Rittberger wins Met Open at Bethpage Black

Dealing with Bethpage Black is hard enough without answering rapid-fire questions from your kids about your place on the leader board in the 95th Met Open.

It was difficult for Bob Rittberger because he truly didn't know where he stood for most of yesterday's final round. But it became obvious to Rittberger's children that their father was doing really well when Rittberger, who started the day five strokes back and in the third-to-last group, went to the first tee with Dan Balin to start a three-hole aggregate playoff for the title.

The 39-year-old Huntington resident sank a bogey putt on the 18th to win the playoff by a shot.

"My kids kept asking, 'Where do you stand? Where do you stand?' and I didn't know what was going on behind me, so I said, 'Ask somebody else,' " Rittberger said. "It's a real humbling experience to be the champion of this event."

Rittberger, who shot even-par 71 in all three rounds of the 54-hole tournament, took control of the playoff - which consisted of Nos. 1, 17 and 18 - when he sunk a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole. Balin, who shot a 68 Thursday, hit his drive into the first cut of rough. He had a putt to save par but it lipped out, giving Rittberger a two-stroke advantage.

Both made bogey 4 on the 17th and drove the fairway on 18, but their approach shots were drastically different. Rittberger found the left green-side bunker; Balin nearly holed out from about 150 yards. Rittberger two-putted for bogey and Balin missed a 9-footer for birdie, giving Rittberger the one-stroke win.

"To win here is a real treat and privilege," Rittberger said, adding he's played the Black for more than 10 years. "This place, over a three-day period, is gonna show its teeth."

Rittberger, head pro at Garden City Golf Club, was a 2007 runner-up in this event. Thursday he took home a check for $27,500 for winning the Walker L. Trammell trophy. "Straight to the college fund," he said.

St. John's senior Evan Beirne, the Met Amateur champion, held the lead at 5-under coming into the day but shot a 6-over 77 and tied for third. He finished as low amateur.

After a birdie on 16, Beirne three-putted the 207-yard 17th, missing a chance to move into a three-way tie with Rittberger and Balin. Beirne's chances for the win were deflated when he played holes 8-10 in 4 over, including a double bogey on 10 that knocked him out of sole possession of the lead for good.

"That was a tough stretch, but even after that, I was still in it," Beirne said. "The other stuff happens, but I was more upset about the three-putt at 17."