It was staged for the first time in 1905 at Fox Hills Golf Club on Staten Island, which played the dual role of host and sponsor.
[2] In the 1920s, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the event was "weakening" due to alleged neglect from the Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA).
The weather tended to be very hot which discouraged players from attending the tournament and sponsors for supporting the event.
Most of the top golfers therefore played The Met Open as a warm-up for the national championship and the event's "prestige" increased.
[5] In 1936, "most of the nation's outstanding stars" played in the event, including Gene Sarazen, Craig Wood, Paul Runyan, and leading amateur Jess Sweetser.