By The Numbers

Maga Staff

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Curt Rohe - curt@metga.org

DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Caroline Buchan - caroline@metga.org

2023 PJ BOATWRIGHT INTERNS

Anna Marriott, Communications

Josh Plohr, Operations

Amari Sewer, Operations

EXECUTIVE BOARD Officers

Scott Engelbrecht, President/Treasurer

Mike Marquart, Secretary

At Large Members

John Bugh

Stan Grossman

Kelli Kirchoff

Mike Marquart

Rick Meyer, Jr

John Moore

Mick Wellington

Advisory Committee

Scott Thomas, Chairman

Tom Barry

Skip Berkmeyer

Chris Kovach

Ryan Eckelcamp

Tom Portner

Curt Rohe

The Metropolitan Contributing Writers

Dan O’Neill

MVGCSAA

Dr. Zach Cutler

Curt Rohe - Executive Director

Greetings Members and Clubs!

Welcome to the golf season! May was an incredibly busy, but rewarding month for the Association. We kicked off the 2023 championship and qualifying season the last weekend of April and then got right into a busy stretch. The weather has been tremendous for us during that stretch as well...always appreciate Mother Nature helping us out!

The East Side Amateur had one of the largest fields in recent years, with 123 teeing it up at Gateway National even on Mothers Day weekend. Tony Gumper continued his fine play with a win in the Open Division and Buddy Allen got it done on the Senior side. We followed up the next day at Gateway with U.S. Open Local Qualifying where 96 teed it up for a 5 spots into Final Qualifying. 4-under par was the medalist, Justin Bryant and Wes Hunter both turned in 67s to earn spots into June 5 and a shot at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in a couple weeks. Good luck to them!

The 18th Metropolitan Open could not have had better weather, while a little rain early in the week softened up the course, Country Club of St. Albans played beautifully for the 156 golfers. Gavin Hall, a professional from Delray Beach, FL made his inaugural visit to St. Albans well worth it and enjoyed the week. The University of Texas grad posted a tournament record 17-under par over the Lewis & Clark Course to earn the title and $25,000 first prize. While no amateurs made the cut this year, locally Chris Naegel fired a tournament record 62 in Round 2. Good luck to Chris as he plays June 5 for another shot at the U.S. Open too.

I cannot state this enough but a huge thank you to the Country Club of St. Albans for their commitment to championship golf in this region! Thank you especially to Barb Witbrodt for coordinating housing for players this year, first time since pre-Covid and to Director of Golf Joe Schwent for coordinating the volunteers, mostly all members, to assist with scoring and shuttling. Along with our Rules Committee, all the volunteers is what makes this championship special and the players recognize all of their efforts. These players continue to say this is the BEST stop they will make all season as they travel around the country competing...that includes Korn Ferry Tour, state opens and other mini-tours!

We finally welcomed all of our 2023 P.J. Boatwright Interns into the fold this month as well...they are always a welcome sight to join the Team MAGA Staff! They were thrown into the fire these last couple weeks and are off and running. Thank you for bringing the energy and enthusiasm to the Team and we look forward to a great season.

As always, thank you for reading! We still have plenty of space for advertising in The Metropolitan, please reach out to us to show what we can do for you or your company. The Metropolitan newsletter continues to grow and is reaching 25K+ people, golfers each issue.

93.4 - According to Trackman, this is the average club speed for a driver among the general public. The speed correlates to an average drive of 214 yards. It also is estimated that the average player gives up 30 yards by not optimizing their swing. Now, keep in mind that long drive specialist Kyle Berkshire has reached a swing speed of 236 miles per hour. Pretty sure he has optimized.

21 - This relates to Tiger Woods’ best finish in a major since he won the 2019 Masters in April 2019. Later that same year, Woods tied for 21st at the U.S. Open. Since that time, he has missed cuts four times, withdrawn twice, and not competed in two majors. Even more astounding, he has not had a top-10 finish in a U.S. Open since a tie for fourth in 2010 - 13 years ago.

3 - The number of players who won the individual Missouri High School golf championship at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar last month. Chaminade junior Bubba Chapman, Liberty North sophomore Caden Mickelson and Rockhurst senior Jack Cobb all tied for the top spot with scores of 2-under-par 142. The Missouri High School Activities Association rules do not call for a tie-breaking playoff, so the three players shared the individual crown. Chapman’s performance helped Chaminade edge Rockhurst for the Class 5A team title.

17

- The number of shots separating two rounds played by Matt Ford at the Copenhagen Challenge on the Challenge Tour. The Englishman stumbled his way through a Saturday round, shooting a 41 on the back nine and posting a score of 8-over-par 80. On Sunday, he was a different player. He finished the day eagle-birdie on the closing two holes to sign for a 63 - or 17 shots better. “Only 17 shots better today and I was disappointed coming off the last!! Golf is crazy,” the 45-year-old tweeted. In the end, Ford finished 11 shots off the winning score of Mateo Manessero.

67

- As in million, as in the odds of making two holes-in-one in a round of golf are one in 67 million. But what are the odds of doing it in a U.S. MidAmateur Qualifying round? That’s what Don Bliss did in the 1985 event at Brook Hollow Country Club. Others have made multiple aces in their USGA qualifying history, but none have made two in a single round. Don’s golf ball from that round can be found in the USGA Museum. Of course, Bliss did a few other things in his career, like win a record-tying four Missouri State Amateur Championships and qualify for 29 USGA championships, including 15 U.S. Amateurs and five U.S. Mid-Amateurs.

1934

- The year the U.S. Open declined an offer from club founder Bob Jones and chairman Clifford Roberts to host the U.S. Open at Augusta National. USGA president Herbert Jacques replied with a thanks but no thanks, writing “whereas we are all favorably inclined to this move in the near future, we do not think it is practical to attempt in 1934.” Undeterred, Jones and Roberts decided to start their own championship - the “Augusta National Invitational.” Of course, that event soon became known as the Masters Tournament, and joined the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship as one of golf’s majors.U.S. Amateurs and five U.S. Mid-Amateurs.