Metropolitan Section PGA

History of the Squire Cup

The Squire Cup was born in the winter of 1986, when a group of people that included J.P. Howard (then the Northeast Region Sales Manager for Wilson Sporting Goods), Jim O’Mara (then President of the Metropolitan PGA Assistants Association), Gil McNally (then President of the Metropolitan PGA), and Russell Helwig (then President of the New Jersey PGA) met to discuss a way of honoring the best assistant professionals in the area.

Because the great “Squire,” Gene Sarazen, began his legendary career here in the Met area as an assistant at Brooklawn, it was decided to name the event after him. Indeed the first victorious Squire Cup team, the Met Section team of 1987, autographed a copy of his biography with the following inscription: “Thank you for the image to which we aspire.”

In 2004 the event was renamed the Gene Borek Squire Cup Matches in honor of one of the Metropolitan PGA’s most decorated professionals. Gene Borek’s legacy of achievements in the areas of Leadership, Professional Performance and Playing Ability are well documented making this event the perfect competition to carry his name. The perpetual trophy has also been named in his honor.

It is with this foundation that the Squire Cup continues. Recognition of the outstanding Assistant Professionals for all that they do for the golf community and the Met PGA is an essential way of preserving their dedication and devotion to the game and the area. The Gene Borek Squire Cup Matches continue as a celebration of what makes the Metropolitan PGA Section and our outstanding golf professionals truly special.

We have the opportunity to again pay tribute to one of our greatest professionals, the late Gene Borek and to celebrate today’s leaders in our association at a venue that has already made its mark on golf’s history.

Purpose and Format of the Gene Borek Squire Cup

In the spirit of honoring outstanding Assistant Professionals, a competition is held against a team of outstanding Head Professionals in the Metropolitan PGA. The format pits two-man teams in singles and better ball play. Aggregate scores for the two man teams determine the

winning team. By selecting these exceptional Assistants, we honor them and at the same time promote the values, history, and traditions that make our Section unique.

The Metropolitan PGA Squire Cup Team is comprised of twelve outstanding Head and Assistant Professionals in the Met Section. They will compete in a modified Ryder Cup format. Applicants are chosen in one of three categories. These categories are Leadership, Overall Professional Performance, and Playing Ability.

About Gene Borek

A 48-year member of the PGA of America and a Master PGA Professional, Gene Borek served the game, the Association and his memberships with unprecedented distinction. Gene was inducted into both the Westchester County and Yonkers Halls of Fame as well as one at the Metropolis Country Club where he served his final 25 years until his retirement in 2005. He not only was a former Met PGA Player of the Year but he also won almost every Section Award during his career. His list of achievements included three of the Met PGA’s highest honors – Professional of the Year in 1972, Teacher of the Year in 1996 and the Sam Snead Award in 2003. As a player he was perhaps best known for his course record 65 at Oakmont in the 1973 US Open (broken two days later by the Champion, Johnny Miller). No stranger to major championships, Gene played in a total of 11 PGA Championships, 10 US Opens, 10 PGA Senior Championships, 5 US Senior Opens and on 4 PGA Cup Teams. He won tournaments around the world but took special pride in the local titles he earned including three Met PGA Section Championships, three Long Island PGA’s, two Westchester PGA’s, two Long Island Opens, one Westchester Open and three MGA Senior Opens,. Gene also won the PGA National Stroke Play title (twice) and the PGA National Match Play Championship once. In addition to Metropolis he served the memberships of Sunningdale and Pine Hollow during his illustrious career.

About Gene Sarazen

Gene Sarazen was born in Harrison, New York and began caddying at age ten at local golf clubs, took up golf himself, and gradually developed his skills; he was essentially self-taught. Sarazen took a series of club professional jobs in the New York area from his mid-teens, and worked hard on his game. Among the clubs he enjoyed affiliation with in the Met area were Fresh Meadow and Brooklawn. Sarazen won his first major championships — the 1922 U.S. Open and PGA Championship — at age 20. The winner of 39 PGA Tournaments, Sarazen, known as The Squire, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1974. He was the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in 1932, and won the PGA Tour's first Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. He played on the first six U.S. Ryder Cup teams: 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, and 1937. He won the Met Open in 1925 and the Met PGA Championship in 1927, 1928, and 1938. Sarazen invented the modern sand wedge in 1930. The Met PGA established the Squire Cup Matches in the ‘80’s in his honor.

