Shirley secures the win for the 21st Metropolitan Open Championship
Wesley Hunter of Daphne, AL started the day off right with the lowest score of the day. With four birdies on both the front and back nine, he shot 65 and ended seven-under (-7) par. Hunter finished tied for ninth, after being even par following rounds 1 and 2 to make the cut on the number. Chris Naegel of Wildwood, MO followed suit, with a total of seven birdies. Despite two bogeys on the front nine, he still ended nine under (-9) and was the leader in the clubhouse with six groups still to finish. He would end in solo fifth place. Tyler Isenhart of Geneva, IL showed his drive to win as well with only one bogey and five birdies. While switching between first and second throughout the day, he ended tied for third at ten-under (-1).
Trey Shirley of Bardstown, KY displayed the importance of consistency, setting him apart. After shooting six-under yesterday, he managed to shoot six-under again today while carding a birdie on 18 all three days. Shirley ended at a whopping twelve-under par (-12) pushing him to the top of the leaderboard. Schmidt of Venetia, PA, began tied for first. He showed his drive to win, finishing out with two birdies on the back and ending tied for third with Isenhart at ten-under (-10). Morton of Aurora, IL, came in today also tied for the top and brought his confidence with him during the final round. Even after three bogeys on the front, he proceeded to fire three birdies on the back and an eagle on 18. Morton ended close behind Shirley in second at eleven-under (-11) par.
Three golfers ended tied for sixth at 8-under (-8): Grant Haefner of Bloomfield Hills, MI, Ali Khan of Westerville, OH and Avery Schnieder of New Albany, OH. Joining Hunter tied for ninth at seven-under (-7) was Ryan Dupuy of Baton Rouge, LA, Carr Vernon of Poplar Bluff, MO, Parker Gilliam of St. Simons Island, GA and Thomas Lilly of Wilmington, NC.
Harper Ackermann of Webster Groves, MO, shot the lowest amateur score with four birdies today to end four-under (-4) par and tied for twenty-fifth. The University of West Florida golfer stayed close on the leaderboard with one other amateur, Justin Bryant of Ladue, MO, up until the last five holes. After Ackermann turned in his score of four-under, Bryant fell back as he came in on the final four holes, leaving Ackermann with the Low Amateur honor.
After a three day, highly competitive championship, Trey Shirley is now the 21st Metropolitan Open Champion. James Morton finished as the runner-up and Harper Ackermann was the Low Amateur. Shirley walks away with the title and $25,000.