Saturday, April 29
Columbia Country Club, sparked by an 8 1/2 – 1/2 advantage at home, defeated Baltimore CC, 12 1/2 – 5 1/2 to capture the 87th Team Matches of the Maryland State Golf Association and end a title- winning drought that had existed since 2002. In the process, the champions extended their record total to 12, all since 1973.
At Columbia, where the home team was so solid that Baltimore was only able to win five holes in the three matches, professional Bob Dolan-Mike Mitchell swept professional Pat Coyner-Michael Mulieri, 3-0; Richard Holland-Doug Hurson took care of Jon Steckler-Bob Kaestner the same way, while a late rally by Baltimore’s Patrick McCormick-Ryan McCarthy prevented a third shutout, as Marty West- Colin St. Maxens won, 2 1/2 – 1/2.
At Baltimore, Columbia’s Billy Peel-Michael Kornheiser stopped David Feeley-Ben Kaestner, 3-0, but Baltimore took over from there. Mike O’Neil-Brandon Luckett dispatched Brian McCormick-Alex TenHoeve, 3-0, and Andrew Rice-Kevin Tehan dropped Chris Lamond-Ralph Blasey, IV, 2-1.
Dolan highlighted the opening pairing when he dipped under par for the front nine with a ninth-hole birdie to pad a lead to 3 up and Mitchell took care of the back. He eagled the 520-yard 12th with a breaking 25-foot putt and had a birdie at the 17th, which became the decisive point when he ran home a curling, downhill putt from the back of the 18th green for a halving par.
Holland got a front-nine point with a birdie at the fifth, as the other eight holes were halved, while Hurson holed a putt at the 15th to go 1 up on the side and 2 up on the match. The teams halved the 16th and at the 17th, with Columbia in position to go 2 up and 3 up, respectively, the match was conceded. On the closing nine, the pairings halved all the necessary holes but Nos. 15 and 17.
In the finale, St. Maxens had three birdies on the front, including the first two holes, and two on the back– 14 and 17. West won 10-11 with pars and the team was 3 up on the nine going to 15. McCarthy won 15, McCormick birdied 16, the 17th was halved in birdies and both were credited with winning pars at the 18th to tie for the side.
The appearance of Columbia’s Marty West, a ritual of Spring, prompted some research in longevity and durability.
With no records available, current standards will have to do. Jim Castagna, a Manor CC member, made his 47th straight start this month; West goes back to 1970, but there are some gaps, and there are more with commendable numbers. This was No. 35 for Bob Kaestner, from Baltimore CC, and Columbia professional Bob Dolan has logged three starts as an amateur and 27 as a pro.
Castagna reported having started in 1971 and having played on three of Crofton CC’s championship teams, in 1975-76-78.
West said, “I actually played when I was at the University of North Carolina; my guess is it started in 1970. I remember driving up from school to play in matches. I can’t be sure I played in every final [Columbia has been in 18, winning 12], but I would guess I have played in most if not all. These matches have always been a great way to begin the season and I enjoy the competition and camaraderie.”
Sunday, April 23
Defending champion Baltimore Country Club and Columbia CC each took the same route in registering area victories to reach the championship round of the 87th Team Matches of the Maryland State Golf Association, April 23. Baltimore went 8-1 at home on its way to a 13 1/2 – 4 1/2 victory over Ocean City Yacht & CC, while Columbia blunted Manor CC’s challenge with a 7-2 edge at home and ended with a 13-5 win.
The championship will be played April 29, with Columbia the home team.
With a victory, Columbia would finally extend its record title total to 12 after not having won since 2002. A Baltimore triumph would extend its current streak to three in a row, only the third such in the event’s history. Previously, Country Club of Maryland won in 1946-47-48, and Columbia broke that record with wins in 1995-96-97-98. In the last three of that string, Baltimore CC was the victim.
This time, Baltimore set the stage for its victory by dominating at home against Ocean City, also a loser against Baltimore CC in the area final two years ago. There were two 3-0 sweeps, as Jon Steckler-Brett Williams won each nine, 2-up, and Mike O’Neil (eagle-2 at the 12th)-Brandon Luckett were 1-up on the front, 4-up on the back. Kevin Tehan-Andrew Rice picked up the other two home points by winning the back, 2-up, and the match. In Saturday’s win over the CC of Maryland, Rice had an eagle and five birdies to be 7-under on his own ball through 12 holes.
