Year: 2025
Playing Through: Ricky Kline, PGA (S2E10)
Welcome to the latest episode of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s web series, “Playing Through,” where PGA of America Golf Professionals, Section staff, Section partners, and other industry professionals are asked 18 questions about their lives and careers.
This episode features PGA of America Member Ricky Kline, the PGA head golf professional at Sittler Golf in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.
To watch the episode, click on embedded video below.
If you are interested in appearing in a future episode, please complete this form by clicking here. To watch past episodes, click here.
PGA of America Golf Professional Zach Barbin Wins 2025 Philadelphia Players Championship in Sudden-Death Playoff
Buckingham, Pa. (September 22, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional Zach Barbin of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club in Rising Sun, Maryland, made a par in a sudden-death playoff to better Dave McNabb of Applebrook Golf Club, and win the 2025 Philadelphia Players Championship at Lookaway Golf Club.
Both Barbin and McNabb each finished their rounds in regulation with scores of 7-under-par 65, setting up the playoff. Barbin’s round featured an eagle, nine birdies, and two bogeys.
“I played great golf today,” Barbin said after the conclusion of the playoff. “I’ve been playing very nicely the past few weeks, and 7-under on any golf courses is really good, so I’m very pleased with that.
“I always want to thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, my wife, my family, Scott and Karen Hutchinson for all they have done for the Section, our partners, Lookaway Golf Club, and the Section staff.”
The championship’s presenting partners, Scott and Karen Hutchinson have helped to make the event’s purse one of the Section’s largest, at over $28,000, with $6,000 going to the champion.
Wilmington Country Club’s Ryan Rucinski tied for third place with LuLu Country Club’s Trevor Bensel at 5-under-par. Michael Little, Clubhouse 54, and Andrew Cornish, Green Valley Country Club, tied for fifth place, three strokes behind the winner.
McNabb took home the top prize in the Senior Division, bettering Sunnybrook Golf Club’s Mark Sheftic and John Cooper by five strokes. Brian Kelly, Titleist Fitcrew, and Frank Bensel, Galloway National Golf Club, tied for fourth place at 1-over.
After the trophy presentation, event partner Scott and Karen Hutchinson presented the Section’s 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, PGA of America REACH Foundation Philadelphia, a $20,000 donation, to support PGA HOPE Philadelphia clinics.
To view the 2025 Philadelphia Players Championship leaderboard, click here.
The 2025 Philadelphia Players Championship’s present partners are Scott and Karen Hutchinson, and is supported by Anderson Ord, Callaway Golf, and Destination Kohler. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Lookaway Golf 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.
The next Rolex / Haverford Trust Company Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year points event is the Delaware Valley Open at Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia on Monday, September 29.
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 of America Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
PGA of America Golf Professional Michael Little Wins 2025 Jack Jolly & Son Championship
Little had previously won this championship in 2016 at Concord Country Club. The field had its hands full with the course and its setup today, with the scoring average nearing 78; Little, however, had a hot start, going 5-under on the front nine, and finished even on the back nine.
“It was nice to have everything come together today,” Little said after signing his scorecard. “I only missed one green, and the putter was hot today, which helped.”
Little went on to thank his wife, kids, Jack Jolly & Son Inc., Kevin McClellan, everyone at Clubhouse 54, Laurel Creek Country Club, the Section staff, and to fellow PGA Members Mark Sheftic and John Bierkan for the recent help on his game.
Riley Wheeldon, Aronimink Golf Club, finished in third place, three behind Little. Five PGA Professionals tied for fourth place at 2-under-par: Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green Golf Club; Austin Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club; Trevor Bensel, LuLu Country Club; Rocco Sgrillo, John F. Byrne Golf Course; and Scott Chisholm, Rolling Green Golf Club.
Spring Ford Country Club’s Rich Steinmetz earned top honors in the Senior Division, bettering two PGA Professionals by two strokes: Mark Sheftic, Sunnybrook Golf Club; and John Pillar, Country Club at Woodloch Springs. Terry Hertzog, Bent Creek Country Club, finished in fourth place at 2-over.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Bill Sautter finished with a 2-under-par 69 to top the Super Senior Division by two strokes over Deerwood Country Club’s Greg Farrow and finished five ahead of PGA Life Member Wayne Phillips.
The Philadelphia Assistants’
To view the 2025 Jack Jolly & Son Championship leaderboard, click here.
The 2025 Jack Jolly & Son Championship’s title partner is Jack Jolly & Son Inc., and is supported by KM Golf Sales / Kevin McClellan. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Laurel Creek 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.
The next Rolex / Haverford Trust Company Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year points event is the Philadelphia Players Championship at Lookaway Golf Club on Monday, September 22.
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 of America Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
Playing Through: Nick Biondi, PGA (S2E9)
Welcome to the latest episode of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s web series, “Playing Through,” where PGA of America Golf Professionals, Section staff, Section partners, and other industry professionals are asked 18 questions about their lives and careers.
