Wee Burn Welcomes Met Open
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 14, 2024) – For the second straight year, the Met Open Championship Presented by Callaway will head to a first-time host, as Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, Conn., welcomes the 109th playing, August 20-22.
Related: Pairings | Met Open History | Met Open Records
The historic club, whose history dates to 1896, is no stranger to hosting championships though, having hosted six MGA championships through the years including the 1992 Met Amateur won by Mike Muehr and most recently the 2019 MGA Mid-Amateur won by Brad Tilley. The club has also hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship on three occasions (1939, 1958, 1970).
The Devereux Emmet design opened in 1925, with today’s layout predominantly the same as Emmet’s original work. The course can stretch to more than 7,100 yards and features small green complexes often surrounded by mounds, many bunkers and penalty areas, while championship conditions will bring on thick rough – all adding up to a stern test for the competitors.
The field once again contains the region’s top professionals and amateurs all aiming to etch their name in MGA history and to capture the Walker L. Trammell Trophy. Professionals also have their sights on the $36,500 winner’s share of the $200,000 purse.
Field Breakdown
The field contains 140 players, with 87 professionals and 53 amateurs.
Past Champions
There are 16 past champions in the field aiming to capture the Walker L. Trammell Trophy once again:
Dylan Newman, Meadow Brook (2023)
Ryan Siegler, TPC Jasna Polana (2022)
Andrew Svoboda, Golf Club of Purchase (2021, 2018, 2003)
Matt Dobyns, Meadow Brook (2019)
Josh Rackley (2017)
Mark Brown (2016, 2013, 1999)
Danny Balin, Fresh Meadow (2012)
Tyler Hall, Upper Montclair (2011)
Bob Rittberger, Garden City (2010)
Andrew Giuliani (2009)
Frank Bensel, Century (2007)
John Guyton, Rockville Links (2006)
John Stoltz, Concord Resort (2005)
Mike Gilmore, Winged Foot (2000)
Darrell Kestner, Deepdale (1995, 1983, 1982)
Bobby Heins, Old Oaks (1988, 1989)
Back-to-Back
Dylan Newman of Meadow Brook is back to defend his title from Arcola. Seven times has a player won back-to-back Met Open titles, with Johnson Wagner being the last to do so in 2001-02.
Rare Air
Alex Smith owns the most career Met Open victories (1905, 1909, 1910, 1913). Both Andrew Svoboda and Mark Brown own three career titles and have the opportunity to match Smith at Wee Burn.
Accomplished Amateurs
Eight times has an amateur won the Met Open Championship, with Luke Sample of Old Oaks being the last to do so. Amateurs have fared well in the region open championships already this year, with Derek Gutierrez of Galloping Hill and Jackson Roman of Sterling Farms having won the New Jersey State and Connecticut State opens, respectively. Both are in the field at Wee Burn.
Major Careers
Only Jerry Courville, Sr., George Zahringer and Johnson Wagner have won all three MGA majors – the Ike, Amateur, and Open – over the span of their careers. Wagner is the lone player to possess all three majors at once, having won five in a row beginning with the Met Amateur in 2001. Brad Tilley of Sleepy Hollow owns two legs of the feat, having won the Ike in 2003 and Met Amateur in 2022.
In the Running
Over the last 10 Met Opens, Andrew Svoboda leads the way with five top-10 finishes. In the last six years, the only time he did not finish in the top 10 was 2020, when he finished tied 14th at Mountain Ridge. Meanwhile, Matt Dobyns has five top-10 finishes in the span, while Mike Ballo, Jr., Peter Ballo, Michael Graboyes, Tyler Hall and Josh Rackley all have three top 10s.
