Pastore Wins MGA
Story Links
June 24, 2014
West Orange, N.J. – Recent Virginia graduate David Pastore recently captured the title at the 59th Metropolitan Golf Association’s “Ike” Stroke Play Championship. The 22-year-old from Greenwich, Conn., who plays out of MGA eClub – Westchester / Fairfield fired superb rounds of 72, 69, and 67 for a 54-hole total of 2-under 208.
Montclair Golf Club, a par 70, tested players with its quick and undulating greens and firm conditions. Pastore remained steady through the event, despite being six shots back of the leader after his opening round.
“I’ve been playing well and I felt good yesterday,” Pastore said. “I had one bad shot, made a double-bogey and I was quickly 2-over.”
The 2-over 72 seemed to put Pastore a little behind after day one, but he knew he just had to keep playing his game.
“Like I said, I knew I was playing well and I knew that some good scores were out there,” he said. “I just tried to tell myself that I got my high score out of me and thankfully I shot two under par rounds today.”
The 2010 Carter Cup Champion and two-time Met Junior winner can now add a fourth MGA Trophy to his collection.
“I’ve kind of been absent from the MGA champion category the last couple of years,” Pastore said. “It feels good to finally be back in the winner’s circle.”
Pastore’s second round was steady, he shot a 1-under 69, but it was his final round that earned him the title. He got off to a hot start, birdieing four of his first seven holes, but then three bogeys set him back. It was a putt on the 15th hole, (one he three-putted this morning), that led to a strong finish.
“It was a really slippery birdie putt,” Pastore said. “I made it and made one more (birdie) on 17 to steady myself and save the round.”
He did more than just save the round. Pastore shot a stunning 3-under 67 to pass the two-round leader for the victory. It’s been quite the year for Pastore and with this win it is arguably the best of his career. He qualified last week for the U.S. Amateur Public Links and also played in this year’s U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying round. It was an injury earlier in the year that actually ended up being just what the doctor ordered.
“I hurt myself in the fall and it gave me some time off to re-assess, make specific goals and kind of get everything in order,” he said.
Everything seems to be coming into form for Pastore in what could be a huge rest of the summer. He plans to play in the final edition of the U.S. Amateur Public Links and then turn professional for the Met Open at Trump Bedminster in August.
“I won a college tournament this spring, which was definitely important to me,” Pastore said. “But to win this tournament, against these players, in the MGA area — this is definitely up there.”
Recap by Metropolitan Golf Association