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St. Louis, MO - The Metropolitan’s marquee match play championship is here! The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association’s top ranked players from 2025 have been invited to participate in this invitation only event at Old Warson Country Club. In its 28th year, the Old Warson Cup field is stronger than ever and ready to put each other to the test. This year’s field has an average Handicap Index of +2.5 and has a collective 43 Metropolitan Championship titles. 

Meet the 2026 Old Warson Cup Field: 

Ryan Sullivan comes into the Old Warson Cup as the top seeded player after claiming the 2025 Player of the Year title. Sullivan accomplished this through earning Low Amateur honors in the Metropolitan Open as well as winning the East Side Amateur and Metropolitan Four-Ball. He plays out of Tapawingo National Golf Club. Sullivan has yet to break through past the quarterfinals and is looking to use his seed to his advantage this weekend to go further. He will be playing with the 16th seed, Alex Ciaramitaro, during the first round. 

Justin Bryant is the defending champion of the Old Warson Cup and enters the field in a strong position as the number 2 seed. Bryant had a good showing last year following his win with a third place finish in the Metropolitan Amateur, qualifying for the U.S Mid-Amateur, and finishing as an alternate in the U.S. Open Local qualifier. He practices out of St. Louis Country Club and is full of competitive experience. With three wins and two runner-up finishes, Bryant has an impressive cup record. He is willing to fight for another consecutive title to add to his record book, playing against Blake Skornia in the first round, the 15th seed. 

Chad Niezing joins the field in the third seeded position this year. As the 2025 runner-up, Niezing is hoping to claim the trophy this year. He earned his spot through a small but successful campaign last year. Niezing won the Missouri Amateur, which also earned him an exemption into the U.S. Amateur field. He also finished third in the City Championship. Playing out of Meadowbrook Country Club, Niezing is hoping to use his eight years of cup experience to finally close this one out. Drew Pranger will be his opponent during the Round of 16, who is the 14th seed. 

Corey Choate starts his Old Warson Cup campaign in the fourth seeded spot. Choate is the 2025 Metropolitan Amateur Champion. That coupled with making the cut at the Metropolitan Open, finishing tied for fourth in the Missouri Stroke Play, and tied for ninth in the East Side Amateur helped him earn his high ranked place in this year’s field. Choate plays out of The Legends Country Club and is returning to the Old Warson Cup field for the first time since 2014. He is looking to join the small circle of players who have held both the Metropolitan Amateur and Old Warson Cup titles at the same time, ready to compete with Thomas Wuennenberg during the first round, who is the 13th seed. 

Sam Migdal is no stranger to the Old Warson Cup. A three-time champion, in 2016, 2017 and 2021, Migdal is eager to come back at the fifth seeded spot. His past wins along with being first in the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying and fifth in the 22nd East Side Amateur have prepared him for this year’s Old Warson Cup. Playing out of St. Louis Country Club, Migdal is ready to come back for the sixth year in a row and hopefully come out as a champion yet again. He will go up against Ryan Schnuenke, the 12th seed, during the Round of 16. 

Brad Carpenter is playing in the Old Warson Cup for the sixth year in a row, proving himself a force to be reckoned with at the sixth seeded spot. Playing out of Franklin County Country Club, Carpenter has made it to the semifinals once and the quarterfinals four times. He tied for third in the 2025 MGA Mid-Amateur and was fourth in the 35th Amateur Championship, giving him plenty of experience to gear up for this year. He is excited to come back to Old Warson and hopefully walk out with the cup in hand, playing against Bubba Chapman in the first round, the 11th seed. 

Ryan Eckelkamp, who is at the seventh seeded spot, brings an impressive year of wins to the table this year. Not only was he the 2025 Southern Illinois Amateur Champion, but he was also the 16th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship winner. Eckelkamp has plenty of experience in the Old Warson Cup, giving him a competitive edge as he enters his sixth consecutive year and ninth overall appearance in the tournament. He plays out of Franklin County Country Club and is ready to come back for the win after finishing as a quarterfinalist last year. Chris Kovach, who is the tenth seed, will be competing with Eckelkamp during the first round of the cup 

Jason White makes his Old Warson Cup debut this year at the eighth seeded spot. After coming in second in both the 2025 Southern Illinois Amateur and the 16th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship, he has earned his spot in the tournament and is looking to capture his first Old Warson Cup title! White is from Tapawingo National Golf Club and is ecstatic to finally be a part of the Old Warson Cup circle. With a strong season behind him, he is making his first appearance with confidence, ready to face Joe Migdal, the ninth seed, during the first round.

Joe Migdal is finally coming back to the Old Warson Cup at the ninth seeded spot. After making it to the quarterfinals three out of the four times he’s been in the tournament, Migdal hopes to finally come out on top this year. From Old Hickory Golf Club, he tied for tenth in the 35th Amateur Championship, giving him the experience and determination needed to make another strong run at the Old Warson Cup title. Migdal is set to return to the cup, better than ever. Migdal will be playing against Jason White, the eighth seed. 

Chris Kovach is having a year of tens, being at the tenth seeded spot and playing in the Old Warson Cup for the tenth time! Being the 2023 Old Warson Cup Champion and making it to the quarterfinals last year, he brings a wealth of experience to the field. He has also tied for fifth in both the 2025 City Championship and the 35th Amateur Championship. From Old Hickory Golf Club, Kovach is prepared to break through the quarterfinals this year at Old Warson and come out on top. He will be playing against Ryan Ecklecamp, the seventh seed with an impressive season. 

Bubba Chapman is making his Old Warson Cup debut this year and will enter the field as the 11th seed. Chapman played his way into the field through his performances in three events last year. He finished tied for tenth in the Metropolitan Amateur and tied for second in the East Side Amateur. The Bellerive Country Club golfer proved his match play abilities when he made it to the semifinals of the St. Louis District Golf Association Griesedieck Championship. Even though he is coming in as fresh blood, Chapman is excited to break into this cup and prove that he can make his way around Old Warson Country Club as well as the rest of them. He is not worried about facing Brad Carpenter at the sixth seeded spot during his first round. 

Ryan Schuenke is coming back to the Old Warson Cup for the fourth year in a row at the 12th seed spot. Having an impressive season to strengthen his game before the cup, Schuenke placed fifth in the 2025 MGA Mid-Amateur and second in the 16th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship. He hopes to make a run for the final rounds this year and has the confidence to back it up. Traveling all the way from Quincy Country Club, he is thrilled to be back at Old Warson and continue his pursuit of being titled the champion, playing against Sam Migdal, the fifth seed, in the Round of 16. 

Thomas Wuennenberg is at the 13th seed and competing for the third time in the Old Warson Cup. Placing second in the cup during his debut in 2013, he is familiar with the field and prepared to come back for the title. He has also tied for fifth twice this past season in both the 35th Amateur Championship and the 22nd East Side Amateur. Representing Tapawingo National Golf Club, he brings experience and a proven history of success to Old Warson. His previous runner-up finish gives him a competitive edge and he is eager to make his return in the first round competing with Corey Choate, the fourth seed. 

Drew Pranger has made it to the quarterfinals the past two years and is ready to make it to the finals at the 14th seed this year. Having won the Old Warson Cup in 2018 and placing second in 2019, Pranger brings perspective to the field and is fully prepared to come back again for the championship title. His season backs up his skills, tying for fifth in the 35th Amateur Championship and being a semi-finalist in the 2025 STLDGA Griesdieck. He plays out of Glen Echo Country club and is ready to challenge the field, specifically Chad Niezing, the third seed, during the Round of 16. 

Blake Skornia is ready to return for his second Old Warson Cup in a row at the 15th seed. Making it to the semifinals during his debut last year, Skornia has proven himself as a strong competitor on the course. He comes in with previous tournament experience, participating in the 35th Amateur Championship, making him all the more ready to come back and compete. Representing Algonquin Golf Club, he is ready to bring it on at the Old Warson Cup this year and build on his success while possibly walking out with the title too, prepared to face the second seed, Justin Bryant during the first round. 

Alex Ciaramitaro is the last competitor to get into the Old Warson Cup field and will begin his journey as the 16th seed. It’s been a few years away for Ciaramitaro, but he does have a runner-up finish in this cup to his name. Last year, he competed in six events and his low finish was a tie for eighth in the City Championship. He did survive the cut to finish tied for thirteenth in the Metropolitan Amateur and tied for tenth in the Missouri Mid-Amateur. A member of the Metropolitan eClub, Ciaramitaro is ready to rejoin the Old Warson Cup field and is not afraid of facing the number one seed in the Round of 16. 

 

Senior Field: 

David Strickland is making his Old Warson Cup debut as the number 1 seeded player in the senior division. Strickland earned his spot through an incredible 2025 season campaign that concluded with him receiving the Senior Player of the Year. In six events he finished tied for fourth or better, including a runner-up finish in the Metropolitan Amateur and the City Championship. Strickland also made it through the U.S. Senior Open Local qualifying. Practicing out of Tapawingo National Golf Club, Strickland is ready to make his mark on match play at Old Warson Country Club. Strickland will face number 4 seed and experienced cup player, Buddy Allen in the semifinals. 

David Pfeil is also making his debut in the Old Warson Cup and joins the field as the number 2 seed. Pfeil claimed his place through four top 2 finishes, a top 4 finish, and a top 10 finish. He championed the Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball and the City Championship, while also claiming runner-up in the Metropolitan Senior Amateur and St. Louis District Golf Association Senior Championship. Playing out of The Legends Country Club, Pfeil is ready to take on his first cup and fight to the finish in hopes of bringing home the hardware. Pfeil will play John Moore (No. 3) in the first round. 

John Moore returns to the Old Warson Cup for a second year and will enter as the 3rd seeded player. Moore grabbed a spot in the field through four top 7 finishes last year. The Spring Lake Country Club golfer was champion in the Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball and the Southern Illinois Amateur. He also ended the Missouri Senior Amateur in a tie for second. Moore is hoping for a better showing this year and is gearing up to fight to make it into the final. Moore will be faced with his four-ball partner David Pfeil (No. 2) in the first round of the cup.  

Buddy Allen is back again and is the only player in the senior field that has played in each edition of the Senior Old Warson Cup. Allen comes in as the lowest ranked player in the 4th seeded position. He made his way into the field through an East Side Amateur win, a Metropolitan Senior Four-Ball tie for second, a City Championship tie for third, and three more top 17 finishes. Practicing out of Sugar Creek Golf Course, Allen is ready to use his experience and knowledge to bring down the competition once more. Making it to the final three out of four times and the 2022 Champion, Allen will take on the number 1 seed David Strickland in the semifinals.