Berkmeyer edges Bardgett in extra holes at Metropolitan Match Play

Norwood Hills’ Skip Berkmeyer rallied late to defeat Meadowbrook’s Justin Bardgett in 21 holes to win the Metropolitan Match Play Championship at Old Warson Country Club Sunday.

Down most of the championship, Berkmeyer rallied from 3-down well into the final nine holes. Trailing by two holes with two to play, Berkmeyer trimmed Bardgett’s lead to 1 up at No. 17 with a par, and then made an 11-foot par save at the final green to win the hole and square the match.

Bardgett nearly holed out his approach at the first playoff hole (No. 18), but was unable to convert his birdie putt. At No. 11, the 21st hole of the match, Bardgett missed a five-footer to extend the match further. For Berkmeyer, the title was his third in the 12 years the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association has conducted its Match Play Championship. 

Berkmeyer, the tournament’s top seed and a two-time winner of the event, advanced to the final with a 3 and 2 semifinal victory over Dr. Jack Eisenbeis of St. Louis Country Club.

Playing in his first Metropolitan Match Play, an invitational event for the top players from the previous Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association season, Bardgett advanced to the finals with a 5 and 4 win over Fox Run’s Darren Lundgren in Sunday morning’s semifinal round. 

In his semifinal match against the second seeded Lundgren, Bardgett won the fifth and eighth holes with birdies then went 3 up with par at the par-4 ninth hole. Bardgett was 4-under par when he closed out his semifinal match at No. 14.

Metropolitan Match Play Championship
Old Warson Country Club – par 71 / 7,064 yards

Round of 16
Skip Berkmeyer, Norwood Hills d. Zach Pranger, Glen Echo 1 up; Brian Kennedy, Norwood Hills d. Matt Rau, Quail Creek 1 up; Patrick Britt, Norwood Hills d. Matt Hines, Fox Run 4 and 2; Jack Eisenbeis, St. Louis CC d. Ben Wood, Greenbriar Hills 5 and 4; Darren Lundgren, Fox Run d. Steven Holtgrieve, Westborough 5 and 4; Joe Behl, Fox Run d. Scott Thomas, Meadowbrook 1 up; Justin Bardgett, Meadowbrook d. David Lucks,  Gateway National  4 and 3; Mitchell Gregson, Annbriar d. Andrew Pranger, Glen Echo 6 and 4.

Quarterfinals
Berkmeyer d. Kennedy 7 and 5; Eisenbeis d. Britt 2 and 1; Lundgren d. Behl 5 and 3; Bardgett d. Gregson 1 up

Semifinals
Berkmeyer d. Eisenbeis 2 and 1; Bardgett d. Lundgren 5 and 4.

Finals

Berkmeyer d. Bardgett 21 holes.