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Philadelphia defeats New Jersey; retains Compher CupPINE VALLEY, N.J.– The Golf Association of Philadelphia defeated the New Jersey State Golf Association, 12 1/2–5 1/2, to retain the Compher Cup on Monday at venerable Pine Valley Golf Club. The Compher Cup is the annual early season match between the two neighboring state associations.Team Philadelphia officially closed out its cross-river brethren when team captain Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC posted a 1-up victory over Tom Hyland of Little Mill CC in their singles match. That gave the Golf Association of Philadelphia 9 1/2 points. As the reigning cup holder, Team Philly needed nine points to retain the trophy.
Slonis’ strategy proved perfect. Team Philadelphia took 12 out of the 18 matches and halved another. It won eight singles and four better-ball contests. Its half point came in a singles match. A look at the highlights: In the initial group, first-time Compher Cup members Stephen Seiden of Concord CC and partner Raymond Thompson of Overbrook GC, the Senior Player of the Year and a veteran visitor of Pine Valley Golf Club, each registered singles wins and together a better-ball victory. In the second group, rookie Philip Arouca of Philadelphia Publinks GA defeated Merv Smith of High Mountain GC, 2-up. Arouca drained a 25-foot birdie on the final hole to clinch the win.
In the fifth group, Mark Miller of Yardley CC won the first four holes en route to a 4&2 victory over Bill McGuinness of Tavistock CC. He and partner Slonis also won their better-ball match, 2&1. In the last group, Michael McDermott of Merion GC and Pine Valley GC, closed out Brian Kromline of High Bridge Hills CC, 5&4. Brian Gillespie of St. Davids GC, last year’s Team Philadelphia captain, registered the other singles victory on the day, a 1-up win over Allan Small of Fairmount CC. Overall, the Golf Association of Philadelphia leads the Compher Cup series 31-11-4. The Compher Cup pits a 12-man team from each association simultaneously competing in a singles match and better-ball match. There are a total of 18 possible points. Matches that end in a tie result in a half point for the team. 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. In 1961, association representatives Bob Jacobson of New Jersey and Richard Ollmah of GAP completed the details. In 1962, the first Compher Cup matches took place at Hollywood Golf Club in Deal, N.J. That year, the NJSGA side forged a 5–1 lead in the morning foursome competitions and held serve in the afternoon singles matches to cruise to an 11 1/2–6 1/2 victory. After the New Jersey victory, Compher himself, who was known at the time as the most successful NJSGA president in its history, presented the trophy “to promote golf between the groups.” Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 136 Member Clubs and 56,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region. |
A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
