Met Open Heads to Piping Rock Club
Piping Rock Club's par-three ninth
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 13, 2019) – For the first time in its storied history, the Met Open Championship Presented by Callaway heads to Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., August 20-22. Piping Rock Club has three times hosted the Met Amateur—the last in 2011 won by Michael Miller—and is once again ready for the spotlight as 142 of the region’s top professionals and amateurs aim to solidify their place in the MGA record books and hoist the prestigious Walker L. Trammell Trophy.
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The classic C.B. Macdonald layout exemplifies golden age architecture, especially following a restoration by Bruce Hepner in 2015 – work that earned “Best New Remodeled” recognition from Golf Digest the following year. Points of focus for the 2015 restoration included removing trees, recapturing green sizes, and reinstating bunkers. Piping Rock boasts great character and variety, both aspects displayed in the outstanding quartet of Macdonald’s signature par-three templates: Eden, Biarritz, Short, and Redan. Stretching 6,900 yards, the layout will surely test the Met Area’s best and produce a worthy champion for the 104th Met Open.
The Met Open heads to Piping Rock Club for the first time in its history.
See some of the challenges players will face ⤵️
Full Video: https://t.co/x4liscDXcv pic.twitter.com/C8jKXbWMPm
— Metropolitan Golf Association (@MGA1897) August 18, 2019
Field Breakdown
The field consists of 142 competitors: 99 professionals and 43 amateurs.
Past Champions
A total of 19 past champions are in the field this year, including the winners from 9 of the last 10 playings:
Andrew Svoboda, Engineers (2018, 2003)
Josh Rackley, Tam O’Shanter (2017)
Mark Brown, Tam O’Shanter (2016, 2013, 1999)
Ben Polland, Deepdale (2015)
Grant Sturgeon, Arcola (2014)
Danny Balin, Fresh Meadow (2012)
Tyler Hall, Upper Montclair (2011)
Bob Rittberger, Garden City GC (2010)
Frank Bensel, Century (2007)
John Guyton, Rockville Links (2006)
John Stoltz, Black Oak (2005)
Mike Gilmore, Winged Foot (2000)
Mike Burke, Montammy (1997)
Darrell Kestner, Deepdale (1995, 1983, 1982)
Mike Diffley, Pelham (1991)
Bobby Heins, Old Oaks (1989, 1988)
Jim McGovern, White Beeches (1987)
George Zahringer, Deepdale (1985)
Bill Britton, Trump National - Colts Neck (1979)
Defense Time?
Reigning champion Andrew Svoboda of Engineers will aim to become the first back-to-back winner since Johnson Wagner did so in 2001-02. Following his spectacular 2018 campaign in which he won the Long Island Open, New York State Open, and Met Open championships, Svoboda successfully defended his Long Island title earlier this summer.
2019 Met Area Champions in the Field:
Danny Balin, Fresh Meadown – Metropolitan Professional
Mike Ballo, Jr., Winged Foot – New York State Open
Frank Bensel, Century – Westchester Open, Met PGA Senior Match Play
Mark Brown, Tam O’Shanter – Long Island PGA
Prescott Butler, Piping Rock – Long Island Amateur
Jason Caron, Mill River – Met PGA Head Professional
Christian Cavaliere, Mahopac – Westchester Amateur, Arcola Cup
Ben Carpenter, Darien – Carter Cup
Nick Dilio, Links at Union Vale – Westchester Public Links
Rick Dowling, Golf Performance Center – Connecticut Amateur
Chris Gotterup, Rumson – Met Amateur, New Jersey Open
Tyler Hall, Upper Montclair – NJPGA Match Play
Dawson Jones, Eagle Oaks – Ike, New Jersey Amateur
Danny Lewis, Hollywood – Lincoln Charity Clambake
Jim McGovern, White Beeches – NJ Senior PGA Professional
James Ondo, Apawamis – Westchester PGA
Andrew Svoboda – Long Island Open
Former MGA Player of the Year Winners in the Field:
Darin Goldstein, Deepdale – 2018
James Nicholas, Westchester – 2017
David Pastore, Fairview – 2014
Max Buckley, Westchester – 2013
Michael Miller, Knollwood – 2012, 2011
George Zahringer, Deepdale – 10-time, most recently 2007
Andrew Svoboda, Engineers – 2003
The MGA and Piping Rock Club
This will be the first-ever Met Open hosted by the club, which has hosted the Met Amateur on three occasions.
| Year | Championship | Winner |
| 2011 | Met Amateur | Michael Miller |
| 2007 | Senior Amateur | Jay Blumenfeld |
| 2002 | Met Amateur | Johnson Wagner |
| 1990 | Met Amateur | John Baldwin |
| 1970 | Father & Son Championship | Joseph & Michael McBride |
Met Open Money
Thanks to continued support from MGA partners including championship partner Callaway Golf, the Met Open’s total purse remains strong, once again standing at $150,000 for its 104th playing. Thanks to 12 cuts made since 2005, Danny Balin leads professionals in earnings at the championship dating back to 2003. The winner’s share has stood at $27,500 since 2007.
$84,154 Danny Balin
$79,423 Mark Brown
$76,592 Frank Bensel
$65,208 Tyler Hall
$52,312 Mark Mielke
$50,130 Andrew Svoboda
Always in the Mix
Danny Balin has registered a field-best five top-10 finishes since 2010, with Tyler Hall owning the next best figure at four. Mike Ballo, Jr., Frank Bensel, Jason Caron, Sunny Kim, Mike Miller and John Stoltz all have finished inside the top 10 on three occasions.
Making the Cut
John Guyton owns the longest active streak of playing and making the cut at the Met Open, having done so every year since 2009. Meanwhile, Jimmy Hazen has completed 54 holes each of the last six years.
Cumulative Counting
Of the players that have made the cut in each of the last four playings, Tyler Hall and owns the lowest total of those in the field, standing at 5-over. Balin comes next, at 10-over-par.
Return to the Met
A number of players that developed their games in the Met Area and are pursuing playing professionally – now owning Korn Ferry, Mackenzie and PGA TOUR Lationoamerica experience – return to compete in the Met Open. This includes Max Buckley of Westchester, Luke Graboyes and Michael Graboyes of Watchung Valley, Max Greyserman of Crestmont, Ryan McCormick of Suburban, Mike Miller of Knollwood, David Pastore of Fairview, Ryan Snouffer of Essex County.
Positioning for Player of the Year
With the Met Open Championship serving as the largest point event in the season-long race for the MGA Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award, amateurs will be eyeing a top finish. Out of the top 20 players entering the Met Open, 11 are in the field and can take advantage of the opportunity to move up as the season begins to wind down. The top three players have separated themselves slightly from the field, with Chris Gotterup of Rumson, Dawson Jones of Eagle Oaks and Christian Cavaliere of Mahopac owning 670, 630 and 623 points, respectively.
Format
- Three days, 54 holes of stroke play
- Field cut to low 54 scores & ties after 36 holes
Coverage
- Multiple scoring updates for the first two rounds (Tuesday, Wednesday)
- Live hole-by-hole scores during the final round (Thursday) for the majority of groups
- Social Media: @MGA1897 on Twitter for updates throughout the day; additional content on Facebook and Instagram
- Scoring, recaps, videos, and photos on mgagolf.org