Two of its best players absent in A-Team finals
Two of their best players were out of town, but that didn’t slow the momentum of the University of Maryland Golf Course in the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association A-Team finals.
With stellar work on the road, UMGC defeated perennial powerhouse Columbia 10.5 -7.5 to win its second team title this year. In the spring, UMGC won the Maryland A-Team championship. The club is believed to be the first to capture both titles since Crofton Country Club in 1987.
UMGC won Saturday despite the absence of head professional Jeff Maynor and long-hitting Blair Kennedy, who works at the club and was a standout throughout the month-long competition.
“With summer vacations, it’s harder to get everybody out,” captain and multiple-time club champion Ted Coon said. “I think Columbia had a few of their top guys missing as well.”
UMGC leaned on two of its best players as longtime partners Vance Welch and Mike Wah won all three points at Columbia against Chris Lamond and Alex Tenhoeve. Also registering a sweep at Columbia were Steve Martin and Bart Mease. UMGC assistant pro Chris Oleson, subbing for Maynor, combined with John Moheyer to play Todd Fulmer and Columbia pro Bob Dolan to a 1.5-1.5 draw.
Getting 7.5 points on the road is a rare feat in an A-Team match, especially against formidable Columbia, which captured the first five WMGA team titles after the competition was established in 1975 and won again in 2009.
Coming up big at home after a slow start was the UMGC team of Tim Connor and newcomer Josh Jenkins, who rallied on the back nine for a 2-1 victory over Thomas Feldman and 10-time Maryland Amateur champion Marty West III.
“Getting two points on those guys was clutch,” Coon said. “Marty West is the Jack Nicklaus of Maryland golf.”
Bethesda Country Club, a 9.5-8.5 loser to UMGC in round-robin play, gave the champion its toughest match. UMGC was barely challenged in the quarterfinals, a 12-6 win over Country Club of Fairfax, and semifinals, a 11.5-6.5 win over defending champion Congressional.
