USGA State Team Selection Process Modified
BROOMALL – The Pennsylvania Golf Association Executive Committee recently approved a modification to the points system used in selecting the Pennsylvania team in the USGA Men’s State Team. William C. Fownes, Jr. Player of the Year Points will now be doubled only in the current season of a USGA State Team year. Previously, three events from the prior season (PA Mid-Am, US Mid-Am, and Art Wall) were doubled as well. The Committee feels that doubling points for events from a previous season is not an indication of how well a player is currently playing, which is the emphasis on why points are doubled.
The USGA State Team selection process is as follows: Three players will be selected for the team; two players will be selected based on their cumulative W.C. Fownes, Jr., Player of the Year points for two years. The current season points will be doubled, while the previous season points will remain the same. The third player will be selected by the Championship Committee. The Committee will review a two year résumé for all players identified as possible candidates. Those players will be evaluated based on any event they have played over a two year period, with a heavy emphasis on the current year.
The 2016 USGA Men's State Team will be held at the Country Club of Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama on September 28-30. The USGA Men’s and Women’s State Team Championships grew out of the celebration of the USGA centennial in 1995 and have since been held biennially. The championships are open to players from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. State associations may use any criteria of their choosing in selecting their teams, which comprise three amateur, non-college golfers.