This episode features PGA of America Member Nick Biondi, the PGA director of instruction at Radley Run Country Club in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
To watch the episode, click on embedded video below.
If you are interested in appearing in a future episode, please complete this form by clicking here. To watch past episodes, click here.
PGA of America REACH Foundation Announces 2025-26 Class of PGA WORKS Fellows
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PGA of America Golf Professionals Oakley, Early, Barbin, and Bensel Advance in 2025 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship
Horsham, Pa. (September 3, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professionals Zac Oakley of Bidermann Golf Club, Kyle Early of Waynesborough Country Club, Zach Barbin of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, and Trevor Bensel of LuLu Country Club, have each advanced to the semi-final matches of the 2025 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship, and are all that remain of the 114 PGA Professionals who have been competing in the event since May. The semi-final and final matches are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 30 at the famed Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Sixteen PGA Professionals began their day at Commonwealth National Golf Club to vie for the four semi-final slots. In the Jack Connelly Bracket, Zac Oakley, Bidermann Golf Club, defeated Andrew Turner, C.C. of York, 3 and 2, while Mark Sheftic, Sunnybrook Golf Club, bettered John Pillar, Country Club at Woodloch Springs, 1-up. Waynesborough’s Kyle Early topped Clubhouse 54’s Michael Little 1-up in the Skee Riegel Bracket, setting up the match against Merion Golf Club’s Joanna Coe, who earlier defeated Aronimink Golf Club’s Riley Wheeldon, 3 and 1.
Zach Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, won his match against Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green Golf Club, 1-up, in the Charlie Hoffner Bracket, while Mike Meisenzahl, Tavistock Country Club, bettered Parks Price, Hanover Country Club, 2 and 1. LuLu Country Club’s Trevor Bensel defeated Applebrook Golf Club’s Dave McNabb 5 and 3 in the Dick Smith Bracket, while Chester Valley Golf Club’s Brett Walker advanced by beating Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort’s Brian Bergstol 1-up.
In the afternoon Round of Eight, Oakley defeated Sheftic 2-up to claim the Connelly Division; Early topped Coe 2 and 1 to take the Riegel Division; Barbin bettered Meisenzahl 5 and 4 for the Hoffner Division, and Bensel took the Smith Division by beating Walker 1-up.
View the full 2025 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship leaderboard by clicking here.
The 2025 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship is supported by Rolex and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Commonwealth National Golf Club, its membership, management, and staff, 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 of America Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
Pillar, Bensel, McNabb and Kennedy Win Inaugural Ohana Farm Team Championship Presented By OAKLEY
Blue Bell, Pa. (September 2, 2025) — On a cool day with blue skies abundantly covering the beautiful Cedarbrook Country Club, PGA of America Golf Professionals John Pillar, Country Club at Woodloch Springs; Frank Bensel, Galloway National Golf Club; Dave McNabb, Applebrook Golf Club; and Eric Kennedy, Overbrook Golf Club won the 2025 Ohana Farm Team Championship presented by Oakley. Their team finished with an impressive score of 16-under-par.
This event featured a unique competition format: for each team of four, one best score will count on par fives, two best scores will count on par fours and three best scores will count on par threes.
Narrowly behind in second place at 12-under-par was the team of Michael Grabosky, Heidelberg Country Club; Brian Kelly, Titleist Fitcrew; Jack Brennan, Mountain View Country Club; and Stephen Swartz, Carlisle Country Club. Third place went to the team of Mike Caldwell and Matt Finger, DuPont Country Club; Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green Golf Club; and Brad Sanders, Sunnybrook Golf Club, as well as Anthony Malizia and Zac Oakley Bidermann Golf Club; Michael Rushin, Bear Trap Dunes; and Foster Haynes, Kings Creek Country Club. Both teams shot 11-under-par rounds. Two teams also tied for fifth place at 10-under-par. They were Kyle Jackson, Sunnybrook Golf Club; Rocco Sgrillo, John F. Bryne Golf Course; Trevor Bensel, Lulu Country Club; Billy Stewart, Union League Liberty Hill and Michael Chanaud, Bear Trap Dunes, Ryan Rucinski, Wilmington Country Club; Eric Willey, Kings Creek Country Club; and Greyson Rossi, The Peninsula Golf and Country Club.
Oakley also sponsored two closest to the pin contests on Hole 9 and Hole 16. Rick McCall of Rehoboth Beach Country Club claimed the prize on 9 with two feet, six inches while Eric Willey of Kings Creek Country Club was the closest on 16 with three feet, four inches.
To view the 2025 Ohana Farm Team Championship leaderboard, click here.
This event is presented by Ohana Farm LLC and Oakley. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Cedarbrook 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 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 of America Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com