rolex logo

Carey Cup Heads to Arcola, Oct. 22-23

ELMSFORD, N.Y. (October 16, 2019) -- The MGA's six-man team is set to welcome it's counterparts from the Golfing Union of Ireland for the 15th Governor Hugh L. Carey Challenge Cup matches, October 22-23 at Arcola Country Club in Paramus, N.J. The biennial Walker Cup-style competition – contested over foursomes and four-ball matches on day one and singles matches on day two – always serves as a highlight to the schedule and is sure to provide excitement and camaraderie between the two sides.

Related: Carey Cup History | Meet the Team | Videos

Joe Saladino of Huntington, Trevor Randolph of Arcola and Darin Goldstein bring a wealth of experience to the squad, having competed on 11, 5 and 4 MGA international teams, respectively. Recent NYSGA, Westchester and MGA Mid-Am winner Brad Tilley of Sleepy Hollow and Thomas La Morte of Knickerbocker are both making their second international appearance having represented the MGA last year in the French-American Challenge, while James Nicholas of Westchester is making his first international team appearance.

The teams battled to the event's second ever tie in 2015 at Galway Bay in Ireland. While the Irish own an 8-4-2 lead in the event's history, the record stands at 2-2-2 over the last six meetings.

Announcements: Goldstein, Nicholas | La Morte, Randolph | Tilley, Saladino

The Irish side – which has included the likes of Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington and this year's Open Championship winner Shane Lowry in year's past – once again features a highly accomplished group of competitors. After falling to the U.S. in the Walker Cup, Conor Purcell (22), Caolan Rafferty (26) and James Sugrue (22) will aim to be on the winning side of this international competition. The youthful talent continues for the visitors with 22-year-old Robert Brazill and 23-year-old Rowan Lester, while 35-year-old former professional and current Irish Mid-Amateur champion Peter O'Keeffe stands as the veteran leader among the group.

The Carey Cup – which originated as the Metedeconk International Challenge Cup – was first played in 1990. The teams played once again in Ireland in 1992 but did not meet in 1994. In 1996, the matches were conducted again thanks to an effort spearheaded by the late Governor Hugh L. Carey, who envisioned the matches as an opportunity to foster sportsmanship and goodwill between the countries. Ever since, the matches have been played in his honor with a spirit of camaraderie and competition.

The event officially kicks off on Monday, October 21 with an "Am-Am," in which each of the GUI and MGA players will be paired with three amateurs in a best ball competition.

Arcola will be welcoming its first MGA international team competition, but is certainly no stranger to hosting area championships. Just last year, the club was home of the Met Amateur Championship, proving to be an outstanding match play venue where Ryan Davis claimed his first MGA title. It has also hosted the MGA Senior Amateur Championship on four occasions. The club has made a number of changes in recent years, adding length and bunkers while also removing trees to create stunning vistas across its parkland layout.

Coverage for the Carey Cup will include live scoring for each match, with additional content on the MGA's social media outlets.

Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

News Type: