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St. Louis, MO - As we conclude the 2024 Championship Season, it is time we look back on the players who excelled this year. Five players have successfully claimed the coveted title of Player of the Year in their respective division after a season of hard work and incredible play. The 2024 Players of the Year are Sam Migdal [Men’s], Skip Berkmeyer [Senior Men’s], Manon Labeur [Women’s], Jeff Grey [Southern Illinois Men’s], and Tom Portner [Southern Illinois Senior Men’s]. To see how they got to the top of the player of the year leaderboards, read below:
 

Sam Migdal (of Norwood Hills Country Club) rose to the top of the leaderboard quickly this summer. He was an early leader after qualifying and playing in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with his brother, where they made it to the match play Round of 16. To start off the summer, Sam was a semi-finalist in the Old Warson Cup and finished in the top 10 at the East Side Amateur. Mid-summer he had dropped back in the rankings, but never out of the running. He completed the Metropolitan Amateur in a tie for twenty-second, as well as making it to the Round of 32 in the Missouri Amateur. Sam wrapped up his summer by qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and though he did not make it to match play, he was still able to use this accomplishment to shoot to the top of the leaderboard. With 1,157.5 points, Sam secured the Player of the Year title. 

Skip Berkmeyer (of The Legends Country Club) had a great season this year that helped him earn the top spot. In June, Skip got his first points through a T10 finish at the Missouri Stroke Play Championship. He then followed that up with a T5 finish in the Metropolitan Amateur at Bellerive Country Club. Skip was not quite done and would go on to win Cassett Senior Championship for the St. Louis District Golf Association. Skip completed his year by becoming the Metropolitan Senior Amateur Champion in his first year in the competition. This earned Skip the Senior Player of the Year title with 1,330 points.  

Manon Labeur (of the Metropolitan eClub) shook things up this year and swooped in late in the season to rise to the top. Manon was triumphant in both points eligible events that she competed this summer. She started out with a win in the Missouri Women’s Mid-Amateur, which had her 550 points behind the leader. Manon then soared to victory at the [postponed] Metropolitan Women’s Amateur in early October, catapulting her to the top of the leaderboard. Though it did not earn any points in the POY competition, she also competed in the Men's Division of the 9-Hole Championship, where she finished in a tie for first and lost out on the scorecard playoff to settle in 2nd place. Manon became the Women’s Player of the Year with 1,025 points.  

Jeff Gray (of USGA/MetAmateur GC) racked up the points to get to the top this year. Jeff started out the year with a win at the McLeansboro Amateur. He then played in three events in June where he earned points: Illinois Amateur, 100th SIGA Championship, and Green Hills Amateur. He finished T8 in the SIGA Championship and T6 in the Green Hills Amateur. To close out the summer, Jeff finished as runner-up in the Benton Gold Cup and eighth in the Southern Illinois Amateur. With 1,800 points, Jeff has claimed the Southern Illinois Player of the Year.  

Tom Portner (of Green Hills Golf Club) has found himself in the lead for the second year in a row. Tom successfully qualified for the Illinois State Senior Amateur and finished tenth in the Southern Illinois Amateur this year. He also had a good run in the Weeks Fall Classic, finishing as runner-up. Tom’s big points earner was his victory in the 100th SIGA Senior Championship, which pushed him up the leaderboard. Tom clenched the Senior Southern Illinois Player of the Year title with 1,250 points. 

 

At the end of each year, we ask all players who participated in Metropolitan Championships to vote for the Host Facility Awards. They are asked to select the Host Facility that they felt performed exceptionally in each of the following categories during Metropolitan Championships: Host Public Facility, Host Private Facility, Host Club Professional and Golf Shop Staff, and Host Superintendent and Maintenance Staff. The 2024 player selected Host Facility Award Recipients are:

Host Public Facility - Gateway National Golf Links
Host Private Facility - Bellerive Country Club
Host Club Professional/Golf Shop Staff - JD Auping (Bellerive CC)
Host Superintendent/Maintenance Staff - Chad Fetter (Bogey Hills CC)

 

On November 15, we will honor these players, presenting each with the Player of the Year Award at the Player of the Year Reception. We will also take time to honor our Meritorious Service Award winner, John Kueper, and present the Host Facility Awards. We will take a look back on the year and all of our season Champions. To RSVP to the Reception, click here .