USGA State Teams Include Top Met Area Players

ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 31, 2012) – Six of the Met Area's finest amateur golfers are ready to represent their home states in the USGA’s 10th Men’s State Team Championships to be played at Galloway National Golf Club in Galloway, N.J., from Sept. 19-21.

The New York State team will include reigning MGA Player of the Year Mike Miller of Brewster, N.Y., two-time MGA Player of the Year Joe Saladino of Huntington, N.Y., and former SMU men’s golf team standout Max Buckley of Rye, N.Y. The team will be captained by MGA Director of Rules & Competitions Brian Mahoney.

“We are fortunate to have so many great amateurs to choose from in our state, and I think this year’s team will be one of the strongest at the championship,” Mahoney said.

New York has never won the event but Mahoney seems determined about changing that, choosing players with major firepower and the uncanny ability to go low.

“In addition to being outstanding players, Joe, Mike and Max also display the highest standards of sportsmanship every time they compete,” Mahoney said. “I am looking forward to the championship and I know the players are, too.”

The New Jersey team will include 2012 NJSGA Mid-Amateur champion Brian Komline of Bridgewater, N.J., 2003 Met Amateur champion Mike Stamberger of Brielle, N.J., and 2011 MGA Mid-Amateur winner Niall Handley of West Caldwell, N.J. The team will be captained by one of the most decorated amateurs from the Met Area, six-time NJSGA Amateur champion Bob Housen. Like New York, New Jersey has never claimed the Men's State Team Championship but is fielding one of their strongest teams ever.

The Men’s State Team Championships began in 1995, which marked the USGA’s centennial anniversary. It has been a biannual event ever since and involves representation from every state by three non-college amateur players. Eighteen holes of stroke play will be held for three days, with the two lowest of the three individual scores counting toward the team’s score. The team with the lowest aggregate score through 54-holes will be crowned the champions.

This is the first time a USGA event is being held at Galloway National Golf Club. The scenic Tom Fazio designed par-71 of 6,963 yards will provide a difficult test for players, with challenging hazards and complex greens.

For full coverage of the event, check back with mgagolf.org, as well as the USGA's Men's State Team Championship website.

Below are the player profiles of the six Met Area competitors:

Mike Miller - Team New York

2012 Season: U.S. Open - Advanced to Sectionals; NYC Amateur - Runner-up; Westchester Amateur- Winner; Hochster Memorial - T6; Ike - 4th; Westchester Open - T4; Sunnehanna Invitational - Runner-up; Irish Amateur - T4; Lytham
Trophy - T4; U.S. Amateur - Advanced to Round of 32; Met Amateur - Semifinalist; Met Open - 10th/3rd Low Am

Brian Komline - Team New Jersey

2012 Season: NJSGA Mid-Amateur - Winner; NYC Amateur - T6; NJSGA Amateur - T6; NJSGA Open - On site cut; Arcola Cup - T4; Met Amateur; Quarterfinalist/stroke-play medalist; U.S. Mid Am - Qualified; Met Open - T6/2nd Low Am

Joe Saladino - Team New York

2012 Season: Havemeyer - On site qualifying; Travis Memorial - Winner; Long Island Open - 3rd; Long Island Amateur - Semifinalist; Ike - T2; Mittelmark Invitational - Runner-up; NYSGA Open - On site cut/T2 Low Am; Met Amateur - Qualified; U.S. Mid Am - Qualified

Mike Stamberger - Team New Jersey

2012 Season: NJSGA Mid-Amateur - Runner-up; NJSGA Amateur - On site cut; Ike - T6; NJSGA Open - 4th; Arcola Cup - T6; Met Amateur - Qualified; Met Open - On site cut.

Max Buckley - Team New York