Avondale, Pa. – On a day when the weather was more suited for early spring than mid-May, more than 50 teams featuring more than 100 Philadelphia PGA Professionals competed in the Spring Pro-Pro Championship at Hartefeld National Golf Club, in Avondale, Pa. This marked the first time the Philadelphia PGA visited Hartefeld National GC since the course hosted 2009 Philadelphia PGA Assistants Championship. Despite the weather, the 6500 yards long golf course was in near perfect condition for the better ball of partners’ event.

Playing early in the day the pair of Jamie Komancheck (Rivercrest GC & Preserve) and Pete Kowalinski (Dunning Golf) posted an impressive score of 5-under-par (67). The duo carded a total of eight team birdies with each contributing at least three to the team total. However a pair of untimely bogeys on holes eleven and twelve prevented them from posting an even more impressive number.

Matching Komancheck and Kowalinski at 5-under-par (67) was the team of Steve Swartz (Country Club of Harrisburg) and Joe Kogelman (GolfTEC Moorestown). Komancheck and Swartz, 2015 Fall Pro-Pro champions, combined for eight birdies against only three bogeys to reach the number.

Unfortunately for both teams at 5-under-par, the pair of Bill Sautter (Philadelphia Cricket Club) and John Spina (Philadelphia Cricket Club) was able to best them by one shot. As a team the combo played flawlessly adding six birdies to finish at 6-under-par (65). Sitting at 4-under-par on the 17^th hole, Sautter and Spina managed to birdie their final two holes to grab the lead at 6-under-par.

However playing in the next to last group the team of Mike Meisenzhal (Shore Gate CC) and David Morano (Hidden Creek GC) were able to overcome both the field and the windy conditions to post the low round of the day, an 8-under-par (64). The pair combined for a total of eleven birdies, including six on their back nine to finish two shots clear of the field and capture the 2016 Spring Pro-Pro title.

Special congratulations to Tom Carpus (Kennett Square Golf & CC) on recording a hole-in-one on the par 3 second hole at Hartefeld National GC. Carpus used a 7-iron on the 145 yard long hole to accomplish the feat in the tournament, his second tournament hole-in-one.

The Section would like to thank our Spring Pro-Pro Championship sponsors Ahead, and PTE Golf. The Philadelphia PGA will resume tournament action tomorrow, May 17, at Lehigh Country Club for the annual Spring Pro-Lady Team Championship.

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