In 1898, the MGA’s governors voted to establish a championship amateur tournament, an interclub four-ball competition and a handicap event. The first tournament of historic importance was the Metropolitan Amateur Championship, inaugurated the following year. The Met Am, which is rivaled for longevity in this country only by the U.S. Amateur, was contested for the first time at the Garden City Golf Club. The championship plate was donated by H.B. Hollins, with the condition that it be retired after three victories by representatives of the same club, a feat accomplished for the Nassau Country Club by Findlay Douglas (two wins) and Jerry Travers. The subsequent trophy was the gift of then MGA president, Daniel Chauncey.
The Met Amateur immediately set a lofty precedence for quality. Its first two winners, Herbert Harriman (1899) and Walter Travis (1900), also were that year’s U.S. Amateur champions. Two early rivalries—first between Travis and Douglas, then Travis and Travers—established the tournament as an event of national consequence.
The Met Amateur has always been played at match play, with only slight changes to the format over the years. It remains the Met Area’s most important amateur event, a demanding and sometimes grueling test of championship golf with the victor surviving multiple days of 36-hole competition. From Travis and Turnesa to Gardner, Siderowf, and Zahringer, the list of winners is testament to its ability to identify the region’s best amateur.
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Final | Site | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Donte Groppuso | Christian Cavaliere | 1 up | Somerset Hills | Scores | Recap |
2023 | Josh German | Christian Cavaliere | 2 & 1 | Friar's Head | Scores | Recap |
2022 | Brad Tilley | Robbie Herzig | 6 & 5 | Fenway | Scores | Recap |
2021 | Garett Engel | Trevor Randolph | 3 & 2 | Plainfield | Scores | Recap |
2020 | Jack Wall | Luke Sample | 4 & 2 | Bethpage | Scores | Recap |
2019 | Chris Gotterup | Ryan Davis | 7 & 5 | Hudson National | Scores | Recap |
2018 | Ryan Davis | Christian Cavaliere | 2 & 1 | Arcola | Scores | Recap |
2017 | Matt Mattare | Brad Lankler | 1 up | Laurel Links | Scores | Recap |
2016 | Stewart Hagestad | Ethan Ng | 38 holes | Fairfield | Scores | Recap |
2015 | Peter Kim | Ryan Snouffer | 1 up | Baltusrol | Scores | Recap |
2014 | David Pastore | Matthew Lowe | 3 & 1 | The Creek | Scores | Recap |
2013 | Pat Wilson | Trevor Randolph | 8 & 7 | Stanwich | Scores | Recap |
2012 | Ryan McCormick | Matt Mattare | 3 & 2 | Hollywood | Scores | Recap |
2011 | Mike Miller | Sam Bernstein | 3 & 1 | Piping Rock | Scores | Recap |
2010 | Evan Beirne | Cameron Wilson | 7 & 6 | Quaker Ridge | Scores |
2009 | Cameron Wilson | John Ervasti | 4 & 3 | Hackensack | Scores | Recap |
2008 | Tommy McDonagh | Joe Saladino | 6 & 5 | Friar’s Head | Scores |
2007 | Greg Rohlf | Marc Issler | 5 & 4 | Wykagyl | Scores | Recap |
2006 | Tommy McDonagh | Kevin Foley | 1 up | Baltusrol | Scores |
2005 | Ronald Vannelli | Patrick Pierson | 38 holes | Creek | Scores |
2004 | Andrew Svoboda | Tyler Randol | 4 & 3 | Stanwich | Scores |
2003 | Michael Stamberger | Michael Quagliano | 37 holes | Somerset Hills | Scores |
