Greg Norman Match Play Championship Program

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Past Champions

Year Winner, Club Representation 2016 Daniel Kinn, Acushnet Company 2015 Brett Jones, Due Process Stable GC 2014 Frank Esposito Jr., Brooklake CC 2013 Brian Gaffney, Rumson CC 2012 Michael Burke, Montammy GC 2011 Kevin Weyeneth, Hollywood GC 2010 Greg Baker, Rockaway River CC 2009 Brett Jones, Trump National GC, Bedminster 2008 Mark Schaare, Glenwood CC 2007 Frank Esposito Jr., Brooklake CC 2006 Frank Esposito Jr., Brooklake CC 2005 Brian Gaffney, White Beeches G & CC 2004 Gary Ostrega, Hyatt Hills GC 2003 Tom Sipula, Edgewood CC 2002 Tom Sipula, Edgewood CC 2001 Ed Whitman, Knickerbocker CC 2000 Michael Burke, Mountain Ridge CC 1999 Charlie Cowell, Forest Hill FC 1998 David Glenz, Crystal Springs Resort 1997 Chris Dachisen, North Jersey CC 1996 Baker Maddera, Rock Spring Club 1995 Michael Burke, Mountain Ridge CC 1994 Gary Ostrega, Colonia CC 1993 Gary Ostrega, Colonia CC 1992 David Glenz, Crystal Springs Resort 1991 Michael Burke, Mountain Ridge CC 1990 Michael Burke, Mountain Ridge CC 1989 Ed Whitman, Knickerbocker CC 1988 David Glenz, Morris County GC 1987 David Glenz, Morris County GC

Site Arcola Canoe Brook Manasquan River Liberty National Somerset Hills Trump Bedminster Plainfield Essex County Pine Barrens Essex County Essex County Montammy Spring Brook Spring Brook Crestmont Crestmont Crestmont Crestmont Essex County Fiddler’s Elbow Essex County Essex County Essex County Essex County Fiddler’s Elbow Essex County Essex County Essex County Essex County Fiddler’s Elbow

thank you to Morris county and its staff for hosting this event Johnathan Heywood Superintendent

John McCarthy, PGA Head Golf Professional

Daniel Bromage General Manager

Greg Norman Match Play Championship

may 1-3 | Morris County Golf Club

Morris County

M

Golf club

orris County Golf Club, built by course architect Seth Raynor in 1916 and founded in 1894, will test New Jersey PGA Professionals this week at the Greg Norman Match Play Championship.

Dan kinn

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returns to defend the jack mitchell trophy

an Kinn of Acushnet Company claimed the year’s first major of 2016, but winning the Match Play Championship at Arcola Country Club led to a fulfilling season.

Kinn, 29, came into the Match Play Championship last year as a qualifier, but won all six of his matches that week without having to play the 18th hole .

The three day event includes 64 players from the Section. The top 32 players from the 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year standings were exempt from qualifying.

He continued his strong play with a runner-up finish at the Lincoln Char-

“The membership take pride in hosting events,” John McCarthy, head professional at Morris County said.

McCarthy has already played well this season. The 42-year-old was a runner-up in last week’s Cutter and Buck Head Professional Championship at Alpine Country Club. His assistant, Craig Smith, was a quarterfinalist at the Match Play Championship last year.

Though the course measures to around 6,500 yards, McCarthy says its length can be deceiving, with blind tee shots on nearly every hole. During the offseason, its 9th hole was renovated, extending its back tee to play as a par-4 or 5.

“It’s really a shot-maker’s course, McCarthy said. “It’s very rare to find a flat lie.

You want to pick and choose where you’re landing your shots and kind of map out a plan like billiards. You’re playing pool and setting the shot up by hand, but you’re also preparing for the next shot. You definitely want to think about what you’re doing. It’s kind of called a thinking man’s course the way Seth Raynor

Kinn is coming off a season where he finished No. 2 in the OMEGA Player of the Year standings. He was also apart of the first team to defeat the Philadelphia Section in the Turnpike Cup last October.

designed it.”

One of the most difficult holes on the course is the par-4 7th, nicknamed “Big Ben,” which ranges from 450-475 yards. If you miss your approach shot to the punch bowl green, you may find yourself in a difficult situation in one of the surrounding bunkers.

“It has a lot of hill to it,” McCarthy said. “Last year, they renovated the [7th] hole to put it back to its original punch bowl design. It’s kind of a risk reward. You can hit an iron off the top plateau, or have a mid-to-long iron in to utilize to the punch bowl.”

McCarthy says taking advantage of the first five holes may be key to holding the advantage throughout the match.

“As you go six through 10 and 13 to 18, you’re kind of trying to just score par,” he said.

This is the first time Morris County has hosted a major event since the Fall Finale from 1996-1998.

“It’s just a fun golf course to host an event,” McCarthy said. “With the clubhouse getting renovated, it’s going in a great direction.”

