The 2026 Commissioner’s Cup was supposed to be a weekend at Gull Lake View West. It turned into a soggy quagmire survival test — and when the final points were tallied, Team Central walked away with a 17–13 victory, ending Team West’s eight-year hold on the trophy. Captain Greg Kline’s squad didn’t just beat Tyler Floyd’s Team West. They beat them on two different courses, in good weather and bad weather, with every single player on the roster contributing at least two points. That’s how you take a Cup.
Friday at Gull Lake View West was everything the Commissioner’s Cup should be — sunny, mid-70s, September perfection. Central wasted no time putting their stamp on it. Kline and Gregoire took down Markel and Dean 3&2 in the best ball opener, Stalo and Cubel beat Floyd and Kline 2&1, and Pasz and Hesse edged Klipa and Dunmore 1up. West got a win from Withey and Wilsey and a half from Wassman and Levine, but the damage was done — Central led 3½–1½ after Round 1. The teams split Round 2’s alternate shot session 2½–2½, with West’s Floyd and Kline and Wassman and Levine grabbing wins, but Central headed into Saturday holding a 6–4 lead.
Then Mother Nature intervened. Nearly an inch of rain fell overnight, and Gull Lake View West closed along with most courses in the Battle Creek area. What followed was a Herculean scramble — 15 phone calls stretching from Clare, Michigan to Indianapolis — before Marshall Country Club was found open and willing to host. The Cup moved there for Rounds 3 and 4, and Central didn’t blink on unfamiliar turf. They took Round 3’s alternate shot 3½–1½, pushing their lead to 9½–5½, then split Round 4’s best ball evenly to carry a 12–8 advantage into Sunday’s singles finale. The standout West duo all weekend was Stewart Levine and rookie Mike Wassman, who combined for 3 1/2 of Team West’s 13 points, matching Central’s best. Captain Floyd added 2½ of his own. But Central’s advantage was never about one or two stars. It was depth: Kline, Gregoire, Litzler, and Puffenberger each posted 3½ points, and nobody on the roster finished below 2.
Sunday morning brought more rain. Everything in the Battle Creek area was closed again, so the Tour moved east to Calderone Golf Club — but the weather wouldn’t cooperate. The Final Round was cancelled, and all ten singles matches were declared halved, adding five points to each side. Final score: Team Central 17, Team West 13. After eight years of watching Team West hoist the Commissioner’s Cup, it took a deep, balanced Team Central roster and a three-day battle with the weather to finally bring it home. The Cup has a new address. For now.