Month: June 2019

Bergstol and Wilson Cruise to the Winner’s Circle at Pro-Scratch Championship

Fleetwood, PA. – Moselem Springs Golf Club provided the perfect setting for the 2019 Pro-Scratch Championship. Looking past the humidity on this summer day, conditions were excellent on the 6,740-yard par 70 golf course. The Pro-Scratch Championship features two-man teams consisting of one PGA Professional and one amateur.

Michael Ferguson (Philadelphia Cricket Club) and his playing partner John Brennan got things going in the morning after carding the first of two, 4-under (66) rounds. The pair had a nice opening birdie on the par-4 1st hole to go 1-under but gave it right back on the 2ndhole. The duo added five additional birdies against only one additional bogey, on their closing hole, to reach the number leaving themselves at the top of the leaderboard early in the day. Eventually, the team of Pat Butkus (Tavistock Country Club) and Adam Bracy joined Ferguson and Brennan with the second 4-under (66). The two-man team carded three birdies on their outward-nine and two birdies in a row on the back-nine. But like Ferguson and Brennan, the team from Tavistock CC bogeyed the par-4 18th hole to drop back to 4-under and a tie for first place.

However, playing late in the day, it was the team of Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort) and Jason Wilson who would eventually be crowned the champions. When all was said and done the pair posted an impressive 11-under (59). Bergstol eagled the par-5 7th hole and capped the round off with four birdies in a row. Wilson contributed just as much providing five birdies of his own on the card. The dup was also the only team in the field to play bogey-free. “You should have seen this round, he was on fire” Bergstol says about Wilson.

The Section would like to thank the membership and staff of Moselem Springs Golf Club for hosting this year’s event. The Philadelphia PGA will be back in action on Monday, July 1 for the Pro-Assistant Pro Championship at Seaview Resort – Bay Course.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Pine Valley’s Tom Cooper Cruises to Victory at Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship

Medford, N.J. – For the first time in more than a decade, the Philadelphia PGA traveled into South Jersey, and Medford Village Country Club, for the 2019 Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship. Despite the recent weather that plagued the region, course conditions were impeccable thanks in large part to the maintenance staff at Medford Village Country Club.

The Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship is the fourth points event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar and is played as an individual stroke play event. The field featured more than 100 Professionals from across the Section and also included members of the Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) who were competing in the PAO event which was held in conjunction with today’s Championship. As a note some PAO members were competing in both of the day’s tournaments.

Philadelphia PGA veteran Mark Sheftic (Merion GC) was the first player to separate himself from the field. Sheftic got off to a fast start birdieing four of his opening nine holes. However, as Sheftic played the inward nine he found some trouble on the par-3 eleventh hole, posting a bogey, and ultimately finishing with a score of 4-under (68).

Not far behind Sheftic was Michael Little (Lookaway GC) who quickly joined Sheftic for the clubhouse lead after posting an identical 4-under (68). Little made the turn at even par after trading one birdie, par-5 fifth hole, and one bogey, par-4 ninth hole. As he played his way back to the clubhouse Little got red hot carding four birdies on the back side, including back-to-back birdies to end his round.

In the afternoon wave Doug Delaney (Union League National GC) made things interesting after posting the third 4-under (68) of the day. Delaney was on cruise control on the front side with nine pars, then took advantage of the back nine posting four birdies over a five-hole stretch.

Photos

However, for all three players at 4-under their dreams of victory would come to an end as Philadelphia PGA rookie, Tom Cooper (Pine Valley GC) carded a sizzling nine birdies, three more than any other player in the field, en route to a tournament best 7-under (65). Cooper posted four birdies against one bogey on the outward nine while adding five additional birdies against only one bogey on the inward nine.

Waiting in the clubhouse, Cooper was watching the leaderboard hoping his score was good enough for his first Section win. “I’ve been hitting the ball really well the past couple weeks. I made an important putt on the par-4 second hole and carried that momentum for the rest of the round,” said Cooper. “I was hitting greens, something you have to do here, and everything was just clicking.” In the end Cooper’s 7-under (65) was good enough for a three-shot victory. Cooper also credits his victory to playing with some great professionals who had pushed him the entire day.

In the senior division, Dave Quinn (Laurel Creek CC) took home the top spot with a score of 3-under (69). Quinn started off his round with a nice birdie on the par-4 first hole while adding two additional birdies on the front nine. Finish in a second-place tie in the senior division were a group of players tied at 2-under (70). The first to reach the number was John Appleget (The Shore Club) who was eventually joined by Bob Lennon (Wilmington CC) and Hugo Mazzalupi (Patriots Glen National GC) out of the afternoon wave.

