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Shawnee on Delaware, PA – The 67^th installment of the Shawnee Open was played on Sunday, October 7 – Monday, October 8 at historic Shawnee Inn and Resort. The tournament, which first began in 1912, features a venerable list of past champions. Although the tournament has been postponed for a variety of reasons throughout its history, it has been contested every year in its current format since 1998 (2006 & 2011 flooding canceled tournament). This year’s tournament featured forty-five competitors from across the Philadelphia Section.

The opening round of the tournament felt less like an October afternoon and more like a late summer day. Playing in the tournament first pairing, Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn) posted the number for everyone to chase. Bergstol posted seven birdies and one double bogey en route to an opening round 5-under (67).

At the end of the opening day his closest competition came from a trio of players who finished with scores of 3-under (67). The first to reach the number was current Omega Player of the Year Points leader Billy Stewart (The ACE Club). Stewart was quickly joined by Dave Quinn (Philmont Country Club) and 2007 Shawnee Open champion Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range). Four additional players sat just three shots back after finishing with scores of 2-under (70) on day one.

As play headed into today’s second round, the weather changed dramatically with temperatures hovering around 60 degrees and an on and off misty rain. The weather didn’t cool off Bergstol however as he added another great round with six more birdies and an eagle finishing with a stretch of five threes in a row for a second round score of 8-under (64) and a two-day total of 13-under (131). Bergstol’s pursuers tried to keep pace but in the end his impressive score proved too much to overcome.

After getting it to 5-under for the day, Billy Stewart found some trouble on the par-3 16^th hole and dropped back to 4-under for the day and 7-under for the tournament, which is where he finished at the end of the day. Although he did not match Bergstol at the top of the leaderboard, Stewart’s 7-under (137) was good enough for a solo second place finish.

Trailing Bergstol by two shots heading into the final round, Dave Quinn was within striking distance if he could put together a solid round. Quinn did manage to card four birdied in the second round but a double bogey on the tenth hole dropped him from contention and he finished with a 36-hole total of 5-under (139) giving him a fourth place finish. While Quinn fell short in the regular division his 5-under (139) was good enough for the top spot in the Senior Division.

The biggest move of the day came from Dustin McCormick (Glen Brook Golf Club). McCormick followed up his opening round 1-under (71) with an impressive 5-under (67). McCormick played a flawless second round highlighted by five birdies helping him to vault into a third place finish with a two-day total of 6-under (138).

Rounding out the podium behind Quinn in the Senior Division was Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club). McNabb finished five shot better in his second round moving him six spots up the senior leaderboard and into a second place finish. Finishing third in the senior division was George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club) who followed up his opening round even par finish with a second round 2-under (70) giving him a 2-under (142) total. Forster also took the top spot in the tournament’s Super Senior Division.

The Section thanks the membership and staff of Shawnee Inn and Resort for their continued support of the Philadelphia PGA and the tournament program. The Section returns to action on Thursday, October 11 at Bala Golf Club for the McQuiston Sr. Pro – Jr. Pro Championship.

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Elverson, Pa. – After a seemingly endless summer of rain, a well-deserved day of sunshine greeted all the teams in the field at French Creek Golf Club for the Fall Pro-Pro Championship. The Pro-Pro Championship pairs two PGA Professionals together in a Four Ball or better ball of partners event. Adding some fun to today’s event, the Philadelphia PGA took a page from the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic and introduced teams with music selected prior to the event.

Setting the pace early in the tournament was the pair of Sam Ambrose (Aronimink Golf Club) and Andrew Turner (Sunnybrook Golf Club). The team got off to a nice start with birdies on three of their first nine holes. However, the pair really made their mark on the back nine at French Creek carding two eagles and two birdies posting 6-under on the inward nine to finish with a team score of 9-under (62) and would now have to wait and see if their score was good enough for a win.

Although teams came close, at the end of the tournament no team was able pass Ambrose and Turner for the top spot. However, a pair of teams shared second place after finishing one shot behind the first place team.

