The 25th installment of the Dick Smith Cup Matches are underway at historic Atlantic City Country Club. The matches, named in honor of the Past PGA of America and Philadelphia PGA President of the same name, brings together 24 Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professionals in a Ryder Cup style format.

Players will compete as a team in Four Ball and Foursome as well as Singles matches over the course of two days trying to earn their share of the 24 available points. As defending champions the Gold Team only needs to earn 12 points to retain the cupp while the Blue Team will need to earn at least 12.5 points to win the title.

Dick Smith Cup Leaderboard

Ardmore, Pa. – The third and final day of the 2016 Match Play Championship was played at Merion Golf Club – West Course on Wednesday, October 19. After two exciting days of golf the field was whittled down from 64 players to just four all looking to capture the season’s final point’s event.

The first semifinal match featured Dave Quinn (Links Golf Club) versus Brendon Post (University of Delaware). Neither player was able to gain an advantage on the other and the match went the full 18 holes before Post was able to put away defending champion Quinn 1-up. The second semifinal match featured 2014 Match Play Champion Corey McAlarney (Sunnybrook Golf Club) and current Philadelphia PGA Professional Champion Jordan Gibbs (Gulph Mills Golf Club). Like the first match, neither player was able to gain a lead and the match went extra holes before McAlarney was able to put away Gibbs on the 19^th hole.

Post’s road featured wins over Gregg Gipp (3&2), Andrew Turner (3&2), Eric Figueroa (5&3), Jakob Gerney (19^th hole) before his win over Quinn in the semifinals. McAlarney had wins over Dave Roberts (6&5), Mike Meisenzhal (1-up), Stu Ingraham (1-up), Trevor Bensel (5&4) before his win over Gibbs gave him a spot in the finals.

After trading pars on the opening hole, McAlarney was able to strike first in the final match with a birdie on the second hole giving him a quick 1-up lead. McAlarney and Post would then trade pars over the next four holes before breaking the trend with a pair of birdies on the par-4 7^th hole. McAlarney would take his 1-up advantage into the driveable par-4 8^th hole and would capitalize on his excellent drive. After his tee shot found the green, McAlarney was able to two-putt for birdie to increase his lead to 2-up through nine holes. The duo would halve the par-4 9^th hole meaning McAlarney would take a 2-up lead into the back nine.

However as they made the turn, Post was able to turn the ship around and won both the 10^th and 11^th holes to get the match back to all square as they headed to the 12^th tee. Unfortunately for Post that was where the streak ended. McAlarney would go on to birdie both the 12^th and 13^th holes to bring his lead back to 2-up. The pair traded pars on the par-4 14^th hole before Post gave it one last charge. Post would win the par-3 15^th hole to put him only 1-down with three holes to play. However, after Post’s tee shot found trouble on the 16^th hole McAlarney would go on to win the hole putting the match dormie as they headed to the par-3 17^th hole. Unable to find the green, Post would go on to concede the hole to McAlarney giving him a 3&1 victory and his second Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship.

The Section would like to thank the membership and staff at Merion Golf Club, especially host professional Scott Nye, for their hospitality during the week. The Section also thanks event sponsors Omega, the PGA Tour and Greg Norman for their continued support of our tournament program.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Ardmore, Pa. – The 2016 Match Play Championship kicked off Monday morning on an unusually warm October day. It didn’t take long for the temperature to rise, and the 64-player field heated up as well.

The morning highlights included an ace on the 140-yard seventeenth hole by Dave Roberts (Cedarbrook Country Club), using a 9-iron to find the bottom of the cup. Jakob Gerney (Trump National – Philadelphia) added a highlight of his own on the par-4 eighteenth hole. His wedge landed 10 feet beyond the flagstick and spun back into the hole. Merion’s own, Robby Bruns, found the bottom of the cup on his second shot from about 170 on the par-4 fifth. Only three matches resulted in upsets in the morning wave, before the field was cut in half to 32.

After grabbing a quick lunch, the remaining players returned to the golf course to battle again. With many great match-ups on the course, it was anybody’s guess as to who would move on to day two. Eight matches in, and five lower seeds had advanced. As solid play continued, two players gave themselves a chance at the Section’s top prize – Omega Player of the Year. Jordan Gibbs (Gulph Mills Golf Club) and Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) can still overtake Michael Little (Lookaway Golf Club), depending on their performances the remainder of the tournament.

Tomorrow’s third round will give 16 players a chance to earn a spot in the round of eight. With a picture perfect forecast, professionals will have the opportunity to move one step closer to having their names etched into Section history.

Match Play Bracket

Philadelphia, Pa. – The annual McQuiston Sr. Pro – Jr. Pro Championship was held at Bala Golf Club on Thursday, October 13. The event, named in honor of longtime PGA Professional and past Philadelphia PGA President Henry McQuiston, pairs one Sr. PGA Professional (age 50 and older) with one PGA Professional in a four-ball, better ball of partners, tournament.

Periods of light rain could not spoil the fun for the 33 teams gathered at Bala GC, the only private facility within city limits, to compete in this annual event. At noon, teams proceeded to their starting holes to kick off the shotgun event.

As play got underway one team was able to separate themselves from the field. John DiMarco (Laurel Creek CC) and Joe Kogelman (GolfTEC Moorestown) began their first hole, (no. 11), with a bogey, but carded 8 birdies throughout their round to jump to the top of the leaderboard. As groups finished the duo was able to stay at the top of the leaderboard with a team score of 7-under (61) enabling them to capture the 2016 McQuiston Sr Pro – Jr. Pro Championship.

