Metropolitan Open

The Metropolitan Open is a golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. In the early 20th century it was one of the top events in the country and was retroactively given PGA Tour-level status.

Metropolitan Open

Tournament information
Established	1905
Organized by	Metropolitan Golf Association
Format	Stroke play
Month played	August
Current champion
Peter Ballo

History

The tournament has been played annually since 1905.^[1] It is the third oldest "open" golf tournament in the United States, after the U.S. Open and Western Open. It was staged for the first time in 1905 at Fox Hills Golf Club on Staten Island, which played the dual role of host and sponsor. In 1908, the Metropolitan Golf Association hosted the tournament for the first time.^[2] In 1914, Macdonald Smith shot recorded a 278 aggregate, the lowest score ever for a 72 hole tournament.^[2]

In the 1920s, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the event was "weakening" due to alleged neglect from the Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA).^[3] In addition, the event was often held in the middle of the summer in the interior of New Jersey or New York. The weather tended to be very hot which discouraged players from attending the tournament and sponsors for supporting the event. In addition, all three local sections in the tri-state regions "didn't want it."^[4] However, in 1932 the MGA began scheduling the event immediately before the U.S. Open which was normally held in nearby northeast states. Most of the top golfers therefore played The Met Open as a warm-up for the national championship and the event's "prestige" increased.^[4] Some newspapers referred to it as one of the top five events in the world at the time, along with the U.S. Open, British Open, Western Open, and PGA Championship.^[5] In 1936, "most of the nation's outstanding stars" played in the event, including Gene Sarazen, Craig Wood, Paul Runyan, and leading amateur Jess Sweetser.^[6] A young Byron Nelson won the event, one of his first big wins.^[7] In 1939, it was regarded as "richer in tradition than any tournament except the National Open" by The Daily Times.^[8] In 1940, there was one of the most notable performances. Craig Wood scored at 264 (−16) total and won the event by 11 strokes over Ben Hogan. In addition, according to The Associated Press his 264 total was considered the second lowest 72-hole total any tournament ever, only behind Percy Alliss' 262 total at the 1935 Italian Open. He also broke the tournament record by 14 strokes, which had stood for 26 years.^[9]

In 1941, however, the Metropolitan Golf Association "discontinued" the event citing that it was a "financial burden."^[2] At the end of the decade, however, the organization renewed the event and it has evolved one the premier local events in the tri-state area.^[2] In 1976, the Met Open became one of the first tournaments to use a 3-hole aggregate playoff, a style now adopted by most of the major championships.^[10] The 2009 winner was Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Winners