Ocean City’s best effort at home was returned by Kyle Gebhart-Joe Selt, who won the back and the match for 2 1/2 points against the father/son combination of Bob and Ben Kaestner. Columbia was equally as solid beating upset-minded Manor. Columbia registered points in all six pairings (as did Baltimore), highlighted by a 3-0 home win from Richard Holland-Doug Hurson (they were also 3-0 against Beaver Creek in the area semifinals the day before).
Manor CC recorded points in five of its six pairings, led by a 2-1 decision from Brandon Cigna-Matt Bart at home. This marked the best showing by the club since it lost to Columbia in the 1979 final. It has won four times, the last in 1971.
Columbia CC 13, Manor CC 5
At Columbia: Bob Dolan-Mike Mitchell (C) split with Greg Pierczynski, 1 1/2-1 1/2; Richard Holland-Doug Hurson (C) d. Bart Mease-Dave Tacchetti, 3-0; Marty West-Colin St. Maxens (C) d. Ben Warnquist-Josh Williamowsky, 2 1/2 – 1/2. At Manor: Billy Peel-Michael Kornheiser (C) d. John Ohly-Jim Castagna. 2 1/2-1/2; Brian McCormick-Alex Terhoeve (C) lost to Brandon Cigna-Matt Bart 1-2; Ralph Blasey, IV-Chris Lamond (C) d. Dan Falls-Alex Taylor, 2 1/2-1/2.
Baltmore CC 13 1/2 , Ocean City 4 1/2
At Ocean City: Pat Conyer-Mike Mulieri (B) d. Buddy Sass-Tad Kaufman, 2-1; Bob-Ben Kaestner (B) lost to Kyle Gebhart-Joe Spelt, 1/2 – 21/2; Patrick McCormick-Ryan McCarthy (B) d. Brian Taylor-John Perry, 3-0. At Baltimore: Jon Steckler-Brett Williams (B) d. Chris Carbaugh-Ray Griffin, 3-0; Mike O’Neil-Brandon Luckett (B) d. Nolan Dove-Scott Kemeys, 3-0; Kevin Tehan-Andrew Rice (B) d. Eric Brubaker-Phillip Fenstermaker, 2-1.
Saturday, April 22
Baltimore Country Club easily kept alive its hopes for a third straight Maryland State Golf Association Team Match championship, defeating the Country Club of Maryland, 15-3, to reach the Baltimore area final, while Manor Country Club scored an upset by getting past Congressional CC, 10-8, April 22.
In the area finals on April 23, Baltimore CC will play Ocean City Yacht & CC, and Manor will oppose Columbia CC. Ocean City and Piney Branch GC tied, 9-9, with the Ocean City team advancing, as the pairing of pro Buddy Sass and member Scott Kaufman won with a par at the first extra hole against pro Jim Bennett and member Mike Stokes. With the pros at Columbia, host pro Bob Dolan and amateur partner Mike Mitchell set the tone with a 3-0 win over Dirk Schultz-Ken Lampard.
The commanding performance by Baltimore CC was highlighted by four 3-0 sweeps —
from Kevin Tehan-Andrew Rice, Mike O’Neil-Ben Kaestner, Bob Kaestner-Kyle Wheeler, and Jon Steckler-Tim Dilli. The winners earned 7 1/2 points each at home and away.
The Ocean City-Piney Branch match was close all the way. Each side had a 3-0 decision and each side played well on its home course getting seven of the available nine points. In the final pairing at Ocean City, the home side’s Bryan Taylor-J.P. Perry lost the front to Joe Bruns-Matt Lukehart, but won the back and the teams halved the match. Ocean City’s 3-0 sweep saw Kyle Gebhart-Joe Selt get five birdies in seven holes on the front nine to key their victory against brothers Bam and Devon Lesniak.
Columbia, an event-leading 11-time champion, got 7 1/2 points at home in returning to the Washington final after a one-year miss (lost to Congressional). Manor, which last won a title in 1979, survived its closest contest of the four rounds in sidetracking Congressional, a 10-time champion.
In the finals, Columbia and Ocean City will be at home.