2002 | Johnson Wagner | Andrew Svoboda | 3 & 2 | Piping Rock | |
2001 | Johnson Wagner | Jack Skirkanich | 6 & 5 | Hudson National | |
2000 | David Kwon | Ken Macdonald | 2 & 1 | Ridgewood | |
1999 | Greg Rohlf | Ed Gibstein | 3 & 2 | Deepdale | |
1998 | Jerry Courville Jr. | Jeff Putman | 1 up | Quaker Ridge | |
1997 | Jerry Courville Jr. | John Lewis Jr. | 5 & 4 | Baltusrol | |
1996 | Ken Bakst | Jerry Courville Jr. | 2 & 1 | Nassau | |
1995 | Jerry Courville Jr. | Harry Goett | 7 & 6 | Century | |
1994 | Dennis Hillman | J.J. Henry | 5 & 4 | Hackensack | |
1993 | Jeff Putman | Michael Doud | 4 & 2 | Sands Point | |
1992 | Mike Muehr | Jeff Thomas | 1 up | Wee Burn | |
1991 | Dennis Slezak | Larry Tedesco | 4 & 3 | Mountain Ridge | |
1990 | John Baldwin | R.J. Nakashian | 3 & 2 | Piping Rock | |
1989 | Richard Siderowf | George Zahringer | 37 holes | Metropolis | |
1988 | Jim McGovern | Jeff Thomas | 6 & 4 | Plainfield | |
1987 | George Zahringer | Stuart Titus | 2 up | Meadow Brook | |
1986 | George Zahringer | Robert Housen | 1 up | Quaker Ridge | |
1985 | George Zahringer | Clement Miner | 2 & 1 | Ridgewood | |
1984 | George Zahringer | John Baldwin | 6 & 5 | Deepdale | |
1983 | Mark Diamond | Jeff Thomas | 2 & 1 | Sleepy Hollow | |
1982 | George Zahringer | Mike Diffley | 3 & 2 | Somerset Hills | |
1981 | Peter Van Ingen | Jeff Thomas | 5 & 4 | Cherry Valley | |
1980 | Howard Pierson | George Zahringer | 3 & 1 | Stanwich | |
1979 | Jerry Courville Sr. | George Zahringer | 2 & 1 | Mountain Ridge | |
1978 | Mike Burke Jr. | Clement Miner | 3 & 1 | Garden City GC | |
1977 | Dave Ferrell | Jerry Courville Sr. | 1 up | Century | |
1976 | Bill Britton | David Muraskin | 3 & 2 | Plainfield | |
1975 | Bill Britton | Jack Dalrymple | 7 & 5 | Wheatley Hills | |
1974 | Richard Siderowf | Doug Stein | 5 & 4 | Sunningdale | |
1973 | Jerry Courville Sr. | George Burns III | 2 & 1 | Canoe Brook | |
1972 | George F. Burns III | Jerry Courville Sr. | 4 & 3 | Deepdale | |
1971 | Richard Spears | Jerry Courville Sr. | 3 & 2 | Winged Foot | |
1970 | Richard Siderowf | Richard Spears | 2 up | Upper Montclair | |
1969 | Richard Siderowf | Jerry Courville Sr. | 2 & 1 | Garden City CC | |
1968 | Richard Siderowf | Dick Harmon | 5 & 4 | Metropolis | |
1967 | John C. Baldwin | Bill Harmon | 3 & 2 | Plainfield | |
1966 | James E. Fisher | Ray Billows | 5 & 3 | Inwood | |
1965 | Mark J. Stuart Jr. | James Wilcoxen | 1 up | Sleepy Hollow | |
1964 | Robert W. Gardner | Ralph Johnston | 1 up | Hackensack | |
1963 | Robert W. Gardner | John J. Humm | 1 up | Nassau | |
1962 | Robert W. Gardner | Mark J. Stuart Jr. | 7 & 6 | Sunningdale | |
1961 | Robert W. Gardner | Roger Ginsberg | 1 up | Canoe Brook | |
1960 | Robert W. Gardner | H. Van Gerbig | 9 & 8 | Meadow Brook | |
1959 | Paul Kelly | Robert Gardner | 5 & 4 | Fairview | |
1958 | Robert W. Gardner | Gordon Stott | 1 up | The Knoll | |
1957 | Paul Kelly | Robert Sweeny | 3 & 2 | Nassau | |
1956 | Thomas J. Goodwin | William Turnesa | 4 & 3 | Century | |
1955 | Robert W. Kuntz | John H. Boyet | 7 & 6 | Plainfield | |
1954 | Frank Strafaci | Joseph Gagliardi | 6 & 4 | Garden City CC | |
1953 | Wilson Barnes Jr. | Joseph Gagliardi | 2 & 1 | Fenway | |
1952 | Joseph Marra | Don Cherry | 1 up | Ridgewood | |