Past Teams

2022 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Century Country Club

Assistant Professionals (Top from left to right: Charlie Maizel, Dan Hemme, Alex Beach, Peter Ballo, Mike Ballo, Mitch Gray. Bottom from left to right: Tyler Lower, Dylan Newman, Peyton Hemme, Chris Gabriele, Andrew Svoboda, Connor Costello)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Chris Kenney, Ryan Kalista, Cory Muller, Nick Maselli, Todd Wingerter, Mike Laudien. Bottom from left to right: Kevin Ausserlechner, Darrell Kestner, Nelson Long, Shaun Powers, Stuart Waack, Chris Marinaro)

2021 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Country Club of New Canaan

Assistant Professionals (Top from left to right: Tristin Goodwin, Dan Hemme, Mitch Gray, Robb Heering Jr., Dan Sposato, Casey PyneBottom from left to right: Chris Gabriele, Carly Peters, Tyler Lower, John Schmoll, Peter Ballo, John DiPilato)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Danny Balin, Matt Dobyns, Adam Rainaud, Rich Jones, Theron Harvey, Andrew Gruss. Bottom from left to right: Brian Crowell, Kammy Maxfeldt, Chris Toulson, Chris Kenney, James Ondo, John Phillips)

2020 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Hudson National Golf Club

Assistants (Top from left to right: Brandon Holden, Alex Beach, Peter Ballo, Peter Basso, Caleb Wilson, Michael Midgette, Joe Condomitti. Bottom from left to right: John DiPilato, Cian Curley, Carly Peters, John Schmoll, TJ Paulino)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Darrell Kestner, Bobby Farrell, Mike Diffley, Carl Alexander, Theron Harvey, Danny Balin, Chris Kenney. Bottom from left to right: Jason Caron, James Ondo, Chris Marinaro, Rob Labrtiz, Nelson Long)

2019 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Maidstone Club

Assistants (Top from left to right: Peter Ballo, Alex Beach, Brandon Holden, Mike Ballo, Alex Smith, Michael Argentine. Bottom from left to right: Colin Corrigan, TJ Paulino, Tyler Lower, Nick Iacono, John DiPilato, Dan Sposato)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Cory Smith, Sam Olsen, Tom Henderson, Rob Labrtiz, Eden Foster, Ben Hoffhine. Bottom from left to right: Rick Hartmann, Andrew Gruss, Carl Alexander, James Ondo, Jack Druga, Peter Procops)

2018 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Silo Ridge Field Club

Assistants (Top from left to right: Nick Iacono, Tyler Lower, Gabe Carr-Harris, Michael Argentine, Dan Sposato, Jessica Carafiello. Bottom from left to right: Michael Midgette, Frankie Martinez, Mike Ballo, Alex Smith, John Schmoll, Peter Ballo)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Stuart Waack, Brian Crowell, James Ondo, Andy Crane, Heath Wassem, Carl Alexander. Bottom from left to right: Rick Meskell, Greg Hurd, Dave Gosiewski, Jason Caron, Greg Bisconti, Bob Minicozzi)

2017 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Weshampton Country Club

Assistants (Top from left to right: Matt Hurd, Mike Ballo, Peter Ballo, Frankie Martinez, Dan Sposato, Alex Smith. Bottom from left to right: Pat Clark, Tyler Jaramillo, Sara Dickson, Jessica Carafiello, Adam Rainaud, Nick Iacono)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Stuart Waack, Brian Crowell, Brad Worthington, Rob Labritz, Darrell Kestner, James Ondo, Matt Dobyns. Bottom from left to right: Heath Wassem, Mark Brown, Dave Gosiewski, Boby Jenkins, Michael Shank, John Schob)

2016 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams
Fenway Golf Club

Assistants (Top from left to right: Kirk Oguri, Tyler Jaramillo, Tyler Lower, Ian Orr, Jessica Carafiello Isaac Kim. Bottom from left to right: Alex Smith, Frankie Martinez, Dennis Dungee, Peter Ballo, Pete Cantanzaro, Jeff Sullivan)

Head Professionals (Top from left to right: Dave Fusco, Greg Bisconti, Carl Alexander, Steve Scott, Mike Turnesa, Brian Gaffney. Bottom from left to right: John Kennedy, James Ondo, Brian Crowell, Bobby Heins, Mark Brown, Heath Wassem)