Handley & Totland Victors In Tournament Of Club Champions

Niall Handley punctuated his victory with a 20-foot birdie putt on his final hole for a round of 2-under-par 68 to win the men’s division on Thursday, Oct. 4, of the 2012 NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions at his home club, the par-70, 6,476-yard Essex Fells Country Club.

Handley won by two shots over Peter Barron of Stone Harbor and three shots over Stephen Ellis of Toms River.

VIEW PHOTOS>>FINAL MEN'S RESULTS>>FINAL WOMEN'S RESULTS>>

On the women’s side, 17-year-old Taylor Totland of Trump National-Colts Neck won for the second time in three years with an 8-over-par 82 to win by one shot over Donna McHugh of Forest Hill and by two shots over Maggie Pizzone of White Beeches. The women played the course at par-74 and at 5,608 yards.

Handley, starting on the 10th hole, carded four birdies, on the 11th, 17th, 1st and 9th holes, against bogeys on the 13th and 18th holes.

“It’s great to win at my home club. The membership supports me in all the NJSGA tournaments I play in. They follow my online, see how I’m doing. Yes, to win here is extra special, especially because I didn’t win any tournaments this year,” said Handley, who two weeks ago represented New Jersey in the USGA State Team Championships.

This season, Handley was runner-up by one stroke to Benjamin Smith of Little Mill at the State Open at Manasquan River and a semifinalist in the NJSGA Mid-Amateur at Galloway National.

In 2011, Handley won the Met Mid-Amateur, the Bergen County Amateur and the Suburban Cup, in which he will take part today (Friday, Oct. 5) as defending champion.

“There was extra pressure to win at home, but I relish the feeling of playing under pressure because I feel it helps me play well,” said Handley, a native of Ireland. “The course was in great shape. The greens were tricky. The course was set up very fair today.”

Totland, the New Jersey girls scholastic champion, is a senior at Red Bank Catholic and turns 18 on May 14. She has committed to play college golf at Furman University.This summer, she won an AJGA event at her home course.

Starting on the first hole, she rebounded from a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 13th hole with pars on the next two holes and a birdie on the par-5 16th hole that helped sew up the victory.

“After the 13th hole, I knew I had to make some birdies,” said Totland, who lives in Tinton Falls. “I had to grind it out. I’m happy that I represented my cub well. It’s a big honor both for myself and my club.”