West Chester, Pa. (August 6, 2023) — PGA Member Michael Little of Clubhouse 54 in North Wales, Pa., led his team of amateurs, Gene Marinelli and Pat Rugg, to victory in the 47th Pro-Am for Wishes at Penn Oaks Golf Club, topping three teams by two strokes.

The Pro-Am for Wishes first started in 1976 at Whitford Country Club, and has been held annually at Penn Oaks Golf Club since 2008 (the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) to benefit Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. Since the event moved to Penn Oaks, it has raised over $700,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Using a two best balls of three format, Little made three gross birdies, while Marinelli and Rugg combined for 10 net birdies and one net double eagle; the team rounded out their scorecard with five bogies to finish their round at 11-under-par.

Three teams tied for second place: Trevor Bensel, Sandy Run C.C., Jimmy O’Connor, and Syd Tyson; Zac Oakley, Bidermann G.C., Anthony Diver, and Kurt Scheivert; and John Allen, Squires G.C., Ken Eck, and David Benway. Terry Hatch, Royal Oaks G.C., Rich Boyd, and Todd Horn finished in fifth place at 8-under-par.

In the 36-hole PGA Professional event, Zac Oakley leads the field following his 3-under-par round of 68. Oakley earned his first Section victory of the year last week at the National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship. Trevor Bensel and Bob Lennon, Wilmington C.C., find themselves trailing Oakley by only one stroke, with three fellow PGA Professionals tied for fourth place at 1-under-par: Andrew Turner, Berkshire C.C.; Anthony Sebastianelli, Rolling Green G.C.; and Michael Little.

After the opening round, Lennon leads the Senior Division by two strokes, topping John Allen, and Dave McNabb, Applebrook G.C. Terry Hatch is in fourth place at 1-over-par, followed by PGA Life Member George Forster, who finds himself in fifth place at 2-over-par.

Four amateurs will play in Monday’s final round based on their opening round performance: Pat Rugg, 72; Jimmy O’Connor, 73; Zach Paris, 77; and Kevin O’Hara, 78.

The PGA Professional field and qualifying amateurs will play their final round tomorrow, Monday, August 7 at Penn Oaks. To view the full leaderboard, click here.

The 2023 Pro-Am for Wishes title partner is Tamora Building Systems, and is supported by the Piazza Auto Group, Woodward Properties, Smart From the Start, and the Horn Family. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Penn Oaks Golf Club, its members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com

The Philadelphia PGA Section regrets to inform you of the passing of Aaron Palen, PGA. He tragically passed away on July 30 from a sudden cardiac issue while jogging. Palen, a 21-year PGA Member, was the PGA head professional and interim general manager at Duck Woods Country Club in North Carolina, and had previously worked as the PGA head professional at Mountain View Country Club here in the Philadelphia PGA Section. While observance information has yet to be made public, a GoFundMe page has been created to support his family during this difficult time. Ton contribute, click here.

Blue Bell, Pa. (August 2, 2023) — Reigning Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Champion Rich Steinmetz of Spring Ford Country Club in Royersford, Pa., teed off in the first pairing of the torunament and finished with a 5-under-par 66 to win the 2023 Philadelphia PGA Skee Riegel Senior Open at Blue Bell Country Club by one stroke over Mark Parson, Harbor Pines G.C.

As one of the event’s first finishers, Steinmetz set an impressive early clubhouse lead at 5-under-par, making an eagle, five birdies, and two bogies on the Arnold Palmer-designed layout. Parson, who teed off over an hour and a half after Steinmetz, made a valiant effort to tie the leader, making seven of his own birdies, coupled with a bogey and double bogey, but ultimately fell one stroke short.

While it is his first Skee Riegel Senior Open win, Steinmetz has enjoyed many successes since entering the senior ranks last year. He won his debut senior event, the 2022 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship, which he successfully defended earlier this summer, 2022 Senior Philadelphia Players Championship, 2022 Senior TPD Championship, and the full-field 2022 GALV Lehigh Valley Open.

The University of Delaware’s Brendon Post, PGA, finished in third place at 1-under-par, followed by two tied for fourth-place, John Allen, Squires G.C., and Hugh Reilly, Performance Oaks, at even-par.

John Allen finished atop the Super Senior Division, bettering PGA Life Member George Forster and Bob Lennon, Wilmington C.C., by one stroke. Brian Kelly tied for fourth place at 2-over-par, with Harvey Williams, Glen Oak  C.C.

To view the full 2023 Skee Riegel Senior Open leaderboard, click here.

2023 Philadelphia PGA Skee Riegel Senior Open is supported by Jani-King, Sunday Golf, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Blue Bell Country Club, their members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

About Robert Henry “Skee” Riegel, PGA
Skee Riegel was born in 1914 in New Bloomfield, Pa., and grew up in eastern Pennsylvania. Riegel served in the U.S. Air Corps as a flight instructor during World War II. After leaving the service he rose to the top of amateur golf, winning the U.S. Amateur in 1947, the Western Amateur in 1948 and the Trans-Mississippi Amateur in 1946 and 1948. Riegel also played on the U.S. Walker Cup teams in 1947 and 1949, remaining unbeaten in Walker Cup play. Riegel turned professional in 1950 and was one of the first golfers involved in strength training. In 1951, he nearly won the Masters, finishing in second place behind Ben Hogan. Riegel returned to Pennsylvania to become PGA Head Professional at Radnor Valley Country Club in 1954, where he continued his winning ways, claiming victory in the 1957 and 1959 Pennsylvania Opens and the 1960 Philadelphia Open. He left Radnor Valley at the end of 1961 for the opportunity to participate in the ownership of a new golf course, York Road G.C. in Bucks County, now known as the Bucks Club. For over 30 years, Riegel was a permanent member of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s Tournament Committee and served as Rules Chair for every Section tournament. In 1975, he was given the Section’s PGA Professional Development Award for his many hours spent educating the golf professionals on the rules of golf. Riegel was inducted into the Philadelphia Section Hall of Fame in 1993.

About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contacts: 
Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
Kayla Gutierrez, Communications Intern, kgutierrez@pgahq.com