Field is set for Metropolitan Amateur Match Play Championship
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Updated: Thu 5/21/2009 9:05 am
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The field and pairings have been announced for the Metropolitan Amateur Match Play Championship to be contested May 30-31 at Old Warson Country Club.
Selected from the season ending points standings of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association, this field of 16 players represents the elite amateurs in the Greater St. Louis area. Among the participants is the returning MAGA Player of the year and defending champion of this event, Skip Berkmeyer. Berkmeyer will occupy the #1 seed and face a newcomer to this event in the UMSL standout, Tim Cochran.
Darren Lundgren, already a winner of multiple events in 2009, is across the bracket as the #2 seed and will face Scott McClellan of WingHaven Country Club. McClellan surprised many last year by advancing into the final four as the 13 seed defeating Buddy Allen and Matt Hines before losing to the eventual champion, Berkmeyer.
Old Warson Country Club Member, Ross Millman will square off against Chris Kovach in the #3 vs. #14 seed match. Millman will be joining Berkmeyer and Lundgren at the US Open Sectional qualifying after advancing out of Red Run Golf Club in Michigan. Berkmeyer and Lundgren advanced through local qualifying at Persimmon Woods Golf Club a week ago.
Another college standout, Mitchell Gregson of Kansas State University earned the #4 seed and will see former mini-tour player Paul Neeman, #13 seed. The winner of the Gregson / Neeman match will run up against the winner of the Ted Moloney / Dustin Ashby match. Maloney is coming off a win at the Normandie Amateur last weekend and also was co-medalist at the Publinx Open played in early May. Ashby and Maloney faced each other in match play in 2007 at the St. Louis District Golf Association Championship at St.Clair Country Club where Ashby won 1up in route to capturing his second STLDA Championship (1996 and 2007).
Tom Barry, coming off a season that earned him Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association "Comeback Player of the Year" will play Patrick Riordan in the 6 vs. 11 seed match. Riordan recently won the Bob Cochran Mid Amateur Championship at his home club, Fox Run Golf Club.
Senior Player of the Year in 2008, Scott Thomas grabs the 7th seed and will face Andrew Pranger. The winner will play the Lundgren / McClellan winner in the second round on Saturday afternoon.
In the 8 vs 9 match, breakthrough player in 2008, Jeremy Franklin will play John Anderson of Norwood Hills Country Club. Franklin qualified for the USGA Public Links Championships out of Aberdeen last season and Anderson is a former US Open Sectional qualifier. The winner will play the winner of the Berkmeyer / Cochran match.
Later in the season, Old Warson Country Club will be hosting the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. Needless to say the golf course will be in immaculate condition for the sixteen players competing in the 2009 Metropolitan Amateur Match Play Championship.
Play begins at 7am on Saturday, May 30th. To view the complete bracket or to follow the action online, visit http://www.metga.org.
