Smeraglio to lead TeamPhilly in Compher Cup

The Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) recently announced its Compher Cup Matches team.

It looks like Glenn Smeraglio, a Commonwealth National Golf Club member from Newtown and last summer's Patterson Cup champion, will captain the Philadelphia squad.

This marks Smeraglio’s eighth Compher Cup appearance, but first as team captain.

"It always feels good,” he said. “We work all year to try to get on there. This is a nice perk.”

Smeraglio, 49, formerly of Yardley Country Club, expects to lead the squad to victory this year.
"You don’t want to be a losing captain,” he said in jest.

Last summer in Patterson Cup play, Smeraglio, carded a 2-under 69 at Waynesborough CC (par 71, 6,990 yards) in the morning and a 3-under 67 at St. Davids GC (par 70, 6,534 yards) in his second round to outpace Matthew Martare of Saucon Valley by one shot in the 106th running of the tournament.

Smeraglio, who also captured the cup in 1998, birdied three of the last five holes in becoming the oldest winner since legendary figure William Hyndman III took the 1969 Patterson Cup at age 58.

"I don’t think of myself as an older guy until I play with the young guys and they hit it 30 yards by me," stated Smeraglio afterward. "You know what, you still have to hit greens, you still have to putt and you still have to get the ball in the hole. I think I do that as well as anyone does."

The victory also secured Smeraglio his third Silver Cross (2000-01), awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup.

In addition to Smeraglio, returning to the Compher Cup Matches for Philadelphia are (appearances in parentheses): Mike Danner of Lu Lu Country Club (second), Stephen Seiden of Concord Country Club (second), Sean Leonard of Tavistock Country Club (second), Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley Country Club (second) and Michael Brown of Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association of Philadelphia Association (fourth).

The newcomers to the Compher Cup Matches are David West of Whitford Country Club, John Brennan of Spring Ford Country Club, James Donnelly of Merion Golf Club, Jeffrey Griest of Waynesborough Country Club, Rand Mendez of Fieldstone Golf Club and Chris Esbenshade of Five Ponds Golf Club.

In the Compher Cup, each association fields a 12-man team with players simultaneously competing in a singles match and four-ball match. There are a total of 18 possible points. Matches that end in a tie result in a half point for the team.

The 47th annual matches, which pit Philadelphia against the New Jersey State Golf Association, will be held April 21 at Hollywood Golf Club in Deal, N.J. To date, the Golf Association of Philadelphia leads the series, 31–11–4.

Last year, Team Philadelphia defeated New Jersey at Pine Valley Golf Club. The squad has won the last three meetings with its Jersey counterparts, and 11 of the past 12.

For the Hollywood GC, this is the fourth time hosting the Compher Cup Matches. It hosted the inaugural Compher Cup in 1962.

Smeraglio played Hollywood in 2005’s Compher Cup, which was eventually cancelled due to severe weather.

"I got to play 14 holes,” Smeraglio commented. “It’s a solid golf course. The greens are very fast.”

Fred Compher, a former New Jersey State Golf Association president, conceived the neighborhood matches after leaving his post in 1959. Compher donated a silver trophy that year earmarked for such a rivalry.

In 1961, association representatives Bob Jacobson of New Jersey and Richard Ollmah of GAP completed the details. In 1962, the first Compher Cup matches took place. That year, the NJSGA side forged a 5–1 lead in the morning foursomes’ competitions and held serve in the afternoon singles matches for an 11½–6½ victory.

After the New Jersey victory, Compher himself, who was known at the time as the most successful NJSGA president in its history, presented the trophy “to promote golf between the groups.”
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For a year-by-year history and individual player records, go to www.gapgolf.org.