club to have hosted all three MGA majors—the Ike, Met Amateur and Met Open. It has previously hosted the Met Amateur on five occasions (1908, 1912, 1997, 2006, 2015) and the Met Open twice (1908, 1988), while it also welcomes the Carter Cup—the MGA's junior stroke play invitational—on an annual basis.
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