WASHINGTON – Freshman Barnes Blake of the Georgetown University men's golf team was named the Metropolitan Golf Association Junior Player of the Year as announced by the MGA on Monday afternoon.
 
Each of the MGA's player of the year awards honors players who have compiled the best records in select events during the year. Each award has a points system in which players earn points for their finishes in designated local, national, and international championships, while the final selections for the awards are determined by the MGA Board of Directors. The award winners will be honored at the MGA's 126th Annual Meeting and Dinner, December 6 at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York.
 
The Westfield, New Jersey native was sensational in many ways in 2023 and etched his name in MGA history becoming the second player to win both the Met Junior Championship and the Carter Cup in the same year.
 
Blake came out firing at Echo Lake Country Club in the Met Junior, shooting a course record 8-under 62 en route to sharing medalist honors. He continued to roll in match play, eventually defeating Liam Pasternak of Morristown, New Jersey, by a 3-and-2 margin in the final.
After competing in the U.S. Junior Amateur, Blake had another record performance, firing a course-record tying 8-under 64 on Baltusrol Golf Club's Lower Course en route to setting a new Carter Cup scoring record (11-under) in his victory.
Blake – a member at both Echo Lake and Baltusrol – joined Echo Lake COO and Director of Golf Pat Fillian as the only players to win both the Met Junior and the Carter Cup in the same year.
"Everyone dreams of winning at their home course in front of their home crowd," says Blake, who's in his freshman season at Georgetown University. "So, it was just awesome to be out there with all my friends and family out watching and supporting."
During the season, Blake also made the cut in the New Jersey Amateur, qualified for the Met Amateur, and advanced to the semifinals of the New Jersey Junior.
Blake finished the season with 655 points. Hebron Amateur winner Thomas Finn of Locust Valley, New York, finished second with 470 points, while Reed Greyserman of Short Hills, New Jersey, (394), Pasternak (315), and Dean Muratore of Dix Hills, New York. (261) completed the top five.
 
"It's truly an honor to receive this award and join a list of some of the greatest players in the Met area. It's something I've aspired to achieve for the past few years and it's really special to see it come to fruition." said Blake on receiving the honor.
 
GU will open its spring season on March 11 on the Donald Ross Collegiate. More information will be made available on GUHoyas.com as the spring season begins.