NJSGA Seeks To Defend Title In 53rd Compher Cup Matches

Leading amateurs from the New Jersey State Golf Association and the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) will square off Tuesday, October 21, in the 53nd Compher Cup Matches at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., with GAP as the host team.

Both squads will compete with 12-man teams. In Compher Cup play, all 12 players from each side square off in individual matches and simultaneously in four-ball matches for a total of 18 points at stake.The event was recheduled from April 30 when it was postponed due to inclement weather.

The Compher Matches are named for Frederic M. Compher, who donated a silver cup in 1959, leading to the start of competition in 1962 between the two associations. The teams play simultaneous Four-Ball and Singles matches.

In 2013 at Galloway National, the NJSGA defeated GAP, 10.5 to 7.5, for its first victory since 2009. GAP leads the series, 34-13-4. The Compher Cup began in 1962 with the NJSGA winning at Hollywood G.C. in Deal. The 2005 event was canceled due to weather.

PLAYER PROFILES BELOW

Last year, the teams of Allan Small of Fairmount and Pat Wilson of Panther Valley and Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge and Matt Finger of Darlington each swept their matches, handing the NJSGA three points per team by winning the individual matches and the four-ball match.

Playing for the NJSGA will be Gregg Angelilo of Baltusrol, Peter Barron of Stone Harbor, Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge, Mike Deo of Blck Oak, Nick Desai of Baltsurol, Niall Handley of Essex Fells, Brian Komline of Black Oak, Eric LeFante of Hominy Hill, Dan Levinson of Bayonne, Allan Small of Fairmount , Benjamin Smith of Neshanic Valley and Steven Zychowski of Mendham.

“The Compher Cup is a goal for all New Jersey players every year, because it is a reflection on your performance from the previous season and it also encourages you to shake off the winter rust and start practicing for the season ahead,” said team captain Niall Handley.. “Everyone loves being part of a team and I feel very fortunate and proud to be defending my captaincy on the NJSGA team. We have a very talented team this year and there are the usual seasoned veterans and also some fresh young blood in our team.

“Having grown up in Ireland and watching the Ryder Cup like it was a religion, I was intrigued by the camaraderie that the European team always had to beat the stronger U.S. team. I feel that there is a very strong team camaraderie with our New Jersey team and every one of us will fight for every point we can get,” Handley continued .

Small will be competing in his 27th Compher Cup match, while Blumenfeld will represent the NJSGA for a 17th time.

Fred Compher, a former New Jersey State Golf Association president, conceived the neighborhood matches after leaving his post in 1959. Compher donated a silver trophy that year earmarked for such a rivalry.

The inaugural Compher up matches took place in 1962 with the NJSGA claiming an 11.5-6.5 victory.

After the New Jersey victory, Compher, who was known at the time as the most innovative NJSGA president in its history, presented the trophy “to promote golf between the groups.”

PROFILES ON NJSGA PLAYERS:

GREGG ANGELILLO, BALTUSROL

2014: Champion, Suburban Cup, T6 Metedeconk Invitational. 2013: Champion, Hochster Memorial; Quarterfinalist, NJSGA Mid-Amateur.

Career: Runner-up 2011 Met Mid-Amatuer; 2006 Ike Team Championship, Champion, 2009 suburban Cup, 2007, NJSGA Four-Ball Championship; Runner-up, 2003 & 2008, NJSGA Four-Ball.

PETER BARRON, STONE HARBOR

2014: Champion, GAP Mid-Amateur; qualifer, U.S. Mid-Amateur; runner-up, State Mid-Amateur. 2013: Fourth place, NJSGA Amateur; Runner-up, GAP Mid-Amateur; Runner-up, Eagle Oaks Invitational.

Career: Champion, 2012 GAP Tournament of Champions; Third place, 2012 NJSGA Amateur; Runner-up, 2009 NJSGA Mid-Amateur.

JAY BLUMENFELD, MOUNTAIN RIDGE

2014: Champion, State Senior Amateur, Champion, Met Senior Amateur, NJSGA Senior Player of the Year. 2013: Champion, NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions; Runner-up, NJSGA Senior Amateur; T6, Canadian Men’s Senior.

Career: Champion, 2007 Met Senior Amateur; Champion, 2007 Travis Invitational (Senior); Champion, 2007 Society of Seniors Dale Morey ; Champion, 2005 & 2004 NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions; Champion, 1980 Baltusrol Invitational.