George Forster (Radnor Valley CC) became victorious again in the super-senior division. Forster had a clean scorecard until the par-4 fifteenth hole where he made his lone bogey to finish with an even par (72). Bill Sautter (Philadelphia Cricket Club) and Don DeAngelis (Spring Ford CC) both finished tied for second place after shooting a 1-over (73).

The Section would like to thank the members and staff of Medford Village Country Club as well as our tournament sponsors, Jack Jolly & Son and Golf Pride Grips. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar is Pro-Scratch Championship on June 27, 2019 at Moselem Springs Golf Club.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Overbrook’s Grier Set to Compete at KPMG Womens PGA Championship

The third major of the LPGA season, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, will be played June 20-23, 2019 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, MN. Among the field of 156 Professionals will be Ashley Grier of Overbrook Golf Club. Grier will get her KPMG underway at 9:30 AM Thursday morning followed by a 2:55 PM start time on Friday afternoon. Follow along as she competes against the game’s top female professionals.


Ashley Grier Profile

Ashley Grier Scorecard

CC of Woodloch Springs’ Pillar Pulls Out the Victory at the Conestoga Classic

Lancaster, Pa. – The Philadelphia PGA traveled to Conestoga Country Club in the heart of the Amish Country on a day packed with humidity that led to a brief period of rain. The Conestoga CC tested the entire field’s playing ability due to the wet, lush rough which was the result of overnight rain.

To start the day off, Mike Tobiason (Deerfield Golf Club) came into the clubhouse with the first under par score of 1-under (69). Tobiason didn’t have one blemish on his card and capped the day off with a birdie on the par-4 18th hole.

The driver’s seat was quickly taken over by Eric Kennedy (Overbrook Golf Club). Kennedy started off hot with an eagle on the par-5 1st hole. He ended up with three more birdies and one bogey to enter the clubhouse as the leader. “I decided to hit driver everywhere after watching the final round of the U.S. Open last night,” said Kennedy. The announcers planted a seed in Kennedy’s head prompting him to play aggressive and not to lay back.

Just a few groups back was the low man of the day. John Pillar (Country Club of Woodloch Springs) carded a 6-under (64). Pillar had a near perfect round with seven birdies and a lone bogey that came on the par-3 5th hole. He navigated around the 6,400-yard-long golf course with no goal in mind. “I came into this event with no expectations. Having a busy week left me with little time to focus on the state of my game,” Pillar said. “My game plan was to just keep the ball in front of me and hit fairways.” Pillar also gives credit to playing with Brian Kelly and Eddie Perrino, two guys he is comfortable with and able to keep things light on the course.

The rest of the field chased Pillar and when a brief rain shower dampened the greens and allowed players to attack more holes, Pat Butkus (Tavistock Country Club) gave Pillar a scare with another 4-under (66). Butkus made four birdies to end his round without a blemish on his card. Playing with Pillar, Brian Kelly (Bucknell Golf Club) shot a 3-under (67). Kelly started the day with six straight pars and mixed in four birdies and one bogey.

Pillar also led the way in the tournament’s senior division with his 6-under (64). Brian Kelly (Bucknell Golf Club) finished in second in this division with a 3-under (67). Stu Ingraham took home third place with a 2-under (68).

The Conestoga Classic also featured a super senior division. Finishing in the top spot in the super senior division was Bill Sautter (Philadelphia Cricket Club). Sautter carded a 1-over (71) to finish two shots clear of division runner-up Don DeAngelis (Spring Ford Country Club). George Foster (Radnor Valley Country Club) and Gary Hardin (Northampton Country Club) both shot 4-over (74) to tie for third place.

The Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) event came down to a playoff. Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn & GC) and Parks Price (CC of York) were the only two of the seven tied at 1-under par 69 who were still there at the end of regulation play. Both went back on the course in a sudden-death playoff. It took three extra holes to settle things as Bergstol finally prevailed.

The Section would like to thank the members and staff of Conestoga Country Club for hosting our event as well as our tournament sponsors, Golf Max, Morell Studios and the PGA Tour.

