NJ Golf Hall of Fame Spotlight: Brian Komline
KENILWORTH, N.J. - Brian Komline grew up as a baseball player. It wasn’t until his freshman year of college that he suffered an injury that would permanently sideline him from the diamond. That summer, Komline found a job at a local golf facility, Bound Brook Driving Range.
“The owner of the range was a really nice guy who basically told me that when I wasn't working, to come here and hit as many golf balls as I’d like,” Komline recalled. “I fell in love with it.”
After pounding golf balls countless times after work, Komline and some buddies decided to take their talents to the golf course.
“When I got hurt, I was searching for what I was going to do next,” Komline reflected. “You spend your whole youth playing baseball, and what was left was a competitive nature that I needed to find a vehicle for that competitive side of me.”
On a daily basis, they would head to the Somerset County public courses at the crack of dawn to grab a tee time.
“We would go to Green Knoll, Quail Brook or Spooky Brook, and would just hack it around and we had so much fun,” Komline recalled.
Having extensive hand eye coordination growing up a baseball player, Komline quickly picked up golf, and within 18 months of picking up a golf club, was a scratch golfer.
"I caught on to it pretty quick,” said Komline. "I've told people this before that golf really saved me at a time when I was searching for an outlet for my competitive nature.”
Although Komline earned a spot on the Fairleigh Dickinson University golf team, it would be a few more years before he made his mark on New Jersey’s competitive golf scene—but when he did, his name was one to remember.
After graduating from FDU, Komline went on to a full-time career and golf wasn’t his top priority. A few years later, Komline made a massive statement, with his first NJ Golf victory coming at the Open Championship at Fairmount Country Club in 2005. The statement victory marked just the sixth amateur to win the tournament in its 85-year history.
"It was amazing,” Komline recalled of his victory. "Things have changed now in 2025 with a lot of the kids now are almost professional amateurs, but when I was doing it back in the early 2000s, it was more of the amateurs that were guys with jobs, mortgages and families. I would put in a lot of hard work in on the weekends or after work. A lot of my successes happened before I had children, and I was very lucky that that my wife supported what I was doing and my need to get out and play golf. You look back and there really weren't many amateurs that had done it and the ones that did, were really special players. I was honored to get my name on that trophy and be a part of that list.”
Unlike many amateurs competing in NJ Golf events, Komline won the Open twice, before going on to win the Four-Ball Championship (2008, 2010), the Amateur (2010), Mid-Amateur (2012) and the Public Links (2008).
“I really didn't have a big name in golf,” Komline added. “No one really knew who I was when I won the Open and I won in amazing fashion. I went out, shot 64 in the first round, and then followed it up with two really solid rounds after and won from start to finish.”
His resume speaks for itself. He’s become the only New Jersey golfer to win all four of the major championships and then some. Although his first Open title would be sweet, his second would be sweeter.
“I always look back at the win at Plainfield as the staple win because it really verified or validated what I did in the first one.”
Komline’s final leg of the ‘grand slam’ would be the Mid-Amateur. Although dominating in other events, the Mid-Am would be the toughest to tackle.
“They're all really hard events to play in, but when I look back at the Mid-Am that I won at Galloway, after the stroke play round, I had to get through Trevor Randolph in the round of 16, Allan Small in the quarterfinals, Niall Handley in the semifinals and Mike Stamberger in the finals,” Komline recalled. "It was this ultimate way to win, having to take out four really good players to get there - there was no layup round.”
As a matter of fact, three of the four players Komline faced in match play already won or would go on to win the championship.
Komline is still out there competing and doing so at a high level. After a brief hiatus from tournament golf for a handful of years, in 2024, Komline finished as runner-up in the 66th Pre-Senior Championship at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club.
In recognition of his achievements, Komline is being inducted into the New Jersey Golf Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 29 at Essex County Country Club. To purchase tickets for the event, click here.
“In the back of my mind, I always thought hat someday I would get there,” Komline said. "When you look at the list of people that are inducted into the Hall of Fame already, I understood why it wasn't in. David Glenz and Ed Whitman just got in. These guys and their playing history in golf is way more than I brought to the table. So, I was happy to wait my turn. I’m extremely honored to be inducted alongside Steve (Foehl) and Marina (Alex) who are both very worthy. It's an honor to be inducted with them and to join a group of people that I have so much respect for. Everybody on that list has left their mark in golf.”
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