Ireland Wins Carey Cup At Metedeconk National

A six-man team representing the Golfing Union of Ireland defeated a Metropolitan Golf Association select team of golfers, including three from New Jersey clubs, 8-4, in the 13th Gov. Hugh L. Carey Challenge Cup at the Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson.

The inaugural Carey Cup took place at Metedeconk National in 1990. GUI's victory on Wednesday, Oct..21, broke a winning streak of two for the MGA. Ireland leads the series,8-4-1. The Carey Cup is played every two years, alternating between a Met-area club and a golf club in Ireland.

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Representing the MGA were New Jersey's Brian Komline of Black Oak, Trevor Randolph of Arcola and Darin Goldstein of Bayonne and Noyac. Also playing for the MGA were New Yorkers Joe Saladino of Huntington, Luke Feehan of Mahopac and Stewart Hagestad of Golf and Body, NYC.

In Wednesday's singles matches, Hagestad def. Stuart Grehan, 3 and 2 and Luke Feehan def. Colin Fairweather, 4 and 3, for the MGA victories.

The victories for GUI were Alex Gleeson def. Brian Komline, 1 up; Rowan Lester def. Trevor Randolph, 6 and 5; Colm Campbell def. Joe Saladino, 1 up; John Ross Galbraith def. Darin Goldstein, 3 and 1.

"It's obvious the competiton is fantastic in playing against some of the best young amateurs in golf. The competition is second to none, playing against some future superstars," said Komline, the only man to win the NJSGA Open, Amateur, Mid-Amateur, Public Links and Four-Ball championships. Back in the first match in 1990, tje Irish team included Padraig Harrington and Paul McGonley.

"Some of these (GUI) guys will go on and play on the Tour. It will be fun to watch their games develop. Out here, it's fortunate to beat one of them. It's a great resume builder if you can pull it off. Their short games are fantastic. They get up and down all the time. Three of the matches I noticed they were all square heading into 18 and birdied all three times to win," said Komline, who paired with Randolph to win a Four-Ball match on Tuesday, 1 up. over Gleeson and Grehan.

The GUI took a 4-2 edge into the closing session of singles matches, after Colin Fairweather’s birdie on the 18thhole earned he and Rowan Lester the final point in four-ball, as their match was unable to be completed Tuesday due to darkness.

Matches played evenly early on, often with each side owning a lead in three matches.Trevor Randolphof Arcola won the second hole of his match, but Lester quickly caught fire and carded four birdies in the next seven holes and took a 4-up lead. Back-to-back wins on Nos. 12 and 13 closed the match, 6&5.

While the GUI took a 5-2 edge with the win in the No. 4 match, the MGA stood in good position in the remaining matches. The lead match was key, asBrian Komlineof Black Oak faced a three-hole deficit early against Alex Gleeson, but rallied back as he started the inward nine. Komline claimed a 1-up lead through 15, giving the MGA the lead in four of the remaining five matches.

Meanwhile,Stewart Hagestadof Golf & Body NYC picked up the MGA’s first point in singles play, defeating Stuart Grehan, 3&2. Hagestad’s length off the tee proved key in his win, as he won three of the four par-5s, two of which came with birdies.Luke Feehanof Mahopac quickly gathered another point for the MGA, defeating Fairweather 4&3 to pull the hosts within one, 5-4.

At the time of Feehan’s win, two matches stood all-square while GUI led one match.

While Komline had rallied back to gain a lead, Gleeson turned momentum back to the side of those from the Emerald Isle, winning both Nos. 17 and 18 for a 1-up victory and a 6-4 overall lead.

Darin Goldsteinof Noyac andJoe Saladinoof Huntington stood all-square late in both of their matches, but the Irish closed strong down the stretch.

John Ross Galbraith faced a two-hole deficit early, but fought back against Goldstein beginning with a win on the eighth hole. After three-straight halves, Galbraith won four of the next six holes for a 3&1 win, securing the GUI’s clinching seventh point.

Saladino had squared his match with Colm Campbell with a birdie on the 17th, but Campbell responded on the last with a birdie of his own, setting the final score of 8-4.

MGAgolf.org contributed to tihs report