MICHAEL DEO, BLACK OAK

2013: Runner-up, NJSGA Mid-Amateur; T5, NJSGA Amateur

Career: 2009, Champion, NJSGA Amateur; Champion, 2008 & 2005 New York City Amateur; Champion, 2007, NJSGA Mid-Amateur; Champion, 2005 Bergen County Amateur; Champion, 1994 Boys Junior; Runner-up, four times, NJSGA Amateur; Runner-up, 2008 NJSGA Mid-Amateur.

NICK DESAI, BALTUSROL

2014: Baltusrol Club Champion; 10th State Amateur. 2013: T-2 Baltusrol Invitational. Career: 5th, 2011 Met Mid-Amateur; T-3, 2004 Met Public Links; Round of 16, 2003 U.S. Public Links Championship.

NIALL HANDLEY, ESSEX FELLS

2014: Champion, Met Mid-Amateur. T4 Eagle Oaks Invitational. 2013: Runner-up, NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions; Round of 16, NJSGA Mid-Amateur; T5 Met- Mid-Amateur.

Career: Champion, 2012 NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions; Champion, 2011 Met Mid-Amateur; Champion, 2011 Bergen County Amateur; T2, NJSGA State Open; Semifinalist, 2012 NJSGA Mid-Amateur.

BRIAN KOMLINE, BLACK OAK

2014: Champion, Eagle Oaks Invitational, Champion, Brae Burn Invitational, T3 Ike Chmpionship, 6th, State Amateur. 2013: Fifth place, Boff Invitational

Career: Champion, 2012, NJSGA Mid-Amateur; Champion, 2010 NJSGA Amateur; Champion, 2010 Met Public Links; Champion, 2007 & 2005 NJSGA State Open; Champion, 2007 Bergen County Amateur; Champion, 2008 NJSGA Public Links; Runner-up, 2012 NJSGA Amateur; Runner-up, 2010 Ike.

ERIC LeFANTE, HOMINY HILL

2014: qualifier, U.S. Mid-Amateur, T3 Bergen Amateur, T3 Met Public Llinks. 2013: T4, NJSGA Public Llinks; Fourth place, Boff Invitational; T5, Met Public Links.

Career: Champion, 2010 and 2009 NJSGA Public Links; Runner-up, 2012 NJSGA Public Links; Runner-up, 2011 Met Public Links; Runner-up, 2009 Met Public Links; Runner-up, 2010 Bergen County Amateur; Third, 2011 NJSGA Public Links.

DAN LEVINSON, BAYONNE

2014: Low Amateur, NJSGA/NJPGA Senior Open, Second round NJSGA Mid-Amateur. 2013: Low Amateur, NJSGA/NJPGA Senior Open, Gold Medalist, Maccabiah Games, Team USA.

ALLAN SMALL, FAIRMOUNT

2014: Runner-up, State Senior Amateur, Round of 32, U.S. Senior Amateur. 2013: Champion, NJSGA Senior Amateur; Round of 32, U.S. Senior Amateur; Semifinalist, Travis Memorial; T3 Met Senior Amateur.

Career: Champion, Five Times, NJSGA Senior Amateur; Champion, 2009, Met Senior Amateur; Champion, 2006 & 1986 NJSGA Mid -Amateur; Champion, 2006 Hochster Memorial; Champion, 2004 NJSGA Amateur; Champion, 1991 Boff Invitational; Quarterfinalist, 2012 NJSGA Mid-Amateur.

BENJAMIN SMITH, NESHANIC VALLEY

2014: T4 GAP Silver Cross, T5 GAP Patterson Cup, qualifier, GAP Amateur. 2013: Fourth place & top amateur, NJSGA Open; T12, State Amateur, Member, NJSGA victorious Compher Cup and Stoddard Trophy teams

Career: Champion, 2012, NJSGA Open; 10th State Amateur. 2011: T14, State Open.

STEVE ZYCHOWSKI, MENDHAM

2014: qualifier, U.S. Amateur, T2, State Amateur, Runner-up Bergen Amateur, T10 Ike Championship, New Jersey Team member in U.S. State Team Championship. 2013: Reached round of 64 at U.S. Amateur; medalist at the AIC-Adelphi Intercollegiate Classic; medalist (with T.J. Malman) at NJSGA Four-Ball Championship; 11th, NJSGA Amateur.

Career: Three-time qualifier for U.S. Amateur. 35th, NJSGA Amateur in 2012. Qualified State Amateur in 2010 and 2011. Quarterfinalist (with Malman) in NJSGA Four-Ball in 2012.