Thomas Whelan, from Manor Country Club, was elected president of the Maryland State Golf Association at the organization’s 94th annual meeting at Manor CC on November 14, 2014. The remainder of the slate, including past presidents Dr. J. Robert Sherwood, Jr., Columbia CC, secretary, and John J. Pauliny, Hillendale CC, treasurer, as members of the Executive Committee was unanimously returned as each of the nine vice-presidents were bumped up a year.
Whelan, 55, a Montgomery County native and resident, is a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College who is involved with commercial real estate and is a 30-year member of Manor CC.
The newest vice-president is Theodore Florenz, Chartwell CC, who takes the spot vacated by out-going president Richard E. Collins, Baltimore CC. Collins was presented with a card entitling him to privileges at member clubs, a courtesy usually accorded to the immediate past president.
A teacher and coach at St. Paul’s School, he was able to help guide the board as it assisted the staff in the continuation of the MSGA’s string of recently instituted programs, including an educational scholarship program that has awarded some $98,000 to 24 recipients during the past nine years; a number of Play Days which provide competition for those players below the state championship level, a co-sponsor of the First Tee Metro Tour for juniors; a contributor toward the creation of the Turfgrass Pathology Research Endowed Chair at the University of Maryland, and, most recently, support for junior golfers in their pursuit of obtaining a golf scholarship.
To assist in furthering the financial efforts of these and other charitable endeavors, the Executive Committee of the MSGA encourages all Maryland golfers to partner with it in supporting these worthy causes.
The latest recipients of the Dawson Stump Outstanding Achievement Award, Pat Tallent, of Congressional CC, and Denny McCarthy, Argyle CC, were also announced during the meeting.
Tallent was recognized for having won the 60th U.S. Senior Amateur championship at Big Canyon CC, Newport Beach, Calif., but his quest almost ended before it started. He went seven over par in the first 10 holes of his opening on-site qualifying round, steadied to par in, shot 70 in the second round to finish in a 15-for-13 playoff. He ended up seeded 60th of 64, then escaped with a 1-up victory over friend Chip Lutz, Reading, Pa., in the first round, the closest of his five matches ahead of the final. There, he holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th green to hold off Bryan Norton, Mission Hills, Kan., 2 and 1. Earlier, Norton had won three holes to get within one of Tallent, and had three feet for a birdie of his own on the 17th, but never got to putt. Of a victory in his 27th USGA event, Tallent said, “It’s spectacular, fantastic. I can’t express my joy at having won.” McCarthy was cited for outstanding play in the NCAA championships (tied for sixth individually), U.S. Amateur championship (semi-finalist), and the World Amateur Team championship, where he was the only American with four rounds in the 60’s, including a 64 in the final 18, as the United States placed first.
Additionally, scholarship recipients for the year were announced.
The David King Scholarship — Aria Jalalian, Baltimore, a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School, and a University of Maryland College Park freshman, majoring in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics.
MSGA Scholarships — John Brennan McMullen, LaVale, is a senior at Bishop Walsh High School who plays on the golf and tennis teams, who plans to major in PGA Golf Management in college.
Keeley Murphy, Manchester, a Manchester Valley High School graduate who is a freshman at Temple University. She is a nursing major, her interest having been inspired by a trip to Haiti and the conditions she saw there.
Lucero Ramirez-Martinez, Gettysburg, Pa., a graduate of Gettysburg Area High School, is a freshman at Harrisburg Area Community College, majoring in criminal justice and plans to minor in psychology.
Cole Wernecke, Towson, is a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School and is a freshman at Virginia Tech, where he is a business major. Since 2011, he has been employed at Baltimore Country Club as a caddy, tennis assistant, and camp counselor.
Mary Jordan Nogay, Silver Spring, a Presbyterian College undergraduate, will receive a scholarship renewal for the 2014-15 year.
Also, the MSGA sponsors the Emmet Gary Scholarships, awarded annually to deserving students majoring in the School of Agronomy. This year’s recipients, majoring in Plant Science-Turf and Golf Course Management, are: Ryan Higgins, 21, a senior from Bowie, who has worked at Kinloch Golf Club and Congressional CC; Stephen Jackson, 22, a senior from Sunderland, who has worked at Old South CC, and Virgil Profili, who was unable to be in attendance.
The meeting concluded with brief remarks by Joseph Sprague, the Northeast Regional Director for the United States Golf Association, during which he stressed the USGA’s latest emphasis on a pace-of-play policy.
