Compher Cup Team Match In The Books

The 45th annual Compher Cup matches between the New Jersey State Golf Association and the Golf Association of Philadelphia were contested on Wednesday, May 2nd at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell. First conducted in 1962 and named for past-NJSGA President Fred Compher (who created the concept and donated the Championship trophy), the GAP extended its all-time series lead to 30-11-4 after notching a lopsided 12-6 victory at Mountain Ridge. Each team consists of twelve players competing in simultaneous singles matches and four ball matches. Points are awarded in each match while ties result in ½ point awarded; a maximum of eighteen points can be earned by each team.
The NJSGA team was out of sync most of the day and never recovered from an early deficit when John Lovett and Isaac Lim lost their singles matches and four ball match. The NJSGA got on the board in the next match when Brian Komline halved his singles match and, along with partner Tom Fallon, inched out a 1-up victory in their four ball match. Hope sprang eternal as Jay Blumenfeld, the NJSGA team captain, won his singles match and pulled out a half-point in his four ball match with partner Ron Vannelli. Next, the men from Montclair Golf Club, Michael Deo and Mark McGowan, powered to an easy four ball win on the strength of Deo’s play, with Deo also capturing a point for the NJSGA in his singles match. But any hope of completing the comeback was dashed when the NJSGA side dropped five of its six remaining matches. The GAP posted an overall 12-6 victory and will retain the Compher Cup until next year’s meeting at Pine Valley.
Mountain Ridge Country Club is a spectacular par 71 layout measuring 6,970 yards designed by Donald Ross. The club hosted the 2005 NJSGA Amateur Championship, won by Compher Cup team member Mark McGowan, and will play host to the 2007 New Jersey PGA Championship this September.