Met Area Well Represented at USGA Men's State Team Championship

UPDATED (October 3, 2014) - Three Met Area teams made the trip to French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana to take on the Pete Dye Course at the USGA Men's State Team Championship this week and while it is a team event, it was highlighted by the individual play of the red hot David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. Pastore, 22, fired rounds of 70, 72, and 72 for a 2-under three day total of 214, finishing in solo second, one stroke behind individual first place out of a field of 156 players. . The Ike and Met Amateur Champion led the way for Team Connecticut who had their best finish since 2003 when they placed sixth in the event.

52 teams of three players each competed in this year's tournament and Connecticut finished in a tie for eighth. The two best scores from each day are counted, and on the first two days it was Peter Ballo of Stamford, Conn., firing a 75 and a 73. On day three, Kevin Josephson of Berlin, Conn. carded a 78 to give Team Connecticut a three day total of 8-over 440, 12 shots away from the winning team from Texas.

After winning the event two years ago, Team New York didn't manage to defend the title this year. Both New York and the team from New Jersey tied for 17th at 13-over 445. Sam Bernstein of New York, N.Y. played three steady rounds that counted on each day. He fired 74, 72, and 73 and individually tied for 11th with a 54-hole total of 2-over 219. Jim Scorse of Churchville, N.Y. had just one round that counted, a 2-over 74 on day one, while Tim Spitz of Pittsford, N.Y. fired a 71 and an 81 to count on the last two days.

For Team N.J. it was Steve Zychowski of Mendham, N.J. leading the way. He individually tied for 11th along with Bernstein at 3-over 219. Zychowski carded rounds of 77, 70, and 72 that counted for all three rounds. Trevor Randolph of Franklin Lakes, N.J. had a 2-over 74 to count on day one and Mike Stamberger of Brielle, N.J. fired a 79 and a 73 to count in the last two rounds.

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UPDATED 9:13 a.m. (October 2, 2014) - Two rounds have play have been completed at the USGA Men's State Team Championship at French Lick Resort in Indiana and two of the Met Area teams managed to crack the top 10 heading into the final round.

Yet again for Team Connecticut it was David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. leading the way with an even par 72. His teammate Peter Ballo of Stamford, Conn. carded a 1-over 73, giving them a 1-over total on the day and a two-day total of 2-over 290. That puts them at tied for sixth and seven shots back of the leading team from Texas.

Only one stroke behind them is the team from New York and on day two they were led by the solid play of 38-year-old Tim Spitz of Pittsford, N.Y., who fired a 1-under 71. Carding an even par 72 was Sam Bernstein of New York, N.Y., giving the N.Y. squad a two-day total of 3-over 291 and placing them in solo eighth, eight shots off the lead.

Team New Jersey had great play from its youngest competitor Steve Zychowski of Mendham, N.J., who shot a 2-under 70. But they couldn't gain much ground after Mike Stamberger of Brielle, N.J. shot a 7-over 79. The N.J. team stands at tied for 28th, 17 shots back.

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UPDATED 9:28 a.m. (October 1, 2014) - The first round of play at the USGA Men's State Team Championship ended yesterday in Indiana at the French Lick Resort, with 52 teams taking on the Pete Dye Course. One of the three Met Area teams managed to crack the top 10 thanks to the play of Ike and Met Amateur Champion David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. Pastore carded a 2-under 70, which tied for the third best individual score of the day. The two best individual scores of three players are counted each day and for Team Connecticut it was Stamford's Peter Ballo coming in with a 3-over 75, to give Connecticut a total of 1-over 145 placing them at tied for eighth.

Three strokes behind them and tied for 15th is Team New York led by the play of 22-year-old Sam Bernstein of New York, N.Y. The two-time Ivy League Player of the Year shot a 2-over 74 and that was matched by teammate Jim Scorse of Churchville, N.Y., giving the New York squad a total of 4-over 148.

Team New Jersey stands three strokes behind Team New York and are tied for 26th. 2013 Met Am runner-up Trevor Randolph of Franklin Lakes, N.J. fired a 2-over 74 and represented New Jersey's low score. The other came from Steve Zychowski of Mendham, N.J., who shot a 5-over 77 to give New Jersey a total of 7-over 151.

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ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 24, 2014) – This year’s 11th edition of the USGA’s Men’s State Team Championship is set to take place September 30-October 2, on the Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana. The Met Area will be represented very well in Hoosier Country, and team New York hopes to defend its title with some new faces on the squad.

The New York State Team includes two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Sam Bernstein of New York, N.Y. Bernstein had one of his best season’s to date, including making the semifinals at the Met Amateur and finishing as runner-up at the Ike. Bernstein represents the youth on the team at the age of 22, as he will team up with 49-year-old Jim Scorse of Churchville, N.Y., and 38-year-old Tim Spitz of Pittsford, N.Y. Spitz and Scorse are members of the Rochester District Golf Association in upstate N.Y. The team will look to make it back-to-back wins for New York, the last coming in 2012 when Max Buckley, Mike Miller, and Joe Saladino brought home the trophy at Galloway National.

New Jersey’s team brings a lot of experience to Indiana this year, as well as a rising star in the making. Leading the way are Mike Stamberger of Brielle, N.J. and Trevor Randolph of Franklin Lakes, N.J. They will be joined by the recent Holy Cross graduate Steve Zychowski of Mendham, N.J.

Also representing the Metropolitan Area is the team from Connecticut. Their squad features Ike and Met Amateur champion David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. Heading to Indiana with Pastore will be Peter Ballo of Stamford, Conn. and Kevin Josephson of Berlin, Conn.

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.

Follow the coverage of the event at mgagolf.org as well as the USGA Men’s State Team website.

Below are the profiles from the 2014 season of the local competitors:

Sam Bernstein – Team New York

2014 Season: Arcola Cup – Winner
Met Amateur – Semifinalist
CSGA Open – T-7th
Ike Championship – Runner-up

Jim Scorse – Team New York

2014 Season: RDGA Match Play – Winner
RDGA Mid-Amateur – Winner
Rochester Tournament of Champions – Winner
RDGA District Championship – Runner-up

Tim Spitz – Team New York

2014 Season: RDGA Mid-Amateur – T-7th
Recent Highlights: 2009 U.S. Mid-Am - Runner-up
2008 Rochester Tournament of Champions - Winner

Mike Stamberger – Team New Jersey

2014 Season: NJSGA Amateur – Winner
Bergen County Amateur – T-7th
NJSGA Open Championship – T-2nd
Ike Championship – T-10th

Trevor Randolph – Team New Jersey

2014 Season: New Jersey Mid Amateur Championship - Winner
Bergen County Amateur – T-7th
U.S. Mid-Amateur – Advanced to Match Play
NJSGA Amateur Championship – T-2nd

Steve Zychowski – Team New Jersey

2014 Season: Bergen County Amateur – Runner-up
Met Amateur – Quarterfinalist
NJSGA Amateur – T-2nd
Ike Championship – T-10th
Qualified for the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball

David Pastore – Team Connecticut

2014 Season: Met Amateur – Winner
WGA Open Championship – Winner
Ike Championship – Winner
CSGA Open Championship – T-3rd
Mittlemark Invitational – T-4th
U.S. Open – Advanced to Sectionals