Darien to Make MGA Debut as Ike Host
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 5, 2019) – After postponement from its typical late June slot on the MGA calendar, the 65th Ike MGA Stroke Play Championship is set to take place August 10-11 at Country Club of Darien.
The championship, which marks the Darien, Conn., club’s first-ever hosting of an MGA championship, features 128 of the Met Area’s top amateurs. This year’s qualifying rounds were conducted concurrently with Met Amateur qualifying, taking place at eight sites throughout the Met Area.
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Repeat Relinquished
Dawson Jones of Eagle Oaks will not attempt to repeat this season, having earned an invitation to the 120th U.S. Amateur Championship. Though several of the top finishers from 2019 at Canoe Brook turned professional, six of those finishing inside the top-10 from last year are back in the field in 2020: Nathan Han of The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, Sam Goldenring of Brooklake, Ethan Ng of Knickerbocker, Michael Stamberger of Spring Lake, Adam Xiao of Old Westbury and Darin Goldstein of Deepdale.
Into the Spotlight
Country Club of Darien was honored with the Renovation of the Year Award by Golf, Inc., in 2010 for the work completed on the golf course under the direction of Dr. Michael Hurdzan. Though small changes have continued through the years, the transformation has led to the layout’s enhanced reputation as a championship test. With the club in a the midst of hosting a mix of state and regional events, head professional Cory Mueller calls the Ike the club’s “gold medal” championship that it has been looking forward to.
Always in the Mix
Goldenring, fresh off making match play in the Met Amateur, is aiming for yet another top finish in the Ike. Goldenring finished tied fourth last year at Canoe Brook and recorded ties for fifth at both Century (2017) and Meadow Brook (2018). Meanwhile, Ng and Xiao have logged top-10 finishes each of the last two years. Ng tied for third in 2018 and tied fourth last year, while Xiao tied fifth in 2018 and tied seventh a year ago.
Team Title
Thanks to his two top-10 finishes, Ng has led Knickerbocker to consecutive Ike Team Championship titles. The Ike Team Championship is conducted concurrently with the Ike MGA Stroke Play Championship and is awarded to the two individuals from the same club with the lowest combined score for 54 holes. Ng has won with Erick Alonso (2018) and Thomas LaMorte (2019). Knollwood is the only club to have won three consecutive years (1956-58).
Double Dip
With a number of championships in the books, several players enter the Ike looking to add another title to their resume in 2020. Those include this year’s Westchester Amateur champion and 2003 Ike winner Brad Tilley of Sleepy Hollow, Long Island Amateur champion Carter Prince of Huntington Crescent, Met Junior winner Luke Sample of Old Oaks, Carter Cup champion James Allen of Scarsdale, New Jersey State Open champion Mark Costanza of Hamilton Farm, and Long Island Junior and Boys’ champion Sam O’Hara of Maidstone.
POY Heats Up
The Ike typically stands at the season’s first event with a significant point total for the Player of the Year race. This year, with the Met Amateur in the books, the Ike will help give a clearer picture of how the year-long race is shaping up.
1-2 Junior Punch
In the race for the MGA Junior Player of the Year Award, Presented by Callaway, Sample and Allen of occupy the top spots after Sample won the Met Junior and had an incredible run to the final of the Met Amateur, while Allen claimed the Carter Cup title and was runner-up to Sample at the Met Junior.
Home Game
Six competitors will aim to represent Darien well while competing at their home club: Ben Carpenter, Chris Heaney, Brad Jordan, Will Lodge, Greg Reilly and Bob Stelben.
MGA Champions in the Field
The depth of the field continues with past MGA champions in the field aiming to add their name to the MGA record books once again:
| James Allen | Scarsdale | '20 Carter Cup |
| Ben Carpenter | Darien | '19 Carter Cup |
| Will Celiberti | Arcola | '19 Met Junior |
| Mark Costanza | Hamilton Farm | '03 Boys, '07 Met Junior |
| Ryan Davis | Watchung Valley | '18 Met Amateur |
| Bobby Diforio | MGA eClub - Hudson Valley | '15 Carter Cup |
| Nathan Han | The Saint Andrew's Golf Club | '15-'16 Boys |
| Darin Goldstein | Deepdale | '17 Mid-Am |
| Jonathan Jeter | Nassau Players | '18 Public Links |
| Dennis Lynch | Nassau Players | '09-'10 Mid-Am |
| James McHugh | GlenArbor | '15 Met Junior |
| Ethan Ng | Knickerbocker | '16-'17 Carter Cup |
| Carter Prince | Huntington Crescent | '18 Carter Cup |
| Trevor Randolph | Arcola | '15-'16 Mid-Am |
| Luke Sample | Old Oaks | '18 Boys, '20 Met Junior |
| Mike Stamberger | Spring Lake | '03 Met Amateur |
| Brad Tilley | Sleepy Hollow | '03 Ike, '19 Mid-Am |
| Peter Van Ingen | Deepdale | 1981 Met Amateur |
Format
- Two days, 54 holes of stroke play
- Field cut to low 40 players and ties following Monday’s opening round
- Ike Team Championship runs concurrently (itle goes to the two individuals from the same club with the lowest combined score for 54 holes_
- Eligibility open to amateur golfers who are members of an MGA Member Club with a Handicap Index not exceeding 5.0.
Country Club of Darien
- Property formerly served as a dairy farm operated by the Auchincloss family.
- Edgar Auchincloss established the club in 1957, hiring Alfred Tull to design the course that opened in 1958.
- The course has undergone a number of changes over the last decade-plus, led by architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan.
Coverage
- Live hole-by-hole scoring for all 54 holes of the championship
- Social Media: @MGA1897 on Twitter for updates throughout the day; additional content on Facebook and Instagram
- Scoring, recaps, interviews, and photos on mgagolf.org