The Philadelphia PGA will return to action on Monday, June 24 at Medford Village Country Club for the Jack Jolly/Golf Pride Championship.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

Check Out the Latest 1921 PPGA Magazine

Inside this issue we feature: • Senior PGA Professionals compete at KitchenAid Sr PGA Championship • Philly PGA’s Strong Showing at PGA Professional Championship • Braden Shattuck Goes from Philly Junior Tour to Professional Career • Local Junior Wins Division at Drive, Chip and Putt Championship • Team Philadelphia Travels to Bethpage for 2019 Secretary’s Cup

Merion’s Sheftic Returns to Winner’s Circle at Burlington Classic

Tournament Results

Westampton, N.J. – The 34th Burlington County Classic and Pro-Am presented by WSFS Bank was played on Sunday, June 2 – Monday, June 3 at Burlington Country Club. The tournament features a day one Pro-Am followed by an individual stroke play event on day two. The field of Professionals on day two are joined by a select group of amateurs who qualified by virtue of their opening round to complete the 36-hole event.

“The Burlington Classic is a great celebration of the club, its membership and the PGA Professionals of the Philadelphia Section”, said John Hanuscin, Burlington Classic Tournament Chairman.

The tournament’s second round got underway at 10:00 am after late day storms forced the opening round to be completed on Monday. With nearly 90 people playing the second round the tournament leaders did not get on the course until almost 3:00 pm. In the final pairing was overnight leader Mark Sheftic (Merion Golf Club), Michael Little (Lookaway Golf Club) and Jakob Gerney (Trump National Philadelphia).

As the second round progressed windy conditions made scoring difficult throughout the day. In fact, tournament leader Sheftic’s only blemish came on the first hole in round two after he posted a double bogey.

“I didn’t think I hit that bad of a shot”, said Sheftic of his approach into the first green. “I guess I overestimated the wind and I put myself into a bad position, but it was definitely a wakeup call.”

Sheftic was able to recover those early lost shots with birdies on both eight and nine to make the turn at even par as his lead increased to three shots. As Sheftic made his way back to the clubhouse, he was able to add two additional birdies on the par4 11th hole as well as the par5 14th hole. With no other player able to make a significant move up the leaderboard, Sheftic’s lead increased again as he played his final four holes.

When all the scores were final, Sheftic 36-hole total of 11-under (61-68-129) was good enough for a five-shot lead over the field giving him his third Burlington County Classic and Pro-Am presented by WSFS Bank crown. Sheftic previously took home the top spot in 2013 and 2016. Sheftic joins Gene Feiger (1991-92, 1998) and Rob Shuey (1994, 1996-97, 2002, 2007-08) as the only three-time champions of the event.

Rounding out the podium were Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn & Resort) and Michael Little (Lookaway Golf Club) who both finished with a two-day total of 5-under. Like Sheftic, Bergstol posted two rounds in the 60s (66-69-135) while Little got to the 5-under number after carding rounds of (63-72-135).

“To be honest I hadn’t been playing my best coming into this tournament”, said Sheftic. “I had been struggling with my putting while I was at the PGA Professional National Championship and decided to go with a new putter this week. At the last minute I grabbed my old long putter and it worked great and I felt very comfortable with it the last two days. I think that was the difference for me, the confidence it gave me on the greens.”

“I also need to thank Mike Mack, John Hanuscin and the entire membership and staff of Burlington Country Club for their support of this event”, commented Sheftic. “I enjoy playing in this event and everyone does a great job making us feel welcome each year.”

In the tournament’s senior division, John Pillar (Country Club of Woodloch Springs) edged the field after posting a 36-hole total of 2-under (70-68-138). After trading birdies and bogeys in the early part of his round, Pillar managed to right the ship and posted birdies on the difficult par4 8th and another on the par4 13th helping him to his one-shot victory. Finishing one shot behind with a 36-hole total of 1-under was a pair of familiar names in Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) and Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club).

In the tournament’s Super Senior division, Don DeAngelis (Spring Ford Country Club) cruised to a victory after posting a two-day total of 1-under (68-71-139). Special congratulations also go to DeAngelis after he carded a hole-in-one on the 140-yard par-3 10th.

Congratulations to amateur Scott Magee who was awarded the Marotto Medal as the tournament’s low amateur after a posting a Championship total of 7-over (69-78-147). The Marotto Medal is named in memory of longtime Burlington Country Club member Ron Marotto, who was an integral part of the Pro-Am committee for many years.

The Section thanks the membership and staff of Burlington Country Club as well as tournament sponsor Adidas golf, Jani-King, Evolve Golf and WSFS Bank. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA tournament calendar is the Connelly Cup / Head Professional Championship at Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia on Monday, June 10.

Follow the Philadelphia PGA online at FacebookTwitter and Instagram

Tournament Results