After an impressive showing in last year’s event (-6), Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) and Andy Watters (Alamode GC) teamed up again this year to give it another shot. They matched last year’s score of 62 (-6) and earned themselves a runner-up finish again.

Rounding out the podium, four teams tied for third at four under par 64. The teams of John Appleget (Wildwood Golf & CC) and Mike Meisenzahl (Shore Gate CC), and JR Delich (Applebrook GC) and Robby Bruns (Merion GC) both carded five birdies and a bogey to shoot their rounds of 64, while the teams of Brian Kelly (Bucknell GC) and Judd Caruso (Belles Spring GC) and Mike Thompson (The Golf Zone @ Honeybrook) and Andy Fisher (AF Golf Ctr.) made the same number carding bogey free rounds.

The Section would like to thank the membership of Bala Golf Club for their support of this great event. Additionally, the Section thanks Vineyard Vines and Mr. Cory Creland for providing gifts to all participants. The Section will return to action on Monday, October 17 at the Match Play Championship at Merion Golf Club on the West Course.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Pine Hill, N.J. – The 2016 edition of the Club Car, LLC and Golf Cars Inc. Pro-Official was played on a blustery afternoon at Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia. However, despite the windy conditions the warm fall sunshine made all who participated appreciative of the picturesque scenery provided by our host club. The Pro-Official features one PGA Professional partnered with an officer from the club, in a Net Four-Ball competition (better ball of partners).

With all teams on the course as part of the shotgun event the scores came in fast and furious at the end of the day. Leading the way just as they did in the 2009 event was the team of Robert Kleckner (Linfield National Golf Club) and his partner Steve Byrne. The team posted seven Net birdies and a Net hole-in-one on the difficult par-3 16^th. The duo finished with three consecutive birdies to finish their day on holes 10-13. Their 7-under (64) put them just ahead of a pair of teams who finished the day at 6-under (65).

Finishing out of the top spot but still on the podium were the teams of Jamison Wallace (Chambersburg Country Club) and his partner Mike Jackson as well as Mickey Sokalski (Philmont Country Club) and his partner Scott Landsberg. Wallace and Jackson carded seven birdies but a bogey on 18^th hole, their fourth of the day, proved to be the costly stroke. The team of Sokalski and Landsberg had three birdies and two eagles but again a bogey on the 18^th hole, their ninth of the day, proved to be too much to overcome.

The Section would like to thank our generous tournament sponsors Club Car LLC. and Golf Cars Inc. Through their support, the Pro-Official Championship has become one of the premier events on the Philadelphia PGA tournament calendar.

The Philadelphia PGA will continue their busy tournament week with the annual Turnpike Cup against the New Jersey PGA on Wednesday, October 12 at Commonwealth National Golf Club. The week will wrap up with the McQuiston Sr. Pro-Jr. Pro at Bala Golf Club on Thursday, October 13.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Clarks Summit, Pa. – The Philadelphia PGA returned to the Country Club of Scranton on Monday, October 3 for the Fall Pro-Pro Championship. It marked the second consecutive year that the Championship was held at the beautiful Pocono Mountain’s course. The Pro-Pro Championship pairs two PGA Professionals together in a Four Ball or better ball of partners event.

The first group of the day posted a score for all to chase. The duo of Brian Short and Steve Wager, both of Penn State University GC, carded an impressive 7-under (65). The pair had seven birdies on their day with each player contributing multiple birdies to the overall score.

As group after group finished it seemed as though no one would be able to reach them at the top of the leaderboard. The first group to make a charge was the team of Kevin Kraft and Geoffrey Morrison, both of Bumble Bee Hollow Golf Center, who reached 6-under (66). Also finishing at 6-under (66) were the teams of Jeff Breiner, Country Club of Harrisburg, and Chris Duckett, Saucon Valley Country Club as well as the team of Ashley Grier, Overbrook Golf Club and Anthony Napoletano, GolfTEC – King of Prussia.

However playing the late in the day the pair of Joe Kogelman, GolfTEC – Moorestown and Steve Swartz, Country Club of Harrisburg proved once again to be too much for the field. Kogelman and Swartz came into the event as defending champions and left the same way. As a team Kogelman and Swartz posted eight birdies of which Swartz carded seven en route to a 8-under (64), good enough for a one shot win. As it was at the 2015 event a birdie on the par5 18^th hole proved to be the deciding number in their winning score.

The Section thanks the members and staff of the Country Club of Scranton who provided an outstanding backdrop for this year’s Fall Pro-Pro Championship. The Section also thanks our event sponsors Club Prophet Systems and Ian Versaw as well as Sun Mountain and Andy Hyjek.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

The 26th edition of the Philadelphia Challenge Matches were played on Thursday, October 6 at Saucon Valley Country Club. It was the first time in the 26 year history of the Matches that the event was played at Saucon Valley. For the past five season the Matches were played at Applebrook Golf Club in Malvern, Pa.

The matches pit 12 of the top Philadelphia PGA Professionals against 12 of the top amateurs from the Golf Association of Philadelphia. The teams will play 12 singles matches and 6 four-ball matches (better ball of partners) simultaneously with a total of 18 points up for grabs. As the owners of the Cup, the Philadelphia PGA will only need 9 of the 18 points to retain the title while the Golf Association of Philadelphia will need to earn 9 ½ points to regain the title.

The teams split the 12 available points in the singles matches with each side winning five matches and halving two for a total of six points. However, the Philadelphia PGA was able to grab 5.5 of the six available points the the Four Ball Matches to win the cup for a third consecutive year. The final score was Philadelphia PGA 11.5 / GAP 6.5.

Complete Challenge Match Results