View Video: Komline, Purcell, Levinson, Snouffer Star In Stoddard Match
VIEW VIDEO OF STODDARD TROPHY MATCH
Team captain Brian Komline of Black Oak, Kieran Purcell of Essex County, Dan Levinson of Bayonne and Ryan Snouffer of Panther Valley each won both singles matches but it wasn’t enough as host NJSGA lost the 90th Stoddard Trophy matches to Westchester Golf Associtoon, 20.5 to 20, with Long Island Golf Association third with 13.5 points.
The matches took place on Thursday, August 13, at Essex County Country Club in West Orange.
The NJSGA leads the series with 39 victories followed by Westchester with 24 and Long Island with 23. NJSGA won in 2013 and 2012.
VIEW PHOTO GALLERY STODDARD SCOREBOARD
In other singles matches, Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge and Luke Graboyes of Twin Brooks each won one match and Peter Kozubal of Fox Hollow and Nick Desai of Baltusrol each added a half-point.
In the morning alternate-shot matches, the duo of Desai and Komline and partners Graboyes and Snouffer each teamed for two points while Jeremy Wall of Manasquan River and Erick Alonso of Darlington and the team of Kozubal and Jeremy Nevius of Metuchen each added 1.5 points.
In 2013, the NJSGA defeated Westchester Golf Association, 20-1/2 to 19, to win the 88th Stoddard Trophy Matches at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, Conn. Long Island Golf Association was third with 14-1/2 points.
The Stoddard Trophy competition is a one-day triangular match, featuring six alternate-shot matches in the morning and 12 singles matches in the afternoon. The competition began in 1922. The matches were not held from 1942 through ’45 due to World War II.
A total of 36 points were available in the afternoon singles matches, but the most one team could garner is 24 points if all 12 players swept all their matches.
“It’s tough to lose by a half-point. It stings a little more. But we played well and everybody tried their hardest,” said Komline, the only man to win all five NJSGA “majors.”
“It still was a great day with fantastic weather. The camaraderie was great amd win, lose or draw, that’s what it’s all about. We brought three great associations together and all of the people were great. The golf was terrific, so it as a good day for everyone.”
Snouffer, who contributed mightily, was coming off a recent runner-up spot in the Met Amateur. He went 3-under through 17 holes in the singles matches.
“It feels good to be confident and come here and contribute. Essex County is in great shape and it a great test of golf,” said Snouffer, a rising senior at Seton Hall and an All-Big East Player. “The Met Amateur was my biggest learning experience and pushed me to a new level of confidence in myself. I stopped getting upset with myself. I know how to keep myself in matches.”
