Soaring Eagles

-Billy Condon

Andrew Giuliani, the 2009 Met Open champ closed out his morning round in style by holing out from the fairway for eagle on the par-4 ninth hole, his final hole of the morning round. It was a great way to finish up a rocky opening round as Giuliani bogeyed holes 5-7 (his 14th, 15th and 16th), and then went birdie-eagle to finish.

Jim McGovern finished the morning round at even par, and with a large contingent of fans following the New Jersey native, McGovern looks to use that support to continue his strong play into the second round.

It's on at Canoe Brook

-Billy Condon

The quest for the four available U.S. Open slots has started at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., with 62 hopeful professionals and amateurs. Past MGA winners Cameron Wilson and Andrew Giuliani have already teed off. Wilson, the 2009 MGA player of the Year is playing with PGA Tour pro Len Mattiace. On their first hole, Wilson unloaded one of his long drives, but the lefty pulled it into the right rough. Mattiace wasn't as long, but ended up safely in the middle of the fairway.

Today's conditions are favorable with a slight wind and hard, fast putting surfaces. The wide fairways and large greens of Canoe Brook should play to the players advantage, but with a field full of talent, these competitors will need rely on attacking the flagstick and scoring birdies for their shot at Pebble Beach in two weeks.

Giuliani Holds on to Win Met Open

-Billy Condon

Andrew Giuliani is your 2009 Met Open champion. Giuliani fended off Brett Jones over the last few holes to claim victory. His first victory as a professional, Giuliani sealed the deal with a tap-in bogey on the 18th hole followed by big hugs with his caddie and mother.

Giuliani Holds One Shot Lead

-Billy Condon

It's coming down to the wire and Andrew Giuliani holds a one shot lead over Jerry Courville Jr. and Brett Jones. Andrew Svoboda holds the clubhouse lead at 1-under while Jones and Courville try to chase down Giuliani.

More Unique Bags

-Billy Condon

Making more rounds to the range and putting green while the afternoon batch of players begin to warm up, a few more discoveries had been made. For one, a good amount of players do not incorporate superstitions into their golf game, but they do incorporate style. Players match headcovers to their bags, and one major fashion statement is the emergence of the old school puff-ball headcover. Players such as Scott Paris and Michael Quagliano all sport these heacovers. Quagliano also uses putter covers on his hybrids, however the reason for this "is a secret."

One player who is superstitious is Casey Calmi. The recent St. Johns graduate said that he has more superstitions than I would care to know, but one that he did divulge was that the quarter he uses to mark his ball has to always be heads up.

The college trend continues as Muhlenberg alum Rob Lobel sports the school's mule mascot. Zach Oyer, also of Muhlenberg also shows off both the Muhlenberg team bag and the mule headcover. David Rahal has the Lafayette leopard on his bag.

Andrew Giuliani has a New York Giants headcover as well as a USA putter cover.