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Westchester Open SQR - Rockland CC

Newman Wins 108th Met Open by Two Shots

PARAMUS, N.J. (August 24, 2023) – Dylan Newman of Meadow Brook won the 108th Met Open Presented by Callaway on Thursday at Arcola Country Club, shooting 2-over 73 to finish at 4-under and win by two shots.

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"It feels amazing," said Newman, 32. "I have been in contention in some of these bigger events over the past few years. I knew it was coming, and I just had to finish it. Finally, it all culminated [this week].”

 

 

Newman started the day with a two-shot lead, but a pair of early bogeys on Nos. 2 and 7 and movement from other players led to a crowded leaderboard with nine holes to go. Mark Costanza of Baltusrol and 2022 champion Ryan Siegler of TPC Jasna Polana both made eagle on the par-5 ninth. The jump pulled Costanza within a single shot while Siegler found himself tied with Newman at 4-under after adding a birdie on the par-4 10th. However, Costanza then made double-bogey five on the par-3 11th, while Siegler played his final eight holes in 4-over.

Newman made birdie on the ninth himself as he made the turn. Though he made bogey on 10, he bounced back with birdies on Nos. 11 and 13 to quickly extend his lead to four shots as others fell back.

"I had a feeling they would move the tees up on 13," said Newman. "I wasn't going for that. I hit the same shot in the pro-am from the fairway. I let [the ball] feed down to the right, and it was perfect."

After draining a lengthy putt for another birdie on the par-5 15th, Newman's lead grew to five. As rain started to fall on the final groups, Newman made double-bogey on the par-4 16th after his approach gave him an awkward stance just outside a bunker some 20-yards short of the green. 

The double cut Newman's lead to three shots, with Costanza sitting as the clubhouse leader at 2-under. After a routine par on the par-4 17th, Newman added a bogey on the par-4 18th to finish off his two-shot victory.

The win is the first MGA major win for Newman in his career, which has included a long history of competing in MGA events including representing the MGA in the 2014 French-American Challenge.

"This golf course could host any major event," said Newman, who saw Arcola for the first time on Monday while playing in the Met Open Pro-Am. "It felt like [a major] out here this week. It is awesome to win on a golf course like this."

Costanza carded a 2-under 69 in the final round -- one of just four sub-par rounds in the final round -- to move up the leaderboard and earn low amateur honors with the second-place finish.

Dawson Jones of Eagle Oaks and 2023 Ike champion and MGA eClub - NJ member Melan Dhaubhadel finished in a tie for third at 1-under 212 for the tournament.

Jones fired a 5-under 66 to post the low round of the day and equal the tournament's low round. The former Ike and Met Junior winner birdied his first two holes of the day to ignite the round. Jones, 25, added a birdie on the ninth to get a shot back after making a bogey on the par-4 sixth. On his way in, Jones eagled the drivable par-4 13th and followed that with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15.

Dhaubhadel, playing in the final group alongside Newman, started the final round at 4-under, but the Louisiana Monroe senior made three bogeys and no birdies in the final round en route to posting a 3-over par 74.

The 2019 Met Open champion Matt Dobyns of Meadow Brook and Siegler finished tied for fifth at even par alongside Peter Ballo of the Connecticut Golf Club and Ryan Skae of Hudson National. Three-time Met Open winner Andrew Svoboda of Great River finished in solo ninth at 2-over. Rounding out the top-10 were David Pastore of Fairview, Max Theodorakis of Ridgewood, and first-round leader Josh Goldenberg of Atlantic with 3-over 216 totals.

The top 25 finishers this week earned an exemption into next year's Met Open, which will take place at Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, Conn.

This week's Met Open was the first hosted by Arcola, having previously welcomed the 2018 Met Amateur Championship and the 2019 Carey Cup matches, plus four MGA Senior Amateurs in the past. In 2022, it was the stroke-play co-host for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Players raved about Arcola all week, commending the incredible conditions and the tough, yet fair challenge of every aspect of the course.

Additional Coverage
Round 2 Recap | Round 2 Photos | Round 1 Recap | Round 1 Photos
Met-Open Pro-Am Photos
Preview | Preview Video
Met Open History | Met Open History
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