NJSGA Vs. Gap In 54th Compher Cup Match At Bayonne Golf Club
PHOTO GALLERY FROM COMPHER CUP, APRIL 29, 2015
Renowned Bayonne Golf Club in Bayonne, N.J. will be the venue when the New Jersey State Golf Association hosts the Golf Association of Philadelphia in the 54th Compher Cup matches on Wednesday, April 29.
The squads compete annually as 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.
This year’s NJSGA squad will be captained by Dan Levinson of host Bayonne Golf Club. Levinson is one of seven players returning from the 2014 team. Other returnees include Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge, Nick Desai of Baltusrol, Niall Handley of Essex Fells, Brian Komline of Black Oak, Allan Small of Fairmount and Steve Zychowski of Mendham.
The other five team members include Jason Bataille of Neshanic Valley, Ryan Chin of Arcola, Stephen Ellis of Toms River, Mike Stamberger of Spring Lake and Ron Vannelli of Forsgate.
Stamberger and Vannelli have previously played in Compher Cup matches.
Bayonne Golf Club, located across the Hudson River from Manhattan, is a waterfront golf course unlike anything this side of the Atlantic. It was designed to rival the look and feel of the legendary links courses of Scotland and Ireland. It is ranked sixth in the country by Golf Digest for best overall value for a private club and in 2013-14 was ranked as the No. 126 among America’s Greatest Courses. It is ranked the ninth best venue in the state by Golf Digest.
“I am incredibly honored to be captain of the 2015 NJSGA Compher Cup team. Bayonne, my home course, is a fabulous match play venue in the shadow of New York City. There is never a dull moment out there,” Levinson said.
“We have some really strong talent on the New Jersey team, a bunch of young guys and a bunch of grizzled veterans. What I can say about our team is that they are all adored by their wives and girlfriends. But as a humble bunch, you will never hear them talk about that. We are ready to play well in the Compher Cup,” Levinson added. “"GAP always has a great, great team year after year."
Just six months ago, the teams met in the 53rd Compher Cup matches, with GAP defeating the NJSGA in a tight match, 9.5 –8.5 , on Tuesday, October 21, at the 7,190-yard, par-70 Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., with GAP as the host team.
GAP leads the series, 35-13-4. The Compher Cup began in 1962 with the NJSGA winning at Hollywood G.C. in Deal. The 2005 event was canceled due to weather.
Last year, Zychowski, of Mendham, and Komline, of Black Oak, each won their individual matches, 5 and 4, and also took a point in the four-ball competition, 5 and 4. Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge won, 2 up, and Levinson won, 1 up. The Four-Ball pairing of Levinson and Desai halved their match.
“It came down to the final match. I’m very proud of the team’s commitment to the New Jersey State Golf Association. The way the golfers conducted themselves and handled themselves on the golf course proved they were true competitors,” said Handley, team captain in 2014.
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.
“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,” Handley said. “Everyone loves being part of a team and I feel very fortunate and proud to be part of the NJSGA team.
Small is competing in his 28th Compher Cup match, while Blumenfeld represents the NJSGA for an 18th 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.”
2015 NJSGA Compher Cup Team:
JASON BATAILLE, Neshanic Valley
2014: Semifinals, NJSGA Mid-Amateur.
Career: Champion, NJSGA Juniors, 1999 & 2000. T7, Eagle Oaks Invitational, 2013.
JAY BLUMENFELD, Mountain Ridge
2014: Champion, State Senior Amateur, Champion, Met Senior Amateur, Champion, NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions; Runner-up, NJSGA Senior Amateur; T6, Canadian Men’s Senior.
Career: NJSGA Senior Player of the Year. 2013: 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.
RYAN CHIN, Arcola
2014: Medalist, State Open Championship Sectional Qualifying; Third, Met Mid-Amateur; Qualifier, NJSGA Mid-Amateur; T17, NJSGA State Open; runner-up, Eagle Oaks Invitational; Champion, Rockland County Amateur; 7th, Boff Invitational; quarterfinalist, Nassau Invitational, Semifinalist, Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch
Career: Two-time qualifier, U.S. Mid-Amateur (2009, 2011)
NICK DESAI, Baltusrol
2014: Baltusrol Club Champion; 10th State Amateur. 2013: T-2 Baltusrol Invitational; T4, Met Mid-Amateur; USGA Mid-Amateur; NJSGA Stoddard Trophy Team; T-11, Met Mid-Amateur; T8, Boff Invitational.
Career: Fifth, 2011 Met Mid-Amateur; T-3, 2004 Met Public Links; Round of 16, 2003 U.S. Public Links Championship.
STEPHEN ELLIS, Toms River
2014: Semifinals, NJSGA Mid-Amateur.
Career: Seventh, State Amateur, 2010; Club champion, Toms River (2010-2014); Club Champion, Bey Lea (seven times). Runner-up, NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions, 2013.
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 Championship, 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.
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.
MIKE STAMBERGER, Spring Lake
2014: Champion, NJSGA State Amateur; T2, NJSGA State Open; made cut, Met, Open; T10, Ike Championship; T7, Bergen County Amateur.
Career; Champion, NJSGA State Amateur, 2013 & 2014; Champion, NJSGA Mid-Amateur, 2008; Runner-up, NJSGA Mid-Amateur, 2012; NJSGA Team, USGA State Team Matches, 2012 & 2014.
STEVEN 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.