The championship match will be April 29, at the hone of the Washington winner.
Saturday, April 15
Manor Country Club and Piney Branch Golf Club, each with a modicum of success in the past, posted stunning victories to highlight third-round action in the 87th Team Matches of the Maryland State Golf Association, April 15.
Manor, whose last of five championships was in 1979, got 7 1/2 points from four teams away in defeating the University of Maryland GC, 12-6, while Piney Branch, a loser against Rolling Road GC in a local semifinal pairing in 2014 — its only known previous advancement out of the second round — turned the tables on the Catonsville entry, 11 1/2 – 6 1/2, getting eight points at home.
With Easter on April 16, the local semifinals and finals will be held April 22-23, with the respective Baltimore and Washington winners moving to the championship, April 29.
The four local finalists from last year were awarded first-round byes and Beaver Creek CC and Congressional CC (Washington) and Baltimore CC were among the latest winners, while Glen Riddle GC lost to Ocean City Y&CC, 11-7. A year ago, Glen Riddle had begun its march to the Baltimore final with an 11-7 conquest of Ocean City.
Rolling Road, usually dominant at home, did collect 5 1/2 points, but never got going at Piney Branch. The home side(pro Jim Bennett-Andy Hill with three points and Drew Outten-Tyler Hahn and Ben Lukehart-Byron Johnson with 2 1/2 points apiece) proved to be just too much.
Beaver Creek and Clustered Spires were close all the way, but in the end the Western Maryland club prevailed with six points at home and four away for a 10-8 verdict. Bernie Deane-Scott Raley won at home to secure what turned out to be the clinching point.
In Washington, perennial challenger Columbia CC used a 3-point sweep by Doug Hurson-Richard Holland to thwart an upset bid by Old South CC, 9 1/2 – 8 1/2, and will be at home next against Beaver Creek. Congressional CC rolled past Norbeck CC, 14-4, and will be at Manor.
In Baltimore, defending champion Baltimore CC defeated Hunt Valley GC, 17-1, and will be home against the CC of Maryland, a 10-8 victor over upset-minded Chartwell CC. Maryland got only three points at home, but earned 7 1/2 at Chartwell, led by a 3-0 sweep from Chris Perrini-Len Callahan. Ocean City rebounded from its loss of a year ago to turn back Talbot CC, 11-7, and will be home against Piney Branch.
Sunday, April 9
Three of the four semifinalists from last year were among the winners, as play in the 87th annual Team Championship of the Maryland State Golf Association moved through its first two rounds last weekend. With all four drawing first-round byes, GlenRiddle was the lone exception, losing to Ocean City Y&CC, 11 1/2 – 6 1/2.
Among the other three — defending champion Baltimore CC, 2016 finalist Beaver Creek CC, and Congressional CC — Baltimore had the closest call, needing major assistance from each of its last teams home and away to escape with a 9 1/2 – 8 1/2 triumph.
Mike Mulieri-Brett Williams won three points at home, while Patrick McCormick-Ryan McCarthy won the back and the match to collect 2 1/2 points at Mountain Branch. The last pairing was the only one in which BCC was not ahead at the turn.
The only other 9 1/2 – 8 1/2 second-round decision went to 11-time champion Columbia CC, as it got past two-time winner Breton Bay G&CC. The decisive points came in the middle pairing at Columbia, as Scott Lamond-Alex Tenhoeve won 2 points. Breton Bay’s last side away helped with 3 points, but its final side at home was limited to 1/2.
There were two 9 1/2 – 8 1/2 decisions in the first round, as Black Rock GC defeated Cumberland CC and Piney Branch GC defeated Eagle’s Nest CC. In the second round, Black Rock lost to Clustered Spires GC, 17-1, but Piney Branch stayed in the hunt with a stunning 10-8 decision against Sparrows Point CC.
“We came from nowhere,” Piney Branch head professional Jeff Zachman reported. “At the turn, we were 5 up, even, and 3-down at home and 2-down, 3-down, and 3-down away. For the back nine, we got 2 points, 2 1/2 points, and 1 point at home and 1/2 point, 1 point, and 2 points away.
There will be only one round of matches this weekend (Saturday) because of Easter Sunday.
Reported by: John Stewart
