ELMSFORD, N.Y. (October 23, 2012) - Thirteen professionals with Met Area ties compete this week in the First Stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School in hopes of advancing to the second stage and ultimately reaching the PGA Tour.

Headlining the competitors are two men who are no strangers to MGA championship victories: 2009 Met Open and 2005 Ike champion Andrew Giuliani of New York, N.Y., and 2009 and 2010 Ike champion Michael Ballo Jr. of Stamford, Conn. Giuliani, 26, who finished T23 at the 2012 Met Open at Plainfield, will be competing at San Juan Oaks Golf Club in Hollister, Calif., from October 23 through 26. Ballo, 24, tied for 2nd in this year's Met Open and is in the field beginning on October 24 at Callaway Gardens Resort in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

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Six players connected to the Met Area are in the field at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.: Casey Calmi of Douglaston, N.Y., Michael Furci of Sayville, N.Y., Jimmy Hazen of Miller Place, N.Y., 2004 MGA/MetLife Boys champion Sunny Kim of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Sam Kang of Rockaway, N.J., 2003 Ike champion Brad Tilley of Jupiter, Fla., and 2004 MGA/MetLife Boys champion Sunny Kim of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Local players competing at Pensacola Country Club in Pensacola, Fla., include 2006 Carter Cup champion and Web.com Tour pro Chris DeForest of Purcellville, Va., Matt Dubrowski of Bergenfield, N.J., Mike Meisenzahl of Medford, N.J., and John Stoltz of Middletown, N.Y. Dubrowski advanced through the pre-qualifying stage at Bear Lake Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., just over a month ago. Meisenzahl, who just recently turned pro, won the Arcola Cup back in July. Stoltz, who plays out of Concord Monster and was the last amateur to win the Met Open (2005), had a solid finish in this year's Met Open in where he placed 14th and collected just over $4,000. 

Rounding out the players in First Stage Qualifying are A.R. Valentine of Bayville, N.Y., and Rahul Sriram of New Canaan, Conn. Both players will compete at Florence Country Club in Florence, S.C., beginning October 24. Valentine finished T29 at this year's Met Open and also competed at U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying at Canoe Brook back in June.

For a complete listing of the First Stage Qualifying sites, click here.