Kayla Sciupider Captures 2026 Women’s Met Open for First Professional Victory
Five Iron Golf Senior Coach finishes 1-under par at Spring Brook Country Club; Grace Lu and Alejandra Partearroyo-Hillman earn amateur honors
MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Kayla Sciupider of Five Iron Golf secured the first professional victory of her career at the 2026 Women’s Met Open, finishing the 36-hole championship at 1-under par at Spring Brook Country Club.
Sciupider delivered a composed performance across two days of competition, navigating the challenges of Spring Brook’s championship layout to emerge as the only player to complete the event under par. Her steady play and ability to withstand a competitive field earned her the 2026 Women’s Met Open title and a milestone victory in her professional career.
The championship, conducted by the Metropolitan PGA on July 21–22, welcomed leading women professionals and amateurs from across the Metropolitan and New Jersey Sections.
Watch the post Championship Interview
Sciupider Rises to the Occasion
Sciupider entered the championship with an accomplished competitive résumé that included a successful collegiate career at Rollins College and experience competing professionally. Now a Senior Golf Coach at Five Iron Golf’s Upper East Side location, Sciupider demonstrated that her competitive game remains sharp.
Spring Brook Country Club demanded precision throughout the week, rewarding players who consistently found the correct positions off the tee and controlled their approaches into the greens. Sciupider met that challenge with a balanced performance over both rounds.
She remained patient when scoring opportunities were limited and capitalized when the course provided openings. By the conclusion of the final round, Sciupider had separated herself from the field and completed the championship at 1-under par.
The victory marked Sciupider’s first win as a professional and officially welcomed her to the list of Women’s Met Open champions.
A Milestone Moment
The championship represented more than another competitive appearance for Sciupider. After previously competing professionally and later transitioning into a full-time teaching role, the win affirmed that she can still perform at a championship level.
Sciupider played four years of collegiate golf at Rollins College, earning Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-America recognition during her career. She later competed professionally before bringing her playing experience into her work as an instructor.
At Five Iron Golf, Sciupider works with golfers of varying ages and skill levels while helping make instruction and the game itself more accessible. Her ability to balance teaching with her own competitive preparation made the Women’s Met Open victory especially meaningful.
Her winning performance at Spring Brook demonstrated the same qualities she emphasizes as a coach: patience, course management and the ability to remain composed through the inevitable challenges of a competitive round.
Lu Earns Low Amateur Honors
Grace Lu of Metuchen Golf & Country Club earned Low Amateur honors following an impressive showing against the championship’s field of professionals and accomplished amateurs.
Lu entered the event with an already distinguished amateur résumé and continued to demonstrate her ability to compete at a high level. Her performance at Spring Brook earned her recognition as the leading amateur in the 2026 field.
The Low Amateur honor added another achievement to Lu’s growing record and highlighted the championship’s important role in bringing together established professionals and the region’s rising amateur talent.
Partearroyo-Hillman Leads Senior Amateurs
Alejandra Partearroyo-Hillman earned Senior Low Amateur honors, completing a successful week at Spring Brook Country Club.
Partearroyo-Hillman’s performance reflected the depth and range of talent represented in the Women’s Met Open. In addition to determining an overall champion, the event recognizes excellence among amateurs and senior competitors, providing multiple generations of leading women golfers with the opportunity to compete together in a premier regional championship.
Spring Brook Provides a Complete Test
Founded in 1921, Spring Brook Country Club provided an outstanding setting for the 2026 championship. Its historic A.W. Tillinghast-designed course required competitors to think their way around the layout and execute with precision.
Tree-lined fairways placed a premium on accuracy from the tee, while carefully positioned bunkers and challenging green complexes tested approach play and short-game control. Over 36 holes, the course rewarded discipline and punished mistakes, making Sciupider’s under-par finish particularly impressive.
With competitors facing the pressure of a condensed two-day championship, there was little room for an extended lapse in play. Sciupider successfully managed those demands, combining consistency with timely scoring to remain at the top of the leaderboard.
The fact that she finished as the championship’s only player under par further illustrated both the difficulty of the course and the quality of her performance.
View a highlight of the course’s “Gaunlet” with Tony Santillo
Celebrating Women’s Golf in the Metropolitan Area
The Women’s Met Open continues to provide a prominent competitive platform for the region’s top women professionals and amateurs.
The championship field brings together PGA and LPGA Professionals, accomplished club professionals, collegiate standouts and leading amateurs from throughout the Metropolitan area. That combination creates an event that celebrates both the established leaders of the women’s game and the players shaping its future.
The 2026 championship showcased that mission throughout two days at Spring Brook. Sciupider’s victory represented the continued competitive excellence of women PGA Professionals and instructors, while Lu and Partearroyo-Hillman highlighted the strength of the amateur and senior divisions.
Together, the championship’s honorees reflected the range of pathways available to women in golf—from amateur and collegiate competition to professional play, teaching and leadership within the industry.
A Memorable First Victory
For Sciupider, the week concluded with a long-awaited professional title and a defining competitive accomplishment.
Years after beginning her professional career and eventually placing a greater focus on instruction, she returned to the winner’s circle with a championship performance. Her 1-under-par total was enough to stand alone at the top of the field and add her name to the Women’s Met Open trophy.
The victory also provided another example of the competitive ability found among the Metropolitan Section’s teaching professionals. While Sciupider spends much of her time helping other players improve, she showed at Spring Brook that she remains capable of producing championship golf herself.
At the conclusion of 36 holes, the coach became the champion.
The Metropolitan PGA congratulates Sciupider on her first professional victory, as well as Lu and Partearroyo-Hillman on earning their respective amateur honors.
The Met PGA also extends its appreciation to Spring Brook Country Club, its membership, professional staff and grounds team for providing a tremendous championship experience. Their preparation and hospitality helped create a memorable two days for every competitor.
2026 Women’s Met Open
- Champion: Kayla Sciupider, Five Iron Golf — 1-under par
- Low Amateur: Grace Lu, Metuchen Golf & Country Club
- Senior Low Amateur: Alejandra Partearroyo-Hillman
- Venue: Spring Brook Country Club, Morristown, New Jersey
- Dates: July 21–22, 2026
- Format: 36-hole stroke play