First Round Matches (1) Alex Beach vs. (64) Bill King

(17) Jim McGovern vs. (48) Michael Lanzetta

(2) Dan Kinn vs. (63) Damien Hamlett

(18) Bill Britton vs. (47) Tyler Aynes

(3) Sam Kang vs. (62) Marty Vybiihal

(19) Scott Paris vs. (46) Mike Burke

(4) Brett Jones vs. (61) Kevin Weyeneth

(20) Dave McGovern vs. (45) Michael Holiday

(5) Pat Fillian vs. (60) Steve Sieg

(21) Baker Maddera vs. (44) Len Siter

(6) Brent Studer vs. (59) Colin Deep

(22) Kevin Maciorowski vs. (43) Tony Santillo

(7) Bill Hook vs. (58) Paul Jun

(23) Matt McKeon vs. (42) Gary Ostrega

(8) Rich Terga vs. (57) Michael Strlekar

(24) Greg Baker vs. (41) Andy Brock

(9) Frank Esposito vs. (56) Brian Krulfeifer

(25) Vince Ramagli vs. (40) Ed Whitman

(10) Marc Issler vs. (55) Scott Chisholm

(26) Ken Pridgen vs. (39) Dave Laudien

(11) Travis Deibert vs. (54) David Reasoner

(27) John McCarthy vs. (38) Carl Hays

(12) Mark McCormick vs. (53) Debby Murphy

(28) Lou Kubisa vs. (37) Kevin Syring

(13) Ryan Fountaine vs. (52) Matt Romond

(29) Mark Yannotta vs. (36) Grant Sturgeon

(14) Craig Smith vs. (51) Peter Chang

(30) Chris Dachisen vs. (35) Jim Famula

(15) Mike LaBrutto vs. (50) Drew Jordan

(31) Bryan Dougherty vs. (34) Nick Beddow

(16) Paul Poandl vs. (49) Jim McDonald

(32) Seth Hirschhorn vs. (33) Pete Busch

The former Professional Golf Management student from Clemson University said the biggest thing this season is changing his mentality and expectations.

ity Clambake, and a tie for third in the New Jersey PGA Championship, qualifying for the PGA Professional Championship in June at Crosswater and Meadows Courses at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had huge expectations,” Kinn said. “[Winning the Match Play Championship] definitely boosted my confidence that I can compete with these guys. It really got my year rolling.”

Match Play Qualifier Stanton Ridge; April 17 Pete Busch, Galloping Hill

69 Nick Beddow, Green Brook

69 Jim Famula, Royce Brook

71 Grant Sturgeon, Arcola

71 Kevin Syring, Alpine 71 Carl Hays, Hollywood 73 Dave Laudien, Howell Park

73 Ed Whitman, Knickerbocker

73 Andy Brock, Metuchen

73 Gary Ostrega, Hyatt Hills

73 Tony Santillo, Spring Brook 74 Len Siter, Mountain Ridge

74 Michael Holiday, Upper Montclair 74 Mike Burke, Montammy

74 Tyler Aynes, Montclair at Rock Spring 75 Michael Lanzetta, Mansfield 75 Jim McDonald, Manasquan River 75 Drew Jordan, Hamilton Farm 75 Peter Chang, Fairmount 75 Matt Romond, Hamilton Farm 76 Debby Murphy, Trump Bedminster 76 David Reasoner, Ridgewood 76 Scott Chisholm, Baltusrol 76 Brian Krulfeifer, North Jersey 77 Michael Strlekar, Montclair 77 Paul Jun, Darlington 77 Colin Deep, Knickerbocker 77 Steve Sieg, Navesink 77 Kevin Weyeneth, Hollywood 77 Marty Vybihal, Preakness Valley 77 Damien Hamlett, Galloping Hill 77 Bill King, Spring Lake* 78 *Won in playoff

“I plan on finishing at the top, I plan on finishing events,” he said. “I have that confidence at this point that wasn’t there last year.”

Kinn, who hits the ball long, will play Damien Hamlett of Galloping Hill in his first round match. As of last month, Kinn has yet to play Morris County Golf Club.

“I hear it’s a course you got to get some practice rounds in,” Kinn said. “I hear it’s a little short, which isn’t an ideal, but I’m looking forward to big things this year.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH Alex Beach, Baltusrol Golf Club 2016 Result: R32 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year Finish: First Alex Beach ended the year with a win at the New Jersey PGA Championship and Fall Finale to add his major count to three. The 27-year-old also opened the year with a win at the Pro Pro Championship with his partner, Sam Kang.

Grant Sturgeon, Arcola Country Club 2016 Result: DNP 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year Finish: N/A Grant Sturgeon is new to the Section after being named the new head professional at Arcola Country Club. The 2014 Metropolitan PGA Player of the Year won the Met Open, Met Assistant Championship, Westchester PGA Championship, and National PGA Assistants Championship. He competed in the 2015 PGA Championship, made the cut at the 2009 PGA Championship, and was a finalist in the Westchester PGA Championship last year.

Dan Kinn, Acushnet Company 2016 Result: Champion 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year Finish: Second Last year’s Match Play Championship winner had three top-three finishes in majors last year and comes into the season with a different outlook than he did last May. Dan Kinn’s worst result in the Section in 2016 was a tie for 17th at the Fall Finale.

Travis Deibert, The Ridge at Back Brook 2016 Result: Finalist 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year Finish: Eleventh In the past three years, Travis Deibert has put together a 14-3 record at the Match Play Championship, with two runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2014 and a semifinal appearance in 2015. Deibert also tied for second in the Fall Finale last year.

Brett Jones, Due Process Stable 2016 Result: R16 2016 OMEGA Player of the Year Finish: Fourth The two-time Match Play Championship winner and four-time major winner finished inside the top five in three majors last year, and was a runner-up at the Pro Pro Championship last month.