Baltusrol Welcomes Top Juniors, Tuesday for Carter Cup
The par-4 third (foreground) and par-3 fourth (background) of Baltusrol Golf Club's Lower Course. Photo: Evan Schiller
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 28, 2023) – The MGA’s junior stroke play invitational enters its third decade of competition on Tuesday, August 1, as the region’s top juniors head to Baltsurol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., for the 21st MGA Carter Cup.
Related: Pairings | Carter Cup History | Carter Cup Records
Taking place over both the Upper and Lower courses at Baltusrol, the Carter Cup stands as a coveted invitation in the junior ranks. It was first played in 2003 and is named in honor of Michael P. Carter, an accomplished junior player at Baltusrol and standout member of the golf team at New Jersey’s Delbarton School who died in a car accident in 2002. Carter had won the junior club championships at both Baltusrol and Winged Foot and at the time of his death played for Penn State.
Related: Past Champions Gallery
Even with its brief 20-year history, the Carter Cup has produced an incredible list of champions, including Morgan Hoffmann (2005), David Pastore (2010) and Cameron Young (2011) within its first 10 years and more recent winners like two-time champion Ethan Ng (2016, ’17) and two-time Long Island Amateur champion Carter Prince (2018).
The field, 42 players this year, once again contains the region’s top rising stars, who earned entry based on performance in notable Met Area events.
Repeat?
Cameron Besaw of New Canaan, Conn., put on a memorable and record-setting performance in 2022 and now has the opportunity to become just the second player to win the title in back-to-back years. He would join Ethan Ng, who won both at Winged Foot (2016) and Baltusrol (2017).
Match and Stroke
Recent Met Junior champion Barnes Blake of Westfield, N.J., has the opportunity to become just the second player to win both the Met Junior and Carter Cup in the same year. Patrick Fillian, now the Director of Golf and COO at Echo Lake Country Club, is the lone player to have won both in the same year, while David Pastore and Cameron Young are the only other players to have won both in their career.
Boys’-Carter Cup Double
Cameron Wilson is the only player to have won both the MGA/MetLife Boys’ Championship and the Carter Cup in his career. Having won the Boys’ title in 2021, Lance Hollingshead of Basking Ridge, N.J., could join Wilson with a victory at Baltusrol.
Common Competitors
Blake and Tyler Lee of Franklin Lakes, N.J., are making their fourth appearance in the Carter Cup, proving their consistent, high-quality play throughout their junior golf careers. They both have carded top-10 finishes in each of the last two playings.
Top-10, Back Again
Overall, eight players are back after registering a top-10 last year at Baltusrol: Besaw, Blake, Lee, Thomas Finn of Locust Valley, N.Y.; Derek Gutierrez of Cranford, N.J.; Michael McConie of Huntington, N.Y.; Michael Ostrower of New York, N.Y.; and Liam Pasternak of Morristown, N.J.
From the Junior Am
Six players are coming off recently competing in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, S.C., including Blake; Theo Boris of New York, N.Y.; James Bradley of East Hampton, N.Y.; Devan Patel of Madison, N.J.; Richie Reck of Middletown, N.J.; and Josh Yan of Newburg, N.Y.
From One to the Next
Ten players will go from Baltusrol on Tuesday to Friar’s Head on Thursday for the 121st Met Amateur Championship: Blake; Lee; Pasternak; Thomas Bonomo of Greenwich, Conn.; Daniel Cassidy of Red Bank, N.J.; Reed Greyserman of Short Hills, N.J.; Ryan Klarreich of Allendale, N.J.; Sam O'Hara of Rye, N.Y.; Charles Schrohe of Riverside, Conn.; and Sean Shallat of Dix Hills, N.Y.
Junior Player of the Year
The Carter Cup is another marquee event in the season-long race for the MGA Junior Player of the Year Award, Presented by Callaway, which is now in its seventh year. The winner will receive 225 points. Met Junior champion Blake currently owns the top spot, though the next four players are all within less than 125 points of the top spot.
Format
• Invitational championship, based on criteria set by the MGA and MGA Foundation
• One day, 36 holes of stroke play on Baltusrol’s Upper and Lower courses.
Coverage
• Hole-by-hole scoring throughout both rounds
• Social media: mga1897 on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
• Scoring, recaps, photos and videos on mgagolf.org