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Venue	Ref.
Met Open Championship
2024	Peter Ballo	215	−1	Playoff[a]	Ethan Ng	Wee Burn
2023	Dylan Newman	209	−4	2 strokes	Mark Costanza (a)	Arcola	[11]
2022	Ryan Siegler	209	−4	3 strokes	Michael Graboyes Max Greyserman Tom Lovelady David Pastore	Bethpage Black	[12]
2021	Andrew Svoboda	200	−10	2 strokes	Tom Lovelady	Hudson National	[13]
2020	Luke Sample (a)	205	−8	3 strokes	Paul Pastore Ben Polland	Mountain Ridge	[14]
2019	Matt Dobyns	200	−13	2 strokes	Michael Graboyes	Piping Rock	[15]
2018	Andrew Svoboda	205	−11	1 stroke	Jack Wall (a)	Wykagyl	[16]
2017	Joshua Rackley	207	−6	2 strokes	Danny Balin Matt Dobyns David Schuster	Hollywood	[17]
2016	Mark Brown	206	−4	4 strokes	Cameron Young (a)	Glen Oaks	[18]
2015	Ben Polland	210	E	Playoff[b]	Tyler Hall	Winged Foot (East)	[19]
2014	Grant Sturgeon	209	−7	3 strokes	Frank Bensel Timothy Puetz	Trump Bedminster (Old)	[20]
2013	Mark Brown	209	−4	Playoff[c]	Cameron Wilson (a)	Old Westbury	[21]
2012	Danny Balin	206	−9	1 stroke	Mike Ballo Jr. Bobby Gage Morgan Hoffmann Ryan McCormick (a)	Plainfield	[22]
2011	Tyler Hall	206	−4	1 stroke	Bobby Gage	Sleepy Hollow	[23]
2010	Bob Rittberger	213	E	Playoff[d]	Danny Balin	Bethpage Black
2009	Andrew Giuliani	210	−3	1 stroke	Jerry Courville, Jr.	Ridgewood (N.J.)	[24]
2008	Mark Mielke	205	−5	3 strokes	Heath Wassem	Fairfield
2007	Frank Bensel	207	−6	1 stroke	Rick Hartmann Jim Herman Bob Rittberger Andrew Svoboda	Meadow Brook	[25]
2006	John Guyton	210	−6	Playoff[e]	Rick Hartmann	Canoe Brook	[26]
2005	John Stoltz (a)	211		Playoff	Craig Thomas	Old Westbury
2004	Rick Hartmann	209	−1	1 stroke	Brian Lamberti	Hudson National	[27]
2003	Andrew Svoboda (a)	209		5 strokes	Richard Massey	Metedeconk National
2002	Johnson Wagner	207		5 strokes	Rob Labritz	Winged Foot (West)
2001	Johnson Wagner (a)	206	−4	3 strokes	Rick Hartmann	Bethpage Black	[28][29]
2000	Michael Gilmore	207		1 stroke	Jerry Courville, Jr. (a)	Mountain Ridge
1999	Mark Brown	210		2 strokes	Charlie Bolling Mat Cannon	Tuxedo
1998	Rick Hartmann	203	−7	1 stroke	Darrell Kestner	The Creek	[30][31]
1997	Mike Burke Jr.	214		3 strokes	Rick Hartmann	Plainfield
1996	Bruce Zabriski	208		12 strokes	Charlie Bolling Mike Burke Jr. Chris Dachisen George Zahringer (a)	Stanwich
1995	Darrell Kestner	208		Playoff	Bruce Zabriski	Atlantic
1994	Charlie Cowell	208	−5	2 strokes	Rick Hartmann Bill King	Ridgewood	[32]
1993	Bruce Zabriski	204		4 strokes	Larry Rentz	Quaker Ridge
1992	Mark Mielke	207		1 stroke	Rick Vershure	Nassau
1991	Mike Dillfey	205		3 strokes	Jim Albus Mel Baum	Hollywood
1990	Larry Rentz	204		6 strokes	Mel Baum Rick Hughes Tom McGinnis Bruce Zabriski	Westchester
1989	Bobby Heins	210		Playoff	George Zahringer (a)	Bethpage Black
1988	Bobby Heins	210		1 stroke	Tom Joyce	Baltusrol
1987	Jim McGovern (a)	212		1 stroke	David Glenz	Winged Foot
1986	David Glenz	208		1 stroke	Tom Joyce	Nassau
1985	George Zahringer (a)	210		2 strokes	Bruce Douglass	Mountain Ridge
1984	Jim Albus	210		2 strokes	Rick Meskell	Old Oaks
1983	Darrell Kestner	212		4 strokes	Jeff Foxx Don Reese	Old Westbury
1982	Darrell Kestner	207		4 strokes	Jim Albus	Montclair
1981	Kelley Moser	211		2 strokes	David Glenz	Knollwood
1980	George Bullock	209		Playoff	Dick Siderowf (a)	Woodmere
1979	Bill Britton	216		Playoff	George Bullock	Plainfield
1978	David Glenz	214		Playoff	Nick Manolios	Quaker Ridge
1977	Marty Bohen	214	−2	2 strokes	Austin Straub	Meadow Brook	[33][34]
1976	Marty Bohen	215	−1	Playoff[f]	Lloyd Monroe Jimmy Wright	Upper Montclair	[35]
1975	Carlton White	211		3 strokes	Carl Lohren	Metropolis
1974	Bob Bruno	209		2 strokes	Dave Smith	Middle Bay
1973	Peter Davison	286		1 stroke	Tom Joyce	Hackensack
1972	Don Massengale	288		Playoff	Ron Letellier	Stanwich
1971	Ron Letellier	279		1 stroke	Jimmy Wright	Fresh Meadow
1970	Jim Albus	288		Playoff	Jimmy Wright	Ridgewood
1969	Jimmy Wright	284		2 stroke	Mike Fetchick	Fenway
1968	Jerry Pittman	274		8 strokes	Jimmy Wright	Inwood
1967	Jerry Courville Sr. (a)	292		4 strokes	Billy Farrell Ron Letellier Stan Mosel Rick Rhoads Terry Wilcox	Winged Foot
1966	Tom Nieporte	277		3 strokes	Stan Mosel	Mountain Ridge
1965	Jerry Pittman	275		3 strokes	Wes Ellis Jimmy Wright	Woodmere
1964	Jack Patroni	284		2 strokes	Wes Ellis Al Feminelli	Briar Hall
1963	Wes Ellis	283		5 strokes	Doug Ford	Plainfield
1962	Miller Barber	282		Playoff	Tom Nieporte	Nassau
1961	Wes Ellis	289		2 strokes	Claude Harmon	Winged Foot
1960	Al Mengert	272		12 strokes	Wes Ellis	Ridgewood
1959	Jim Turnesa	286		1 stroke	Shelley Mayfield	Woodmere
1958	Bob Watson	279		3 strokes	Claude Harmon	Metropolis
1957	Wes Ellis	296		3 strokes	Shelley Mayfield	Plainfield
1956	Doug Ford	288		3 strokes	Mike Turnesa	Inwood
1955	Art Doering	285		Playoff	Al Brosch	Fenway
1954	Otto Greiner	290		1 stroke	Jay Hebert	The Knoll
1953	Pete Cooper	284		4 strokes	Pat Cici	Rockville Links
1952	Chet Sanok (a)	289		2 strokes	Dick Mayer Jim Turnesa	Winged Foot
1951	Claude Harmon	275		2 strokes	Pete Cooper	Forest Hill
1950	George Stuhler	280		1 stroke	Claude Harmon	Garden City CC
1949	Jack Burke Jr.	274		6 strokes	Gene Sarazen	Metropolis
1941–1948: Not played due to financial issues							[2]
1940	Craig Wood	264	−16	11 strokes	Ben Hogan	Forest Hill	[36]
1939	Henry Picard	283	−1	Playoff1	Paul Runyan (2nd) Vic Ghezzi (3rd)	Metropolis	[37][38][39]
1938	Jimmy Hines	287		3 strokes	Sam Snead	Fresh Meadow	[40]
1937	Jimmy Hines	279		1 stroke	Henry Picard	Forest Hill
1936	Byron Nelson	283		2 strokes	Craig Wood	Quaker Ridge	[41][42]
1935	Henry Picard	284		4 strokes	Sid Brews	Lakeville
1934	Paul Runyan	287		1 stroke	Wiffy Cox Walter Hagen	Echo Lake
1933	Willie Macfarlane	291		1 stroke	Paul Runyan	Winged Foot	[43]
1932	Olin Dutra	282		2 strokes	Walter Kozak	Lido	[44][45]
1931	Macdonald Smith	285		5 strokes	Gene Sarazen	Crestmont	[46]
1930	Willie Macfarlane	280		Playoff[g]	Johnny Farrell	Fairview	[47][48]
1929	Bill Mehlhorn	288		3 strokes	Wiffy Cox	Lido	[49]
1928	Tommy Armour	278	−10	2 strokes	Johnny Farrell	Shackamaxon	[50]
1927	Johnny Farrell	296		1 stroke	Bobby Cruickshank	Wykagyl	[51]
1926	Macdonald Smith	286		Playoff[h]	Gene Sarazen	Salisbury	[52][53][54]
1925	Gene Sarazen	295		1 stroke	Joe Turnesa	Grassy Sprain	[55]
1924	Mike Brady	292		2 strokes	Willie Macfarlane	Engineers	[56]
1923	Bob MacDonald	295		Playoff[i]	Jim Barnes	Canoe Brook	[57][58]
1922	Marty O'Loughlin	309		3 strokes	Johnny Farrell	Lido	[59]
1921	Bob MacDonald	294		4 strokes	Pat O'Hara	Siwanoy	[60]
1920	Walter Hagen	292		Playoff[j]	Jim Barnes	Greenwich	[61][62]
1919	Walter Hagen	294		3 strokes	Emmet French	North Shore	[63]
1917–1918: Not played due to World War I
1916	Walter Hagen	307		Playoff[k]	Jim Barnes Charles Hoffner	Garden City GC	[64][65]
1915	Gilbert Nicholls	292		Playoff[l]	Bob MacDonald	Fox Hills	[66][67]
1914	Macdonald Smith	278		9 strokes	Willie Macfarlane	Scarsdale	[68]
1913	Alex Smith	291		1 stroke	Tom McNamara	Salisbury Links	[69]
1912	Tom McNamara	293		4 strokes	Gilbert Nicholls	Apawamis	[70]
1911	Gilbert Nicholls	281		8 strokes	Jack Hobens	Englewood	[71]
1910	Alex Smith	301		2 strokes	John McDermott	Deal	[72]
1909	Alex Smith	306		2 strokes	Gilbert Nicholls	Wykagyl	[73]
1908	Jack Hobens	305		1 stroke	Alex Campbell	Baltusrol	[74]
1907	Not held
1906	George Low	294		2 strokes	Alex Smith	Hollywood	[75]
1905	Alex Smith	300		Playoff[m]	Willie Anderson	Fox Hills	[76][77]

