PGA of America REACH Foundation Announces 2025-26 Class of PGA WORKS Fellows
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Year: 2025
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
PGA of America Golf Professional Tessa Teachman Captures 2025 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship
King of Prussia, Pa. (August 27, 2025) — On an unseasonably cool morning, PGA of America Golf Professional Tessa Teachman of Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., captured the 2025 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship at Gulph Mills Golf Club with an even-par round of 72. She previously won the championship in 2023 at Chester Valley Golf Club.
Teachman bettered Gulph Mills’ own Beatrice Smith and Green Valley Country Club’s Brittany Weddell, PGA, by eight strokes. She turned at 2-over-par, but made four birdies on her final nine holes, including on No. 18, to get back to even.
“It was an interesting day,” Teachman said following the conclusion of play. “I was hitting it well, but just couldn’t get it going, but when we turned the back nine, my boyfriend and caddie (Andrew Cornish, PGA) lit a fire under me, and said ‘Let’s get moving. From there, the ball started going in the hole.”
Teachman was in the championship’s first pairing, and played in three hours. She said that having Cornish on her bag was crucial to keeping her round together.
“I love to play quickly,” Teachman continued. “Beatrice and I bpth walked, and got into a real good pace. It was nice to just play golf, and not worry about our pace.”
Teachman went on to thank Cornish, Aronimink Golf Club, Gulph Mills Golf Club for hosting, the Section, championship partners Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, Kevin McClellan, and the PGA Tour.
Wilmington Country Club’s Meghan Spero, PGA, made her first-ever hole-in-one on No. 17. She used a 5-iron from 153 yards. Well played, Meghan!
View the full 2025 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship leaderboard by clicking here.
The 2025 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is presented by Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, and is supported by KM Golf Sales / Kevin McClellan, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Gulph Mills 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
Old York Road, Hanover Teams Tie in 2025 Philadelphia PGA Summer Pro-Lady Team Championship Presented by Parx Casino© and Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (August 26, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional Jared Murosky of Old York Road Country Club in Ambler, Pa., and his team of amateurs, Sue Purvis, Rachel Chiaverelli, and Christy Traenkle, tied fellow PGA Professional Parks Price of Hanover Country Club in Abbottstown, Pa., and his team, Tiffany Henry, Dawn Cox, and Audrie Sasse, to a tie in the 2025 Philadelphia PGA Summer Pro-Lady Team Championship Presented by Parx Casino© and Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Net Division at Sunnybrook Golf Club.
The winning teams finished their rounds with net team scores of 15-under-par 57 in the Four-Ball / one best ball of four format. They bettered four teams by one stroke: Northampton Country Club’s Brent Wallace, Kat Wolfe, Noreen Mohler, and Grace Sanborn; Whitford Country Club’s Patrick Butkus, Lois Burkey, Molly Berghuis, and Alicia Snyder; Green Valley Country Club’s John Cooper, Lucy Clausen, Sue Kane, and Judy Rosenbaum; and Chester Valley Golf Club’s Sam Ambrose, Joni Praplaski, Mimi Coppola, and Jenn Anderson.
Wallace’s Northampton team took the top prize in the Gross Division, as their 10-under-par 62 gave them a one-stroke victory over Old York Road Country Club’s Nick Parga, Lynne Norton, Casey Kane, and Ruth Averback. Lookaway Golf Club’s Chad Halvonik, Laura Manchester, Julia Kenned, and Melissa Muntz; and Murosky’s Old York Road team tied for third place. Butkus’ Whitford team finished in fifth place at 4-under.
View the full 2025 Philadelphia PGA Summer Pro-Lady Team Championship leaderboard by clicking here.
The 2025 Philadelphia PGA Summer Pro-Lady Team Championship is presented by Parx Casino© and Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Sunnybrook 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
Five Ponds Golf Club Wins Third Annual PGA HOPE Philadelphia Cup Presented by MedEast Post-Op & Surgical Inc.
Cinnaminson, N.J. (August 25, 2025) — The team representing Five Ponds Golf Club in Warminster, Pa., walked away with the championship belts after winning the third annual PGA HOPE Philadelphia Cup Presented by MedEast Post-Op & Surgical Inc. at Riverton Country Club. The team, led by PGA of America Golf Professional Rick Flagler, included four U.S. military veterans, Joe Dooley, Mike Rudart, Craig Adams, and Steve Fischer, and will represent PGA of America REACH Foundation Philadelphia’s 20 PGA HOPE chapters in the 2026 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup at Chester Valley Golf Club during PGA Championship week here in the Philadelphia PGA Section.
The PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup celebrates the PGA HOPE program by providing a unique and memorable experience for our military veterans and the PGA Professionals who work tirelessly to positively impact veterans’ lives. This annual event in conjunction with the week of PGA Championship, began in 2016 and is named after the Secretary of Veteran Affairs in recognition of the Memorandum of Understanding between PGA REACH and the Department of Veteran Affairs. Each team is made up of four veterans from a PGA HOPE program and one PGA or LPGA Professional.
The Five Ponds team turned in a net team score of 59, 12-under-par, to top the Frog Hollow Golf Club, PGA Member Patrick Keefe, David Rugg, Robert Merring, Travis Lockwood, and Mark Theroux, by one stroke. Two teams tied for third place at 10-under-par: the Country Club of Harrisburg Chapter, which included PGA Member Jeff Breiner, George Vasiloff, Antonio Wallace, Michael Jaye, and Vern Schmidt; and the Media Presented by Visit Delco Chapter, featuring PGA Member Ben Debski, Joe Hart, Ron West, Garret Hrynko, and Chris Pfahl.
View the full 2025 PGA HOPE Philadelphia Cup leaderboard by clicking here.
Veterans and active duty service members can learn more and register for upcoming PGA HOPE clinics by clicking here.
The 2025 PGA HOPE Philadelphia Cup is presented by MedEast Post-Op & Surgical Inc., is supported by Greyson Clothiers, KM Golf Sales / Kevin McClellan / Ahead, and Kevin DePaulis / PRG Golf. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Riverton Country 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
PGA of America Golf Professional Braden Shattuck Captures 104th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship
West Chester, Pa. (August 19, 2025) — The road to the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club is well underway with PGA of America Golf Professional Braden Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., capturing the 104th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship at Concord Country Club.
He finished with rounds of 66-67-69–202, 11-under-par, to better Riley Wheeldon of Aronimink Golf Club by two strokes. This is Shattuck’s first Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship victory, having finished in second place each of the last three years.
“It feels great to finally win this championship,” Shattuck said following the conclusion of play. “This was the first time I actually got out ahead after two rounds, which helped a lot.”
Shattuck said that the course has a very familiar feel to him, having worked at Concord in 2019; he said being comfortable on the course helped during the competition.
Shattuck was not only battling the field, but rain for the early portion of the final round, wind, and unseasonably cool temperatures throughout the championship. At one point during the final round, Shattuck led by six strokes, but kept a level head and stuck to his game plan. He made five birdies and three bogeys in his last round.
While this championship proved to be elusive for Shattuck until this year, he is no stranger to the winner’s circle. In addition to earning the Section’s Rolex / Haverford Trust Company Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year title each of the last three years (and is currently leading this year’s race), he won the PGA Professional Championship in 2023, and earned Low Club Professional honors at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, as part of the Corebridge Financial Team of PGA Members.
One-hundred-forty-two of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s best players are competing for the William B. Packer Trophy and a berth into the 2026 PGA Professional Championship, April 23-25, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon. From there, PGA Members from the 41 PGA Sections will compete to join the Corebridge Financial Team and earn a berth into the 2026 PGA Championship on May 11-17, at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It is the first PGA Championship held in the Philadelphia PGA Section since 1962, where Aronimink also played host.
Shattuck (already exempt from his 2023 victory) will lead 12 fellow Philadelphia PGA Members to the 2026 PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon, April 23-25: Riley Wheeldon, Aronimink Golf Club (2); Zac Oakley, Bidermann Golf Club (3); Will Scarborough, the Peninsula & and Country Club (T4); Zach Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club (T4); Tony Perla, Huntingdon Valley Country Club (T6); Brett Walker, Chester Valley Golf Club (T6); Chris Krueger, Kings Creek Country Club (T6); Trevor Bensel, LuLu Country Club (T9); Sam Ambrose, Chester Valley Golf Club (T9); Frank Bensel, Galloway National Golf Club (T11); Joanna Coe, Merion Golf Club (T11); and Brian Bergstol (exempt from his T3 finish in this year’s championship). Alternates are as follows: Dave Quinn, Laurel Creek Country Club; Danny Lewis, Trout National; Dave Pagett, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club; Tom Michaels, Berkshire County Club; and Michael Little, Clubhouse 54.
View the full 104th PGA Professional Championship leaderboard by clicking here.
The 104th PGA Professional Championship is presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex, and is supported by Gallagher, Golf Channel, the PGA Tour, Titleist / FootJoy, Callaway, Nike, Ship Sticks, TaylorMade, Visit Delco, and StrackaLine. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Concord Country Club, its membership, management, and staff, 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 Jack Jolly & Son Championship at Laurel Creek Country Club in Mt. Laurel Township, New Jersey, on Monday, September 8.
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