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St. Louis, MO - The Metropolitan Championship Season opener is here. A player favorite, the Shogren Cup brings together the two sides of the Metropolitan golf world: the professionals and the amateurs. The Robert A. Shogren Cup is a head-to-head battle between the Gateway PGA Professionals and the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association amateur golfers. 

Team Metropolitan is decided through a two year points ranking system. The Player of the Year from the previous year is given the honor of the captaincy and the most recent Senior Player of the Year is the senior captain. The top 8 in the regular and top 3 in the senior rankings get automatic invites to join the team, while the final 2 regular spots and the final senior spot are captain picks. Let’s meet Team Metropolitan:

Ryan Sullivan is the 2026 Team Metropolitan Captain. Sullivan is returning to the team for the sixth time and is one of three players who have played on all Shogren Cup teams. Sullivan had a successful 2025 season, earning Player of the Year after winning the East Side Amateur and the Metropolitan Four-Ball, as well as finishing as the Low Amateur in the Metropolitan Open. He was 3rd in the Southern Illinois Amateur, T6 in the Missouri Mid-Amateur, was second alternate for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, T14 in the Missouri Stroke Play, and T20 in the Metropolitan Amateur. Sullivan enters this year’s competition coming off of a 3-0-0 score last year and a cup career record of 9-5-1.  

Corey Choate joins the team for a second time. Choate is the reigning Metropolitan Amateur Champion and survived the cut in the Metropolitan Open - just narrowly falling short of the low amateur finish behind his captain. He finished T4 in the Missouri Stroke Play and T9 in the East Side Amateur. Choate’s Shogren Cup record is 2-1-0. He is hopeful his Champion skills will help bring his team to victory. 

Brad Carpenter returns to the Shogren Cup team after a two year hiatus for his fourth team appointment. Carpenter had a successful 2025 season, finishing 9th or better each time he teed it up. He started last year making it to the quarterfinals of the Old Warson Cup. He then finished T9 in the Missouri Stroke Play, 4th in the Metropolitan Amateur, and T3 in the Missouri Mid-Amateur. Carpenter also clenched a qualifying spot for the U.S. Mid-Amateur after a playoff. Carpenter comes in with a cup record of 4-3-2.  

Ryan Eckelkamp is back for his fifth consecutive appearance in the Shogren Cup. Last year, Eckelkamp won the Southern Illinois Amateur and the Metropolitan Four-Ball - alongside Captain Sullivan. He was also a quarterfinalist in the Old Warson Cup and finished T28 in the Missouri Stroke Play. Eckelkamp has proven to be a vital piece of Team Metropolitan in this competition, holding a winning cup record of 10-1-1.  
Tony Gumper is also back for his fifth consecutive year on the Shogren Cup team. Gumper joins the team as a captains pick this year, based on his incredible Cup record. He had a less active summer in 2025 than some of his teammates, but he made it count. He finished T2 in the East Side Amateur and 4th in the Southern Illinois Amateur. Gumper holds the best Shogren Cup record of all players that have been on Team Metropolitan more than once at 11-1-0. He is looking to bring back his single cup 3-0-0 record this year after his one loss last year.  

Chris Kovach is one of three players on the team to be returning as a six-time team member. Kovach started the year out strong last year on the winning Shogren Cup team followed by an Old Warson Cup semi-final match. He finished T5 in both the Metropolitan Amateur and City Championship, as well as placing 16th in the Missouri Stroke Play. Kovach comes into this cup off his best Shogren Cup performance of 3-0-0 finish last year and holds a total cup record of 8-7-0. 

Joe Migdal is making his rookie debut in the Shogren Cup. Joe has experience playing in a team format as a multiyear participant in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with his brother Sam. He finished the Metropolitan Amateur T10 and was runner-up in the St. Louis District Golf Association’s Griesedieck Championship. Joe looks forward to joining the team and lending his skill to another victory.  

Sam Migdal is back for his fourth appearance on Team Metropolitan. Sam is a multiyear participant in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with his brother Joe and just last year, qualified with Medalist honors for the U.S. Mid-Amateur. Locally, he finished 5th in the East Side Amateur and T13 in the Metropolitan Amateur. Sam is coming off a 2025 performance of 3-0-0 and has a career cup record of 5-3-2.  