The first team to finish with a score of 8-under (63) was John Allen (Huntingdon Valley Country Club) and Trevor Bensel (Overbrook Golf Club). As a team, Allen and Bensel carded one eagle and eight birdies. Unfortunately for the pair it was a pair of bogeys, including one on the penultimate hole that ultimately dropped them from contention.

The second team to finish with a team score of 8-under (63) was the pair of Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) and Dave Quinn (Philmont Country Club). With a birdie on their first hole, Ingraham and Quinn got off to a fast start however they only managed to add two more birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under. The duo did have more luck on their inward nine carding five additional birdies but their luck ran out on the 17^th hole and in the end they fell one shot short of the leaders.

The Section thanks the membership and staff of French Creek Golf Club for hosting the Fall Pro-Pro Championship. We also thank our tournament partners Club Prophet Systems, Sun Mountain, Morell Studios, Evolve Golf, Anderson Ord, and the PGA Tour for supporting the tournament program,

The Section gets back to action tomorrow, Tuesday, October 2 for the annual renewal of the Philadelphia Challenge Cup Matches. The event pits 12 Philadelphia PGA Professionals against 12 of the top amateurs from the Golf Association of Philadelphia in a Ryder Cup style event. This year’s matches will be played at Lehigh Country Club.

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Philadelphia, Pa. – In mid-September, the Philadelphia PGA’s Hall of Fame committee gathered at the Section Office with the formidable task of selecting the newest members of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame. After a thorough process of reviewing all the nominated candidates, the committee is excited to announce that Tom Carpus, Peter Micklewright, and Herbert Jewson will become the 41^st, 42^nd, and 43^rd members of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame. The new inductees will be formally recognized in front of their peers at the annual Fall Meeting on Monday, October 29 at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pa.

Tom Carpus was elected to PGA membership in the summer of 1988 and now holds the rank of Master Professional (2004). During his time as a PGA Member Carpus has worked at several facilities including, Rolling Green Golf Club, Greate Bay Country Club, and Kennett Square Golf and Country Club, where he spent the majority of his time. However, Carpus’ contributions as a PGA Professional go beyond the boundaries of the Philadelphia Section. Carpus has served as a member of the PGA of America Rules committee having risen to the level of Chairman during the 2017-2018 seasons. During this time Carpus administered several PGA of America championships as well as Ryder Cup events. This commitment to the rules has led Carpus to his latest endeavor, PGA Tour Champions Rules Official.

Like all members of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame, Carpus is not just defined by his employment history but also by his service to his fellow PGA Professionals and the community around him. From early in his career Carpus was involved in Section governance having served as a District Director, Director of both Section Affairs and Tournaments before ascending through the ranks of the Executive Committee culminating in his term as Philadelphia PGA President from 2004-2005. Carpus also gives back to his community in leaps and bounds. Since 1999, Carpus has been instrumental in raising more than $350,000 for the American Diabetes Association and the Folds of Honor Foundation through events held at his facilities. Additionally, Carpus volunteered as a mentor for the Variety Club Buddy Program which paired a PGA Professional with a Variety Club child.

“I want to thank the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame Committee and President John Rogers for this great honor”, said Carpus of his nomination. “When John called me, I thought of the many PGA professionals that influenced my career, some of which are members of the Hall of Fame. The Philadelphia Section is rich in history, and I feel very blessed to be a part of the best PGA Section in the country.”

The second inductee into the Philadelphia PGA’s Hall of Fame class of 2018 is Peter Micklewright. Elected to PGA membership in September of 1982, Micklewright has shown commitment to both his fellow PGA Professional and the members he served as the Head Professional of Blue Ridge Country Club in Harrisburg from 1983-2017. In addition to his duties at Blue Ridge, Micklewright also served on various Central Counties Chapter and Section committees including Chapter President and District Director. Micklewright also achieved Master Professional status in 1995, which at the time made him the 145^th PGA Professional to accomplish the feat. Micklewright has also been previously recognized for his accomplishments as a PGA Professional. He was twice named the Philadelphia PGA Junior Golf Leader (1989, 1992) as well as the Central Counties Chapter Golf Professional of the Year (1988) and the Philadelphia PGA Golf Professional of the Year (2005).

