Mactas Wins Weather-Shortened Carter Cup
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (August 1, 2012)– It’s a bit ironic that Jared Mactas’s first major win of his young career came at a golf club that is known for hosting major championships. Mactas shot an even-par 71 on the Upper Course to claim the 10th Carter Cup, the MGA’s junior strok
e play championship, at historic Baltusrol Golf Club despite heavy rainstorms and lightning shortening the tournament from 36 to 18 holes.
“It was a dream that I even qualified for this event and to win it, it’s just a great feeling,” Mactas said. “It’s the strongest field I’ve ever played in. Obviously I would’ve loved to play the Lower course [for the second round], but I’ll definitely take this win.”
Mactas, who is entering his senior year at Pascack Hills High School, credited his victory to the recent training sessions and new putting techniques he’s been working on with his coach. The win earns the 17-year-old Woodcliff Lake, N.J., resident an exemption into next year’s Carter Cup and Met Junior Championship, as well as the 2013 Ike Championship to be played at Wykagyl Country Club.
“I knew I had the ability to play with anyone,” he said. “Obviously, there are kids better than I am in this tournament, but that’s not to say I can’t go as low as they can.”
Driving rain and lightning rolled into Baltusrol at just after 1:00 p.m., prompting an immediate suspension of play. The delay left nine players with one hole left to play in their first rounds on the Upper Course; today’s scheduled second round was to be played on the Lower Course. Despite the deluge, the Baltusrol maintenance staff led by head superintendent Mark Kuhns worked to get the course playable by 4:30 p.m. so the first round could be completed.
While Mactas emerged with the title, six players were right on his heels and tied for second place after shooting rounds of 1-over 72: 2011 MGA/MetLife Boys champion Theo Humphrey of Greenwich, Conn.; 2011 Carter Cup runner-up Ethan Wall of Brielle, N.J.; Harrison Shih of Saddle River, N.J.; Paul Pastore of Greenwich, Conn.; Charles Cai of West Windsor, N.J.; and Ethan DeForest of Cottekill, N.Y.
DeForest, whose brother Chris won the Carter Cup in 2006 and is a full-time member of the Web.com Tour, came out firing, playing his first nine holes in two under par. But four bogeys on his way in crippled his chance of posting a score under par.
“I’ve just been starting off that way lately,” he said. “I think my first par came on my seventh hole. But it’s a beautiful course, I really enjoyed it.”
The defending Carter Cup champion, Cameron Young of Scarborough, N.Y., finished with a 2-over 73 to tie for 8th along with fellow 2011 Carey Cup team member Clancy Waugh of Quogue, N.Y.; Jimmy Dengler Jr. of Rumson, N.J.; Luke Graboyes of Watchung, N.J.; Jacob Henny of Norwalk, Conn.; 2012 Met Junior runner-up Will Bernstein of New York, N.Y., and Ryan Rose of Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.
Recent U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying medalist Danny Guise of Greenwich, Conn., tied for 15th with Louis Bodine of Flemington, N.J., Anthony Alex of Wayne, N.J., and Stephen Pastore of Greenwich, Conn.
Rounding out the top 20—which automatically earns these young men invitations to next year’s Carter Cup—were Martej Gill of Monroe Township, N.J., Ben DeForest of Cottekill, N.J., 2008 MGA/MetLife Boys champion Peter Kim of Metuchen, N.J., 2010 MGA/MetLife Boys winner Matt Lowe of Farmingdale, N.Y., Scott Sessions of 
Pleasantville, N.Y., Matt Smith of Wantagh, N.Y., and Christopher Troy of Greenwich, Conn.
The Carter Cup is played in memory of Michael P. Carter, an accomplished junior golfer who passed away in a car accident in 2002 at just 20 years old. Michael was an accomplished junior golfer and junior club champion at both Baltusrol and Winged Foot Golf Club. Michael played for the Delbarton School golf team in Morristown, N.J., before joining the men’s team at Penn State University.
The championship is run in conjunction between the MGA, the Carter family, and Baltusrol Golf Club. Baltusrol has been the host of 10 major championships, including seven U.S. Opens, and will host the PGA Championship for the second time in 2016. The Carter Cup will return once again to Baltusrol Golf Club on August 7, 2013. For complete results, including photos and video, please visit mgagolf.org.
