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New Jersey Mid-Am: Komline medals as match play begins
ABSECON, N.J. (May 1, 2012) -- Medalist Brian Komline of Black Oak and defending champion Kevin McSorley of Charleston Springs are the golfers to watch when the 29th New Jersey State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship begins two days of match-play on Wednesday at the nationally ranked Galloway National Golf Club’s challenging Tom Fazio course after a one-year absence.

Komline earned the medal as the only player to match par (71) of the 50 golfers who participated in the stroke-play portion of the championship on Tuesday. McSorley was among the 16 players who advanced to match play when he carded a 6-over-par 77.

Here´s a profile article on Kevin McSorley, compliments of NJ.com http://www.nj.com/golf/index.ssf/2011/06/jersey_city_firefighter_kevin_1.html

Others who survived the cut of 7-over-par 78 were former champion Allan Small of Fairmount (76) and 2011 Player of the Year Mike Stamberger of Spring Lake (75). Today, the Round of 16 and quarterfinals will take place with the semifinals and final set for tomorrow, Thursday, May 3.

This year marks the fourth time since 2002 that the event will be staged at Galloway National. Male amateurs at least 30 years old with a USGA Handicap Index no higher than 7.0 are eligible for the Mid-Amateur.

Komline, 38, has never won the Mid-Amateur, although he is a two-time Player of the Year (2007 and ’08). Among his achievements are two State Open titles (2005, ’06), a State Amateur crown (2010), both state and MGA Publinx titles, and an NJSGA Four-Ball title. McSorley last year won his first major event of any kind at Deal Golf and Country Club – and did so with an improbable defeat of three-time Mid-Am champion Tom Gramigna of Tavistock in the championship match, 2 and 1.

Galloway National continued its climb in Golfweek’s ranking of the 100 Best Modern Courses, rising this year from 27th to 24th on the list. “We’re tickled with that,” says Mike Killian, the director of golf. “There’s not a lot of room in front of that now. In my 12 years here, we’ve gone from 57 to 24.”

The Mid-Amateur competitors will face a windy course that offers length (7,111 yards from the longest tee positions), with pervasive bunkers, trees and water threatening the route to very large and severely sloping greens.

McSorley believes putting will go a long way to determining this year’s champion.Recalling a U.S. Amateur qualifying round at Galloway National, he points out, “The greens there are big, undulating and fast. You have to know where to put the ball on those greens. If you’re not in the right spot on the green, you’ll be really challenged just to make par. The greens are probably the toughest that we’ll face all year.

"I love the golf course. It’s a real solid golf course. It’s a test of hitting every club in your bag.”

McSorley acknowledges that the Mid-Amateur was the highlight of his career. McSorley had to overcome an all-star lineup, defeating Jay Blumenfeld, Matthew Finger, Peter Barron and Tom Gramigna on the way to the title.

The Jersey City fireman did not spend much time on the golf course early this year because he was studying for a test April 14 to qualify as a captain. After the test, he planned to practice intensely for the Mid-Am.

Galloway National’s Killian reports that the club is enthusiastic about again serving as the venue for an NJSGA championship. “We love having the State Golf Association come down and play here,” he says. It’s our privilege to be able to give something back to the State Golf Association and to amateur golf, and that’s why we’re actively involved in having events here. We enjoy it.”

View results for New Jersey Mid-Amateur

ABOUT THE New Jersey Mid-Amateur

Open to male amateurs age 30 or above who have qualified from one of two qualifying sites or have met the exemption criteria. Format consists of 18 holes of stroke play followed by round of 16 match play.

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