Even when his schedule was jammed pack with club events Micklewright found time to give back to his community and to his family. In 1985, Micklewright was the co-founder of the Harrisburg Golf for Kids Day. While that program does not exist in name, the structure set up by Micklewright can be found in the current day Boys and Girls Club event. Micklewright also coached youth sports including baseball, basketball and when he was told that the golf program in the Susquehanna Township School District was going to be shut down because of lack of funding, Micklewright volunteered his time to keep the program going. Perhaps the biggest impact Micklewright had on an individual was with his son Peter Micklewright, a PGA Professional in the Tri-State Section. Micklewright’s son began working with him at Blue Ridge Country Club and continues to implement many of the professional and life lessons his father taught him at his facility, Edgewood Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“It’s is an amazing honor and a culmination of my entire career”, said Micklewright on being inducted in the Hall of Fame. “To be included on a list as prestigious as this is a great feeling. To be recognized by your peers for the work that you have done for more than 30 years is truly humbling.”

The final inductee into the Hall of Fame class of 2018 is Herbert “Herb” Jewson. Born in Ireland in 1890, Jewson moved to the United States in 1913 to serve as an apprentice to Ben Nicholls at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club. Jewson ultimately was elected as a member of the PGA of America in 1916. After Whitemarsh Valley, Jewson had brief stints at Woodbury Country Club (1916-1917) and Huntingdon Valley Country Club (1919) before settling in at Roxborough Country Club, site of present day The ACE Club. During his 40 years at Roxborough, Jewson served as Head Professional, General Manager and Superintendent.

Jewson service to the Philadelphia PGA goes beyond his work at any one facility. Jewson was a founding member of the Section when it was established on December 2, 1921. Jewson also served on the Section’s Executive Committee as its Secretary, Treasurer and twice as Section President, the only Section member to have that distinction. Jewson was also a PGA of America Vice-President, now titled District Director, from 1924-1925 and 1927-1928.

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Westhampton, N.J. – Nearly four months after it’s originally scheduled date, the Delaware Valley Open (DVO) was finally contested at Deerwood Country Club on Tuesday, September 11. With a field consisting of nearly 80 players from across the Philadelphia PGA everyone playing in today’s event was happy to have a long enough break from the rainy weather to play golf.

Playing in the tournament’s first group, Mike Little (Lookaway Golf Club) got things started quickly after posting a score of 5-under (65). Little’s round got off to a slow start with a bogey in his opening hole but recovered quickly to post three birdies, making the turn at 2-under. As he played his way back to the clubhouse Little added four additional birdies against only one bogey to reach the 5-under number.

However, Little’s lead did not last long. Playing only four groups behind Little, Andrew Turner (Sunnybrook Golf Club) also carded a 5-under (65). Like Little, Turner got off to a slow start with bogeys on his first two holes. Fortunately for Turner that is where his troubles ended. Over his last sixteen holes, Turner posted seven birdies bringing his score to 5-under and joining Little at the top of the leaderboard.

Unfortunately for Little and Turner defending champion Steve Swartz (Out Door Country Club) has his sights set on another DVO title. After pars on his first three holes Swartz notched a birdie on the par-3 4^th hole. Swartz added two more birdies on the outward nine to make the turn at 3-under. Swartz also added three birdies on the back nine for a total of six, and was also one of only two players (Mike Wheeler) to play bogey-free, giving him an 18-hole score of 6-under (64). Not only did Swartz grab a one shot lead he also managed to tie the competitive course record at Deerwood Country Club at the same time.

