Elmsford, N.Y. (January 4, 2010) – The 2000 Met Open Champion, Mike Gilmore, was named the new head golf professional at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Formerly the head professional at the Piping Rock Club on Long Island, Gilmore has spent his entire 27-year career working as an assistant or head professional at MGA member clubs. Gilmore replaces John Buczek, who moved back to North Carolina this past fall.

Gilmore, 45, is a native of Queens, N.Y., and spent the last seven years at Piping Rock. Prior to that he was the head professional at Wheatley Hills Country Club, also on Long Island, and worked as an assistant at the Stanwich Club in Greenwich, Conn., under longtime head pro Billy Farrell.

He made a name for himself not only as a teacher but also as a successful competitor. The biggest win of his career was the 2000 Met Open, held at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, N.J. In that championship, he edged out decorated amateur Jerry Courville Jr. of Shorehaven by one stroke. Gilmore’s other big victories include the 2005 New York State PGA and the 2002 Met PGA Head Professional Championship. He has competed in two PGA Championships (1999, 2002) and two U.S. Opens, the first in 1992 and the second in 2008 at Torrey Pines.

Designed by legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast, Winged Foot Golf Club has a rich history of hosting major championships, most recently the 2006 U.S. Open, and is known for attracting some of the best and brightest head professionals of all time. The list includes Claude Harmon, Craig Wood, and Tom Nieporte, who retired in 2006. Mike Gilmore now joins this illustrious group of Winged Foot head professionals.