Qualifying: 118th Met Amateur & 65th Ike

ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 29, 2020) -- With the unique circumstances of the 2020 championship season also comes a condensed schedule in which the 118th Met Amateur Championship at Bethpage Black (July 30 - August 2) and the 65th Ike MGA Stroke Play Championship at Country Club of Darien (August 10-11) take place closely together. To maintain the tradition of qualifying for these historic MGA championships, qualifying rounds will be conducted concurrently in 2020.

Related: 2020 Championship Preview | Met Amateur History | Met Amateur Records

Eight qualifiers throughout the Met Area between July 2 and July 14 will make up the fields for the MGA's oldest event and the region's premier stroke play championship. Slight modifications have also been made to respective championship exemption categories to provide equitable exemptions for events that were canceled or moved.

Those advancing to the Met Amateur will take part in history as the championship takes place at a public venue for the first time. Players will vie for 16 match play spots through 18 holes of on-site qualifying, while two rounds of match play follow on the second day of competition. Semifinals take place Saturday, August 1 and a champion will be crowned following the 36-hole final on Sunday, August 2.

Meanwhile, in hosting the 65th Ike, Country Club of Darien will welcome its first-ever MGA championship. The venue has experienced a number of changes over the last decade, transforming it into a championship layout that will provide a quality test for the Met Area's top competitors.

Related: Ike History | Ike Records

Follow along as players look to punch their tickets to the MGA's first two majors of the season.

July 2 - Timber Point Golf Course, Great River, N.Y.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur: 4 & ties | Ike: 6 & ties
Dennis Lynch of Nassau Players Club took advantage of playing in the day's first pairing, firing a 2-under 70 to earn co-medalist honors. Matching the 59-year-old Lynch, a two-time MGA Mid-Am champion, was 17-year-old George Roessler of Maidstone. The two led four total qualifiers for the Met Amateur Championship and seven qualifiers for the Ike Championship. James Allen of Scarsdale carded the only other sub-par score on what was still a relatively benign day for wind at Timber Point, shooting 1-under 71 to move on to both Bethpage Black and Country Club of Darien. MGA eClub - Long Island member Jackson Murphy rounded out those qualifying for both championships with an even-par 72. Remaining Ike qualifiers shot 1-over 73.

July 2 - Lawrence Yacht & Country Club, Lawrence, N.Y.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur: 4 & ties | Ike: 7 & ties
Seventeen-year-old Cole Ekert of Fairmount fired a 2-under 68 to take medalist honors at Lawrence as four players advanced to Bethpage for the Met Amateur and eight players moved on to Darien for the Ike. Garrett Engel of Old Westbury shot the only other sub-par round (-1/69), while 18-year-old Jeffrey Li of Fiddler's Elbow and 22-year-old Christopher Fischer of Meadow Brook were the final two players to qualify for both championships. Remaining Ike qualifiers shot 1-over 71.

July 6 - Deal Golf & Country Club, Deal, N.J.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 9 & ties | Ike: 14 & ties
Andrew Kotler of Cherry Valley Country Club and Robert McHugh of Darlington Golf Course both finished with a 2-under 69 to share medalist honors at Deal. The duo led 10 qualifiers for the Met Amateur Championship and 18 qualifiers for the Ike Championship.

July 7 - Westchester Hills Country Club, White Plains, N.Y.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 9 & ties | Ike: 14 & ties
Tim Murphy of Stanwich bested the field by four shots, firing a 5-under 65, leading nine players to Bethpage Black and 21 players to Country Club of Darien. Past MGA President Jeff Holzschuh of Winged Foot and recent LIGA Junior and Boys champion Sam O'Hara of Maidstone both advanced to both championships as well behind scores of 1-under 69 and even-par 70, respectively. Those qualifying for the Met Amateur shot even or better, while those moving on to the Ike came in at 2-over 72 or better.

July 13 - New Jersey National Golf Club, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 9 & ties | Ike: 13 & ties
A 5-under 67 from Thomas Collins of Essex County led nine qualifiers for the Met Amateur at Bethpage Black, besting the field by four shots. Luke Sample of New York, N.Y., carded 1-over 73 in his morning round, finishing tied fifth before going on to make match play in the Met Junior in the afternoon. Met Am qualifiers shot 2-over or better. A total of 14 players advanced to Country Club of Darien, with scores of 3-over or better.

July 13 - North Hills Country Club, North Hills, N.Y.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 9 & ties | Ike: 14 & ties
Rich Messina of Sands Point, John Casler of Garden City Country Club and Ben Mitchell of Fresh Meadow led the way with 2-under 70s as 11 players advanced to Bethpage. Frequent competitors Sam Bernstein of Century and Tom Yellin of Stanwich posted scores of even-par 72. David Segot carded 1-over 73 to advance on the number and will proudly represent Nassau Players Club at Bethpage. A total of 17 players advanced to Darien with scores of 2-over or better.

July 13 - Fairview Country Club, Greenwich, Conn.
Results | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 8 & ties | Ike: 13 & ties
Adam Friedman of Sterling Farms paced the field with a 3-under 69 to lead 10 players to Bethpage, while Tobin Whitman of Westchester and Jackson Fretty of Greenwich carded 2-under 70s. Last year’s Carter Cup champion Ben Carpenter of Country Club of Darien finished tied fourth at even-par, earning his right to compete in both the Amateur and at his home club for the Ike. Met Am qualifiers shot 2-over 74 or better. A total of 17 players advanced to Darien, with scores of 3-over or better.

July 14 - Wiltwyck Golf Club, Kingston, N.Y.
Scoring | Qualifying Positions: Met Amateur 6 & ties | Ike: 10 & ties
Eight players punched tickets to Bethpage Black, led by a stellar 7-under 65 by James McHugh of GlenArbor. Erik Stauderman (-4/68) of Casperkill and Saptak Talwar (-3/69) of The Golf Performance Center both fired strong rounds as well, while recent Westchester Amateur runner-up Justin Lane of Woodstock rounded out those firing sub-par rounds with a 1-under 71. Four more players talled scores of even-par 72 to also make their way to both Bethpage and Darien. Meanwhile, two more players that posted scores of 1-over 73 to advance to the Ike.