Playing just behind Swartz, Eric Kennedy (Overbrook Golf Club) made a charge at the top spot but a late bogey proved too much to overcome. Kennedy was 5-under on the day as played Deerwood’s par-5 17^th hole. Kennedy had no blemishes on his card up to that point but an untimely bogey dropped him back to 4-under and despite a birdie on the closing hole he was still one shot short of Swartz’ 6-under score.

After Kennedy, no player in the field managed to get closer than two shots to Swartz and in the end he walked away with his second consecutive Delaware Valley Open crown. The first player to accomplish that feat since Dave Quinn did so in 2011-2012.

“I have been practicing my irons the last couple of weeks in preparation for next week’s Championship”, said Swartz on his round. “It is always nice to get a win considering the caliber of players we have in our Section. This will definitely give me some confidence heading into Concord CC and the Championship. I want to thank all of the sponsors for their support of today’s event.”

A pair of players shared the top spot in the tournament’s senior division. Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club) and Greg Farrow (Deerwood Country Club) both carded scores of 4-under (66). Both players paired five birdies against one bogey en route to a shared senior title. The pair finished two shots ahead of Don Allen (Burlington Country Club) and Brian Kelly (Bucknell Golf Club) who finished with scores of 2-under (68).

Host Professional Greg Farrow also finished in the top spot in the tournament’s super senior division. Farrow’s 4-under number was one shot better than the 3-under (67) put up by Don DeAngelis (Center Square Golf Club).

The Section would like to thank our tournament sponsors Jack Jolly & Son, Golf Pride Grips, Morell Studios as well as the membership and staff of Deerwood Country Club. The Philadelphia PGA returns to action on Monday, September 17 with the Mariniello Tournament of Champions Pro-Am followed by the 97^th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship September 18-20.

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Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – The annual Lincoln Summer Pro-Lady Team Championship was held on an extremely hot and humid summer day at Sunnybrook Golf Club. Despite the challenging weather, 43 teams from across the Philadelphia PGA, featuring one PGA Professional and three female amateurs gathered at the beautiful Montgomery County golf course. The Lincoln Pro-Lady Team Championship featured both a Gross and Net competition.

Leading the way in the Net division was the team from Woodstone Country Club led by PGA Professional Ryan Shaughnessy and his partners Jane Moyer, Donna D’Amore, and Joy Wallace. Each member of the group contributed multiple birdies en route to a team net score of 16-under (56) good enough for a two shot victory over a pair of teams from the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The first Philadelphia Cricket Club team to reach 14-under was the first group out in the morning wave featuring PGA Professional Jim Smith, Jr and his partners Jean Fitzpatrick, Julie Kelly, and Kristen Fireman. However, they were joined late in the day by a second team from the Philadelphia Cricket with PGA Professional Michael Ferguson and partners Marji Goldman, Joanne Bidwell, and Becky Sanderson.

All was not lost for Ferguson and his partners as they did take the top spot in the tournament’s Gross Division. Although the team from Woodstone finished at 8-under (64) net, while Ferguson and partners finished at 7-under, tournament rules prevent them from winning in both divisions meaning Ferguson and partners claimed the top spot. Finishing one shot behind the team from the Philadelphia Cricket Club was a pair of teams who finished at 6-under (66). Eric Kennedy, PGA of Overbrook Golf Club and partners Kathy Wiley, Karen McFadden, and Joann Fisher reached the number in the morning wave while the team with PGA Professional Mark Parson (Harbor Pines Golf Club) and partners Kelly Parson, Linda Parson, and Stephanie Harris did so in the afternoon.

The Section thanks our tournament partners Lincoln Motor Company, SynLawn and Hole-in-One USA as well as the membership and staff of Sunnybrook Golf Club for their support of the Philadelphia PGA and the Pro-Lady Team Championship.

The Section now heads into a one week hiatus before returning to action for the Delaware Valley Open at Deerwood Concord Country Club on Tuesday, September 11.

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