1951 | Joseph Gagliardi | James McHale Jr. | 4 & 3 | Hempstead | |
1950 | Frank Strafaci | Robert Jacobson | 7 & 6 | Apawamis | |
1949 | Joseph McBride | Joseph Gagliardi | 37 holes | Canoe Brook | |
1948 | Ray Billows | Robert Sweeny | 8 & 6 | Winged Foot | |
1947 | Frank Strafaci | Jack Smith | 7 & 6 | Meadow Brook | |
1946 | Frank Strafaci | Douglas Ford | 9 & 7 | Essex County | |
1945 | Frank Strafaci | Dom Morano | 6 & 5 | Garden City GC | |
1944 | E.H. Driggs Jr. | John F. Dolan | 9 & 7 | Sleepy Hollow | |
1942 - ‘43 | No Competitions - World War II | ||||
1941 | Michael Cestone | Martin M. Issler | 9 & 8 | Montclair | |
1940 | John P. Burke | Thomas Strafaci | 2 & 1 | Century | |
1939 | Frank Strafaci | Richard Chapman | 2 & 1 | Nassau | |
1938 | Frank Strafaci | William Turnesa | 3 & 1 | Ridgewood | |
1937 | William P. Turnesa | John Parker Jr. | 6 & 5 | Metropolis | |
1936 | George Dunlap Jr. | Ray Billows | 1 up | Lido | |
1935 | John Parker Jr. | E.V. Homans | 5 & 4 | Canoe Brook | |
1934 | T.S. Tailer Jr. | Mark J. Stuart | 5 & 4 | Wykagyl | |
1933 | Mark J. Stuart | W. Rothenburg | 4 & 3 | Pomonok | |
1932 | T.S. Tailer Jr. | J.E. Parker Jr. | 4 & 3 | Plainfield | |
1931 | Leonard Martin | C.F. Sheldon | 5 & 4 | Quaker Ridge | |
1930 | M.J. McCarthy Jr. | P. Miller-Jones | 9 & 7 | St. Albans | |
1929 | M.J. McCarthy Jr. | P. Haviland | 7 & 6 | Montclair | |
1928 | Eugene Homans | M.J. McCarthy Jr. | 4 & 3 | Fenimore | |
1927 | E.H. Driggs Jr. | Lauren Upson | 2 up | Nassau | |
1926 | W.M. Reekie | John G. Anderson | 38 holes | Winged Foot | |
1925 | Jess W. Sweetser | L.M. Lloyd | 6 & 5 | Hollywood | |
1924 | W.M. Reekie | E.H. Driggs Jr. | 2 & 1 | Lido | |
1923 | F.W. Dyer | H.C. Tippet | 6 & 5 | Siwanoy | |
1922 | Jess W. Sweetser | J.E. Hale | 10 & 8 | Lakewood | |
1921 | G.W. White | G.A. Peacock | 1 up | Garden City GC | |
1920 | D.E. Sawyer | G.W. White | 37 holes | Apawamis | |
1919 | Oswald Kirkby | A.L. Walker Jr. | 2 & 1 | Brooklawn | |
1917-‘18 | No Competitions - World War I | ||||
1916 | Oswald Kirkby | F. Herreshoff | 3 & 1 | Nassau | |
1915 | Walter J. Travis | John G. Anderson | 2 up | Apawamis | |
1914 | Oswald Kirkby | Walter J. Travis | 4 & 2 | Englewood | |
1913 | Jerry D. Travers | A.F. Kammer | 8 & 7 | Fox Hills | |
1912 | Jerry D. Travers | Oswald Kirby | 9 & 8 | Baltusrol | |
1911 | Jerry D. Travers | Oswald Kirby | 4 & 3 | Garden City GC | |
1910 | F. Herreshoff | Jerry D. Travers | 4 & 3 | Morris County | |
1909 | Walter J. Travis | F. Herreshoff | 3 & 2 | Apawamis | |
1908 | Charles H. Seely | Jerry D. Travers | 38 holes | Baltusrol | |
1907 | Jerry D. Travers | Findlay Douglas | 8 & 7 | Nassau | |
1906 | Jerry D. Travers | E.M. Byers | 3 & 1 | Saint Andrew's | |
1905 | Charles H. Seely | A. Graham | 1 up | Fox Hills | |
1904 | H. Wilcox | P.R. Pyne II | 6 & 4 | Garden City GC | |
1903 | Findlay Douglas | John A. Moller Jr. | 10 & 9 | Deal | |
1902 | Walter J. Travis | F.A. Marsellus | 11 & 10 | Tuxedo | |
1901 | Findlay Douglas | Charles H. Seely | 11 & 10 | Apawamis | |
1900 | Walter J. Travis | H.M. Harriman | 3 & 2 | Nassau | |
1899 | H.M. Harriman | R. Brooks | 2 & 1 | Garden City GC |
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