2023 Met Area Champions in the Field
Peter Ballo, The Connecticut Golf Club – New York State Open
Peicheng Chen, Rock Hill – Ike
Matt Dobyns, Meadow Brook – Long Island Open
Jonathan Farber (a), Mill River Club – Long Island Amateur
Jackson Fretty, Greenwich – Westchester Amateur
Adam Friedman (a), Sterling Farms – Connecticut Public Links
Brian Gaffney, Essex Fells – NJPGA Senior PGA Championship
Reed Greyserman, Hamilton Farm – New Jersey Amateur
Derek Gutierrez (a), Galloping Hill – New Jersey State Open
Craig Hocknull, Westchester – Westchester PGA Championship
Matthew Lowe, Bethpage – Richardson, Mittelmark
Michael Miller, Knollwood – Westchester Open
Brent Paladino, Fiddler’s Elbow – NJPGA Match Play
Jackson Roman (a), Sterling Farms – Connecticut State Open
Grant Sturgeon, Arcola – NJPGA Charity Clambake
Winners Upon Winners
In addition to the 16 past Met Open champions in the field, there are another 20 past winners of individual MGA championships teeing it up at Wee Burn:
| Player | Club | Win(s) |
| Mike Ballo, Jr. | Tamarack | '09-'10 Ike |
| Ben Carpenter (a) | Darien | '19 Carter Cup |
| Christian Cavaliere (a) | Hudson National | '16 Met Junior |
| Peicheng Chen (a) | Rock Hill | '22 Public Links, '24 Ike |
| Mark Costanza (a) | Baltusrol | '03 Boys', '07 Met Junior, '20 Ike |
| Frank Esposito, Jr. | Mountain Ridge | '20, '22 Senior Open |
| Darin Goldstein (a) | Deepdale | '17 Mid-Am |
| Michael Graboyes | Watchung Valley | '18 Ike |
| Reed Greyserman (a) | Hamilton Farm | '19-'20 Boys' |
| Dawson Jones | Eagle Oaks | '14 Met Junior, '19 Ike |
| Sunny Kim | Clearview Park | '04 Boys' |
| Matthew Lowe (a) | Bethpage | '10 Boys', '17 Ike, '23 Public Links |
| Michael Miller | Knollwood | '10 Met Junior, '11 Met Amateur |
| Ethan Ng | Knickerbocker | '16-'17 Carter Cup |
| Shaun Powers | Fairview | '19 Senior Open |
| Carter Prince (a) | Meadow Brook | '18 Carter Cup |
| David Schuster | Sleepy Hollow | '21 Senior Open |
| Colin Summers (a) | Plainfield | '21 Met Junior |
| Brad Tilley (a) | Sleepy Hollow | '03 Ike, '22 Met Amateur |
| Jack Wall | Manasquan River | '20 Met Amateur |
Past MGA Player of the Year, Junior Player of the Year Winners in the Field
Mark Costanza, Baltusrol – 2023, 2021, 2020
Brad Tilley, Sleepy Hollow – 2022
Darin Goldstein, Deepdale – 2018
Michael Miller, Knollwood – 2012, 2011
Andrew Svoboda – 2003
Junior POY - Cole Ekert, Fairmount – 2021
Junior POY - Jack Wall, Manasquan River – 2019, 2018
The Prize
The MGA in 2022 upped the purse for the Met Open Championship Presented by Callaway, increasing it by $50,000 to $200,000. This moved the winner’s share from $27,500 to $36,500. The increase elevated the always exciting opportunity for professionals and is thanks to continued support from MGA partners including presenting championship partner Callaway.
Money Leaders
Since 2003, Andrew Svoboda stands as the top earner in the Met Open. Another top finish could place Svoboda over $100,000 earned in the championship in the 22-year span.
$97,480 – Andrew Svoboda (2021, 2018, 2003 (a))
$88,714 – Danny Balin (2012)
$81,748 – Mark Brown (2016, 2013)
$81,085 – Matt Dobyns (2019)
$79,342 – Frank Bensel (2007)
$73,733 – Tyler Hall (2011)
Coming Down the Stretch
The Met Open stands as the highest point-remaining event on the MGA’s points listing for the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award. Should an amateur win, they would receive 450 total points. Five of the top 10 players in the current standings are in the field at Wee Burn: Matt Lowe (1st/922 points), Peicheng Chen (2/734), Colin Summers (3/469), Derek Gutierrez (6/380), Christian Cavaliere (10/305).
Junior Spotlight
Jack Chung leads the points list for the MGA Junior Player of the Year Award, Presented by Callaway. He's not in the field at Wee Burn, but Liam Pasternak (2nd/67.5 points behind) and Lucas Rizo-Patron (4th/332.5 points behind) are both in the field, with a chance to move up the listing with a top finish.
Format
• Three days, 54 holes of stroke play
• Field cut to low 54 scores & ties after 36 holes
Coverage
• Live hole-by-hole scoring throughout the championship
• Social media: @mga1897 on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook
• Scoring, recaps, photos and videos on mgagolf.org