4 minute read
Old Warson Cup
The Metropolitan
June 2021
Sam Migdal, 2021 Old Warson Cup Champion
Ladue, MO - After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the Old Warson Cup returned June 5-6 at Old Warson Country Club. The 16-player field was determined by Players of the Year Standings from the year prior.
Ten of the sixteen-players from the 2019 field were back for this year’s playing. This marked the second match play event of the year after the inaugural Robert A. Shogren Cup was played in May. Ten of the 16 players who will tee it up at Old Warson were on MAGA’s team that went up against the Gateway PGA at Bellerive.
The two-day event got underway with round of 16 matches Saturday morning, June 5th.
Seven of the eight round of 16 matches resulted in upsets, while the quarterfinals saw the lower seeds advance in all but one match. The semifinals featured matches between Skip Berkmeyer and Jason Landry, and Sam Migdal and Drew Pranger Sunday morning.
Berkmeyer, the No. 1 overall seed, never made it to holes 17 and 18 Saturday, winning his matches 4 and 3 and 4 and 2. The reigning Men’s Player of the Year was the only top seed to make it out of the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, Berkmeyer and Curtis Brokenbrow were tied making the turn, but Berkmeyer went 1-under on holes 11-13 to grab a three-hole lead and ended the match with a par on No. 15.
Jason Landry won 4 and 3 in the Round of 16. A chip-in on No. 6 gave him a four-hole lead and he retained at least a three-hole lead through the end of the match. Landry matched up with Brad Carpenter in the quarterfinals. The Greenbriar Hills member made birdie on the par 4 15th which gave him a 2-up lead, and a par on the par 3 17th was good enough for Landry to win 3-up. Landry and Carpenter both eagled the par 5 6th hole.
Migdal took down defending champion Crimson Callahan in the round of 16, winning 2 and 1. A matchup with Tommy Alferman in the quarterfinals saw the same result.
Pranger needed all 18 to advance to the semifinals. The Glen Echo member had control of the match from the start and made the turn 2-up. Alex Ciaramitaro made a long birdie putt on No. 17 to tie the match headed to No. 18. Pranger stuck it pin-high and came out on top after a long two-putt par.
The Metropolitan
June 2021
Migdal defeated Drew Pranger in the semifinals, winning 5 and 4. The Norwood Hills member controlled the match early being 2-up through 2 holes and 3-up at the turn. Migdal stuck it within inches on the par 5 12th hole, the birdie was given, and he took a commanding 5-up lead before the match eventually ended on the 14th green.
Landry defeated the No. 1 overall seed, Skip Berkmeyer, 1-up in 19 holes. No player had more than a 1-up lead the entirety of the match. The Greenbriar Hills member made three birdies on the front and played solidly on in making pars when needed to advance to the finals.
The final match went off approximately at 12:00 p.m. Jason Landry chipped in for par on the par 4 2nd hole to go 1-up, and that lead stood until Migdal tied it with a par before the two made the turn.
The Greenbriar Hills member quickly regained the lead with a birdie on No. 10, but that lead stood for one hole as Migdal tied the match with a par on the 11th. The match swung in Migdal’s favor as he gained a 2-up lead with pars on No.’s 14 and 15.
Landry made things interesting when a sand save on the par 3 17th reduced the lead to 1-up. Migdal parred No. 18 and the match ended 1-up. It was the first time Migdal had played No. 18 the two days of competition.
“I’ve been struggling the last couple seasons and this definitely gives me the confidence knowing that I can compete with anyone,” Migdal said.
Migdal joins Skip Berkmeyer as the only three-time winners of the Old Warson Cup.
“Great company to be in. Skip’s one of the best amateurs in the nation. It’s great to be a three-time champion and share that with the likes of him.”
Sam Migdal, Stan Grossman, Jason Landry Sam Migdal and Jason Landry
