Clarks Summit, Pa.. (September 12, 2023) — Zac Oakley of Bidermann Golf Club in Wilmington, Del., is 10-under-par and leads the 102nd Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship by one stroke over Braden Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., entering the final round.

Oakley turned in his second-consecutive 5-under-par 67, today at the Country Club of Scranton, after playing his first round at Elmhurst Country Club yesterday. He had a bogey-free second round, and has made only one bogey all week.

“I was pretty solid off the tee,” Oakley said of his second round. “I wanted to make sure that I hit fairways, because the rough {at C.C. of Scranton} is deep.”

I putted {well} from six feet and in; I made all of those. These Scranton greens have a lot more slope, and were more difficult to judge than yesterday.”

Oakley said his game plan will remain the same for tomorrow’s final round: find fairways, keep the same rhythm and tempo, and play smart approach shots into the greens. To view Oakley’s full remarks, click here.

Oakley, who earned his first Section win of the season at the 2023 National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship, will battle reigning PGA Professional Champion Braden Shattuck, and 2023 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Champion Rich Steinmetz, Spring Ford C.C., in the final pairing tomorrow.

Steinmetz is tied for third place with Michael Meisenzahl, Little Mill C.C., three strokes behind Oakley. Union League Liberty Hill’s Billy Stewart, PGA, is at 5-under-par in fifth place, and delivered one of the highlights of the championship today, holing his second shot on the par-5 18th hole (his ninth of the round) for a double eagle. Stewart hit a 3-wood from 240 yards.

“I crushed it,” said Stewart.

He was only aware that it went in when a C.C. of Scranton member watching the action from behind the green started to celebrate.

One-hundred-thirty of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s best players are competing for the William B. Packer Trophy and a berth into the 2024 PGA Professional Championship, ​April 28 – May 1, at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco in Texas. From there, PGA Members from the 41 PGA Sections will compete to join the Corebridge Financial PGA Team and earn a berth into the 2024 PGA Championship on May 13-19, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

The low 60 players and ties will advance to the final round, scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, September 13 at 8:00 a.m., at the C.C. of Scranton. Follow the action via our live scoring by visiting golfgenius.com/pages/4010280. For more information on the championship, including the week’s schedule, pairings, and more, visit the championship’s official e-publication. Members of the media are welcome onsite to cover the championship.

To view the full 102nd Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship leaderboard, click here.

The 102nd Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex, and is supported by Golf Channel, Gallagher, the PGA Tour, Titleist, FootJoy, Callaway, Nike, TaylorMade Golf, and SCNS Sports Foods. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our hosts, the Country Club of Scranton and Elmhurst Country 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.

The next Philadelphia PGA Rolex / The Haverford Trust Company Player of the Year tournament on the schedule is the Philadelphia Players Championship on Monday, September 18, at Lookaway Golf Club.

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