Chad Niezing returns to the team for his fourth representation. Niezing had a good year last year, finishing 3rd in the City Championship and a semifinalist in the Old Warson Cup. He Championed the Missouri Amateur, which earned him an exemption in the U.S. Amateur field. Like five of his teammates from last year, Niezing is coming into this year from a 3-0-0 performance. He holds a 7-1-1 all-time record.  

Jason White has been called up for his second Shogren Cup appearance as a captains pick. White competed in six events last summer, with his best finishes coming in the Metropolitan Four-Ball and Southern Illinois Amateur as runner-up. He ended the City Championship in 10th, the Metropolitan Amateur T20, and the Missouri Stroke Play T28. In White’s cup debut two years ago, he etched a 3-0-0 performance to his record.  

Seniors:

David Strickland stands as the senior captain in his debut for Team Metropolitan following an impressive showing last summer. Strickland notably finished as runner-up in the Metropolitan Amateur. He was also runner-up in the Senior City Championship, T2 in the Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball, 3rd in the Senior East Side Amateur, T4 in the Missouri Senior Amateur and Senior Southern Illinois Amateur, and T12 in the Metropolitan Senior Amateur. After earning his well-deserved Senior Player of the Year title, Strickland is ready to put his skills on display in an assist to another team victory.  

Skip Berkmeyer is making his fifth team appearance and second as a senior. Berkmeyer is just over a year into his senior career and is already making waves with Senior Old Warson Cup and St. Louis District Golf Association Senior Championship wins. He finished 4th in the Metropolitan Senior Amateur. Outside of the senior realm, Berkmeyer made it to the Round of 16 in the St. Louis District Golf Association’s Griesedieck Championship, T27 in the Metropolitan Amateur, and closed out the year by qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Berkmeyer joins his teammates off of a 3-0-0 performance last year and sits with a cup career record of 9-2-1.  

Brian Lovett returns for his sixth consecutive Shogren Cup appearance as a captains pick. Lovett helped make the team through his performance last season with a runner-up finish in the Senior East Side Amateur and T2 finish in the Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball. He also added the results of T5 in the Metropolitan Senior Amateur, T6 in the Senior City Championship, and T36 in the Metropolitan Amateur to his record book. Lovett is still searching for a winning record in the Shogren Cup, but is confident he can get it done this year to improve upon his 5-9-1 record. 

John Moore is making a return to the team for a second year in a row. Moore had a successful season, championing the Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball and Senior Southern Illinois Amateur. He also finished T2 in the Missouri Senior Amateur, solo 7th in the Senior East Side Amateur, T7 in the Metropolitan Senior Amateur, and made the cut in the Metropolitan Amateur. Moore’s inaugural Shogren Cup performance was 2-0-1. 

 

Team Metropolitan has been on a hot streak, winning the last four consecutive Shogren Cups. Last year they did so with the highest winning margin in the Cup history at 22 to 6 points. This team is ready to bring the trophy home again and keep the winning streak alive. 

Team Gateway PGA:  

JD Auping, Sophie Faulkner, Matt Gindler, Sam Lee, Brett Moomey, Will Postlethwaite, Ryan Roy, Blake Sharamitaro, Mike Suhre, and Kyle Szyhowski
Seniors: Jimmy Bals, Bob Gaus, Mike Tucker, and Jeff Whitfield

The Gateway PGA is looking to redeem themselves this year. Their team welcomes 2 fresh new players to the fold this year, including the first female cup participant, Sophie Faulkner. 12 team members are returning from previous years.  

This year’s Team Metropolitan is comprised by representation of Bellerive Country Club,  Franklin County Country Club (MO), Meadowbrook Country Club, Normandie Golf Club, Old Hickory Golf Club, Persimmon Woods Golf Club, Spring Lake Country Club, St. Louis Country Club, Tapawingo National Golf Club, and The Legends Country Club. Team Gateway PGA has representation from Algonquin Golf Club, Bellerive Country Club, Bogey Hills Country Club, Family Golf & Learning Center, Forest Hills Country Club, Greenbriar Hills Country Club, Norwood Hills Country Club, Oakbrook Golf Club, and The Quarry at Crystal Springs.

Matches begin Sunday afternoon with the four-ball format at Greenbriar Hills Country Club. Foursomes and singles format matches will be played on Monday.