SUMMIT, N.J. (August 22, 2006) – A host of familiar names are lurking near the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the 91st MGA/MetLife Open Championship, played on the 7,066-yard North Course at Canoe Brook Country Club. With light breezes and receptive greens, 32 players out of the field of 130 were able to shoot even par or better. The lead is shared by Trump National-Bedminster assistant pro James Herman and Siwanoy assistant pro Cory Muller, who each shot a three-under 69.

“I caught the bogey train on the back nine, but I played better than I scored,” remarked Muller.  “I picked it up on the back nine with the four birdies and I birdied three of the par threes.”

Herman is new to the Met Area, having played the Golden Bear Tour in south Florida. He bogeyed the first hole today but rebounded with five birdies in the middle 10 holes. A bogey at No. 17 cost him a chance to post a round of four-under and take the lead by himself.

Several familiar names had good rounds today and are well-positioned for Wednesday’s second round. In a bunched leaderboard, ten players sit at two-under-par, one stroke off the lead. Among them are Mark Mielke, the head pro at Mill River (LI) and the 1992 Met Open champ, along with Frank Bensel of Century, Rick Hartmann of Atlantic and long-hitting Nick Cook of Mill River (Conn.), who won the Connecticut Open two weeks ago.

Hartmann, who was paired with Michelle Wie during the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying round in June, finished in style. He chipped in for birdie on the par-four ninth hole, his 18th of the day, and made an eagle on the 528-yard eighth hole. Also coming in with a 70 was Met Amateur finalist Kevin Foley of Neshanic Valley, who is the low amateur after the first round.

One stroke farther back, at one-under-par 71, are 2006 PGA National Club Pro Champion Ron Philo Jr. of Metropolis and Craig Thomas of Muttontown, who both competed at the PGA Championship last week. Bill Britton, a former Met Amateur and Met Open champion who played and won on the PGA Tour, is also at one-under, two strokes off the lead.

Frank Esposito Jr. of nearby Brooklake is three strokes off the pace after an even-par round of 72, and he is joined by Mark Brown of Tam O’Shanter and Greg Bisconti of Saint Andrew’s. Defending champion John Stoltz of The Concord is four strokes back after a one-over-par 73.

Following Wednesday’s second round, the low 60 players plus ties will return to Canoe Brook for Thursday’s final round. At stake for the professionals is a $23,000 first-place prize, out of a total purse of $125,000.

 

For scoring and additional information, go to www.mgagolf.org.

 

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