Sec Form 4 Filing - Tsimbinos Steven James @ OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP - 2018-01-31

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Tsimbinos Steven James 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP [ OCFC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Executive VP/Corp. Secretary (Last) (First) (Middle) 975 HOOPER AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 01/31/2018 (Street) TOMS RIVER, NJ08754 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/31/2018 J 464 ( 1 ) A $ 0 42,987 D ( 2 ) Common Stock 3,449 I By 401(k) ( 3 ) Common Stock 2,390 I By ESOP

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Stock Option (right to buy) $ 11.32 09/07/2011 09/07/2020 Common Stock 9,750 9,750 D Stock Option (right to buy) $ 13.87 02/18/2012 02/18/2021 Common Stock 10,125 10,125 D Stock Option (right to buy) $ 13.83 02/15/2013 02/15/2022 Common Stock 10,125 10,125 D Stock Option (right to buy) $ 14.62 02/15/2014 02/15/2023 Common Stock 11,250 11,250 D ( 4 ) Stock Option $ 17.75 03/01/2015 03/19/2024 Common Stock 13,125 13,125 D ( 4 ) Stock Option (Right to Buy $ 17.37 03/01/2016 03/18/2025 Common Stock 13,125 13,125 D ( 4 ) Stock Option (right to buy) $ 17.28 03/01/2017 03/16/2026 Common Stock 15,000 15,000 D ( 4 ) Stock Option (right to buy) $ 29.01 03/01/2018 03/15/2027 Common Stock 37,500 37,500 D ( 4 ) Stock Option (right to buy) $ 27.4 03/01/2019 01/24/2028 Common Stock 12,915 12,915 D ( 4 )

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Tsimbinos Steven James 975 HOOPER AVENUE TOMS RIVER, NJ08754 Executive VP/Corp. Secretary Signatures /s/ Steven J. Tsimbinos 02/01/2018 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Shares reported in column 4 represent an estimate of shares acquired by the reporting person in the merger (the "Merger") of Sun Bancorp, Inc. ("Sun") with and into OceanFirst Financial Corp. ("OceanFirst") based on the preliminary election results of the Sun shareholders in the Merger. If the actual number of OceanFirst shares acquired by the reporting person in the Merger, as reflected in the final election results, is different that the number of OceanFirst shares reported on this Form 4, then the actual number of OceanFirst shares acquired by the reporting person in the Merger will be reported on an amendment to this Form 4. ( 2 )Total includes shares of restricted Common stock that have not yet vested. ( 3 )This form reflects increases in beneficial ownership resulting from exempt acquisitions pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c). ( 4 )Options vest in five equal annual installments beginning on the date first exercisable.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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