(May 5, 2022) – The 51st playing of the Julius Boros Challenge Cup between the Connecticut State Golf Association and the Connecticut Section PGA will be contested on Thursday, May 12th at New Haven Country Club. The CSGA will be seeking a record setting fifth consecutive win in the series following a 47.5-24.5 victory last year.
However, sixth-year Team Captain Roger Everin knows earning a fifth consecutive victory will be no small task.
“Each year is totally different,” Everin said. “Just because you had a good team last year it doesn’t mean you will have success this year. Each year is like starting a new season. The expectations are you want to do well but that doesn’t mean it always happens.”
Despite the recent struggles the Connecticut Section PGA team still holds a commanding 34-16 advantage in the all-time series and this year they will be looking to return to the winner’s circle. The Connecticut Section PGA team will once again be captained by Ian Marshall (Shuttle Meadow Country Club) who in his third year at the helm will be looking for his first victory.
The annual event dates back to 1972 and honors, Julius Boros, Connecticut’s greatest player who won both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. Originally played at Tumble Brook Country Club the event moved to New Haven CC in 1975 and has been played there every year since with the exception of 2010.
For much of the recent run of success by the CSGA, the roster has included the same core of players. However, this year Everin experienced a high roster turnover.
“This has probably been the most challenging year I have had as captain,” explained Everin. “The last three years the top players were very consistent from year to year and it was easy to get them to be able to play on the team.”
Last year nearly the entire roster returned from the year before but this year the roster of sixteen will include five new players including three rookies. The rookies include Eric Bleile, Brett Shulick, and Donal Reilly.
Regardless of who is on the CSGA roster Everin has confidence in their abilities. “I have a lot of confidence in the players and I think they have a lot of confidence in themselves. I am taking the same approach that I took last year. I don’t really want to go down the road and think about records. The thing I try to have the players focus on is how they got on the team. But the most important thing is enjoying the event.”
CSGA Roster: Brian Ahern (Wampanoag CC), Eric Bleile (eClub of Connecticut), Ben Conroy (New Haven CC), Nick Cook (Tashua Knolls GC), Ben Day (CC of Waterbury), Rick Dowling (Golf Performance Center), Patrick Griffin (Golf Club of Avon), Rick Hayes (Silver Spring CC), Cody Paladino (Hartford GC), Jamie Sheltman (Wallingford CC), Brett Shulick (Great River GC), Nick Waddington (Manchester CC), Bill Hermanson (Black Hall Club)*, Dave Jones (Mohegan Sun GC)*, Donal Reilly (H. Smith Richardson GC)*, Dick Stevens (eClub of Connecticut)*
Connecticut Section PGA Roster: Jordan Gosler (Manchester CC), Michael Jezierski (Raceway GC), Brian Keiser (Longmeadow CC), CJ Konkowski (Hartford GC), Brad Lusenhop (CC of Waterbury), Kevin Mahaffy (Pequabuck GC), Bob Mucha (Edgewood GC), Ronnie Pfaeffklin (Norfolk GC), William Street (Whitney Farms GC), Chris Tallman (Orchards GC), William Wallis (New Haven CC), Jan Wivestad (Northeast Performance Institute), Joe Cordani (Hop Meadow CC)*, Jason Gobleck (Golf Performance Center at Lyman Orchards)*, Fran Marrello (PGA Life Member)*, Mike Martin (Tashua Knolls GC)*
*Denotes Senior Player
Format: Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. with matches going off both sides. Players will compete in teams of two, with individual matches played simultaneously. Each match, team, and individual is worth three points, one for the first nine, one for the second nine, and one overall. Nine points are at stake in each foursome. The teams compete for the Julius Boros Trophy, donated by Boros, the former PGA and U.S. Open champion who hailed from Connecticut. The members of the professional team qualify by finishing among the top eight in the section PGA Player of the Year point standings and the top four seniors in the section Senior PGA Player of the Year point standings. Also joining the team is the reigning Connecticut PGA Champion, the PGA Professional from the host club, and two captain’s selections. Members of the amateur side, in both regular and senior categories, likewise earn points in a Player of the Year competition and are chosen accordingly. All points were earned in 2021.
About New Haven CC: 2022 will mark the 47th time that New Haven Country Club has hosted the Challenge Cup. Founded in 1898, New Haven Country Club was first designed by Robert D. Pryde, with the present layout completed by Willie Park, Jr. in 1922. In addition to hosting the Challenge Cup, the club has a rich history of hosting the state’s top amateur and professional events. New Haven Country Club will host the Connecticut Open for the ninth time this July 25-27 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Willie Park redesign. The Connecticut Open was last played at New Haven Country Club in 2018 when John VanDerLaan, now competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, won the event. New Haven annually hosts the Northern Junior Championship while also hosting 16 Connecticut Amateur Championships and one Connecticut PGA Championship, as well as many CSGA and USGA qualifiers.
About the Associations
The Connecticut Section PGA is one of 41 sections chartered that together comprise the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA of America). There are a total of 350 golf professionals affiliated with the section (292 PGA Members and 58 Registered Apprentices). These professionals are employed at over 175 PGA Recognized Golf Facilities throughout the region.
Founded in 1899, the Connecticut State Golf Association is the country’s oldest state golf association and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. The CSGA functions as an extension of the USGA and is dedicated to providing golfers a full range of services for the good of the game and golf in Connecticut. The CSGA is comprised of over 45,000 members and 183 member clubs, providing and administering handicaps for all of its members throughout the state.
