Top Juniors Head to Echo Lake
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 12, 2023) – Two historic pieces of Met Area golf will join together July 17-19 as Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., hosts the 106th Met Junior Championship Sponsored by MetLife for the first time.
Related: Pairings | Met Junior History | Met Junior Records
Today’s Echo Lake was established in 1921, the product of a merger between Cranford Golf Club (est. 1899) and Westfield Golf Club (est. 1900). Sixty-nine of the Met Area’s rising stars will head to the primarily Donald Ross-designed layout that in recent years has seen rejuvenation through a Rees Jones master plan that included a redesign of the opening holes. The product, paired with a major clubhouse renovation, has the club set for a spectacular future and no doubt an exciting Met Junior Championship.
The MGA Foundation conducts the Met Junior as part of its extensive youth programming, which is supported by MetLife. MetLife’s particular support of the MGA Foundation is a testament to the company’s longstanding mission of giving back and allows the MGA Foundation to continue instilling the values and traditions of golf in the next generation of golfers through a variety of programs and junior championships.
The list of Met Junior champions to hoist the prestigious Mandeville Trophy includes the likes of Butch and Bill Harmon, Marc Turnesa and more recently Michael Miller and Cameron Young. The field this year once again contains a deep list of rising stars looking to etch their name in MGA history as a winner of the nation's oldest junior championship.
Back-to-Back?
After a runner-up finish in 2021 and a victory in 2022, 17-year-old John Hiller of New York, N.Y., is aiming for another deep run through the bracket. Hiller can become the 9th player to win back-to-back titles, and the first to do so since Adam Spring in 1986-87.
From Second to First
Last year’s runner-up and reigning MGA Junior Player Tyler Lee of Franklin Lakes, N.J., no doubt has redemption on his mind and has a trend in his favor as three of the last four champions (Will Celiberti, 2019; Luke Sample, 2020; John Hiller, 2022) all followed up runner-up finishes by winning the championship the following year. Lee is also looking to make his way into the bracket for an impressive fourth consecutive year.
Three in a Row?
Lee and Hiller aren’t the only ones looking to continue streaks of making match play. Both host club member Barnes Blake of Westfield, N.J., and Michael Ostrower of New York, N.Y., will be aiming to make it to match play for the third consecutive year.
Depth of Field
In a championship where players age out of eligibility, it’s impressive that 13 of the 16 match play competitors from 2022 are back in the field again eyeing another chance to contend for the title.
Stroke & Match
As the 2022 Carter Cup champion, Cameron Besaw of New Canaan, Conn., can join an impressive list this week should he win the Met Junior. Only Patrick Fillian – the COO and Director of Golf at Echo Lake – David Pastore, and Cameron Young have won both the Carter Cup and Met Junior in their career.
Regional Champs
The field includes a number of regional junior champions, including this year’s Long Island champion Anthony Naples of Miller Place, N.Y., Westchester winner Jacob Lee of Rye Brook, N.Y. Last year’s Long Island and Westchester champions Andrew Chen of Whitestone, N.Y., and Jonathan Oakes of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., respectively, are all in the field as well.
Dialed in for Daniel Island
Several players in the field have also recently qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur, which takes place July 24-29 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, S.C. Those include Blake, Devan Patel of Madison, N.J., and Josh Yan of Newburgh, N.Y.
Boys’-Junior Double
Overall, 11 players have won both the MGA Boys’ and Met Junior titles. At Echo Lake, Arjun Caprihan of Florham Park, N.J., Reed Greyserman of Short Hills, N.J., and Lance Hollingshead of Basking Ridge, N.J., all have the opportunity to become the 12th.
Race Ramps Up
The Met Junior Championship Sponsored by MetLife heats up the race for the MGA Junior Player of the Year Award, Presented by Callaway as the winner receives 250 points in the yearlong race. Thomas Finn leads the way in the race thanks to a run to the quarterfinal round of the Long Island Amateur Championship and a win at Bethpage Black in the Michael Hebron Amateur Championship.
Format
• 36 holes of on-site stroke play qualifying (July 17), with top 16 advancing to match play.
• Round of 16 & quarterfinals conducted July 18, with semifinals and championship match taking place July 19.
• Field determined through exemptions and three qualifiers held throughout the Met Area.
Echo Lake Country Club
• Formed in 1921 as a merger between Cranford Golf Club and Westfield Golf Club.
• Original layout designed by Donald Ross, of which is the majorty of the layout today, plus additional work completd by Willard Wilkinson, Bob White and most recently Rees Jones.
• Hosted the 1934 Met Open.
• Welcomed the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 2002.
Coverage
• Live scoring throughout the championship.
• @MGA1897 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for additional content.
• Scoring, recaps & photos available on mgagolf.org