Sources:^[78][79]

¹Picard and Runyan tied with a 70 at the end of the first 18-hole playoff while Ghezzi was eliminated with a 77. In the second playoff, Picard defeated Runyan 69 to 71.

1. Ballo won a 3-hole playoff with a score of 1-under-par.
2. Polland won a 3-hole playoff with a score of 2-over-par.
3. Brown won a 3-hole playoff with a score of 2-under-par.
4. Rittberger won a 3-hole playoff with a score of 1-over-par.
5. Guyton won three-hole aggregate playoff. (Scores: Guyton 11, Hartmann 12)
6. Bohen won three-hole aggregate playoff. (Scores: Bohen 10, Monroe 11, Wright 14)
7. Macfarlane beat Farrell 142 to 144 in a 36-hole playoff.
8. Smith beat Sarazen 66 to 70 in a third 18-hole playoff. They had tied the first two with scores of 70 and 72.
9. MacDonald beat Barnes 70 to 79 in an 18-hole playoff.
10. Hagen beat Barnes 70 to 74 in an 18-hole playoff.
11. Hagen won an 18-hole playoff, scoring 74, with Barnes scoring 75 and Hoffner 77.
12. Nicholls beat MacDonald 73 to 78 in an 18-hole playoff.
13. Smith beat Anderson 74 to 76 in an 18-hole playoff.