Stamberger Defends Amateur Title At Morris County; Pairings Announced

TEE TIMES, PAIRINGS FOR 114th STATE AMATEUR

Mike Stamberger of Spring Lake, winner of the past two Amateurs, leads a field of 90 qualifiers into the 114th New Jersey State Golf Association Amateur Championship to be contested, June 2-4, at historic Morris County Golf Club in Morristown.

The 72-hole event includes a number of players coming off championships, including Max Greyserman of Crestmont, who at 19 became the youngest ever to win the State Open Championship last summer at Essex County Country Club.

Other champions include Trevor Randolph of Arcola (2014 Mid-Amateur), Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge (2014 Senior Amateur), Jacob Stockl of Hyatt Hills (2014 Public Links), Nick Desai of Baltusrol (2015 Pre-Senior), Vince Palazzolo of Colts Neck (2014 Junior), and Derrick Scenna of Deal (2014 Tournament of Club Champions).

Former Amateur champions include Brian Komline of Black Oak (2010), the only golfer to win all five NJSGA majors, Mike Deo of Black Oak (2009) and Allan Small of Fairmount (2004).

Medalists from the three State Amateur qualifiers are Ryan Rose of Ridgewood & Ryan Davis of Fiddler's Elbow (at White Beeches), Dawson Jones of Jumping Brook and Reid Bedell of Manasquan River (at Eagle Ridge), and Jeremy Nevius of Metuchen (at Brooklake).

A year ago, Stamberger ‘s string of three straight birdies on the front nine of his final round enabled him to take a lead he would not relinquish on his way to the championship of the 113th New Jersey State Golf Association Amateur at the par-71, 6,597-yard Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly.

Stamberger became the first back-to-back champion since Jeff Thomas of Plainfield West, who won a record eight State Amateurs, did it in 1990 and ’91. Stamberger also won the State Mid-Amateur championship in 2008 at Spring Lake.

Stamberger (72-68-72-71), at one-under 283, was four shots better than 2013 Mid-Amateur champion Randolph of Arcola (68-70-76-73-287) and Steven Zychowski of Mendham (70-74-70-73-287).

Founded in 1894, Morris County Golf Club has continued to bask in golf history. In 1898, the U.S. Men’s Amateur was held on the course, a testament to how well the course had progressed.

In 1900, Morris County was the site of the first Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association championship.

By 1920, a new course, designed by the renowned Seth Raynor, was set to open – and in grand style, featuring four of the top golfers of the era.

That day, Bobby Jones teamed with U.S. Amateur champion Chick Evans in a match against the British duo of Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, the 1920 Open champion. Jones and Evans won in a rout, 10 and 9.

That night, the new clubhouse was also christened in a white-tie ball.

Raynor, a protégé of Charles Blair Macdonald, generally recognized as America’s first acclaimed golf course architect, was on the grounds as early as 1915. Construction started in July, 1916. By 1917, all but the eighth fairway had been cleared, logged, stumped, stoned and plowed.

The grading and layering of 13 greens also started in 1916. Some seeding was done in May, 1917, but construction work halted due to America’s entry into World War I.

Raynor felt the terrain was natural for a magnificent course in the Macdonald style. The course originally played as a par 73 at 6,153 yards. Later, holes No. 7, No. 9 and No. 10 were shortened to par 4s. Today, Morris County is a par 70 at just over 6,500 yards.