EASTON, Pa. – For the second consecutive year, weather played a significant role in the GALV Lehigh Valley Open. Originally set to begin at 8:00am on Monday, July 24 the start of this year’s event was ultimately moved back to 2:00pm that day after significant rain fell in the Lehigh Valley Sunday night and Monday morning. Rain made a second appearance in the tournament’s opening round which forced players to complete their first round on Tuesday morning.

Opening round play resumed at 9:00am with most players having between three and five holes to play. After round one concluded players would have a short break before heading back out for the second and final round. In between rounds the maintenance staff at Northampton Country Club, who in spite of the weather managed to keep the golf course in terrific condition, would set new hole locations and tee positions. Players were also re-paired with the leaders going off of the first hole.

Leading the way after the first round was amateur Cole Miller (New Tripoli, Pa.) who posted an impressive 8-under (64) to lead the field by one shot. However chasing Miller was an outstanding group of Professionals including Michael Tobiason (Deerfield) who finished at 7-under (65), Pat Butkus (Overbrook Golf Club) who was two shots back at 6-under (66). Finishing their opening rounds three shots back at 5-under (67) was a trio of players that included two-time past champion Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range), John Pillar (CC of Woodloch Springs), and Mark Sheftic (Merion Golf Club).

With the second round of the tournament played as a shotgun it was difficult to gauge where each competitor was in relation to the top of the leaderboard. However, whispers began to circulate through the crowds that gathered that Miller may be making a move to separate himself from the field. However what was also unknown was whether or not someone from the field was making a move at Miller and the top spot.

With scores coming in fast and furious at the end of the shotgun one thing became clear, the whispers of Miller playing well were true. Miller posted four birdies and an eagle in his second round which helped him overcome a late bogey to finish with a second round score of 5-under (67) and a 36-hole total of 13-under (131).

What was also true was that there was a player in the field making a significant run at Miller. Merion’s Sheftic, playing in the group behind Miller, knew he had to post a low number to have any chance at grabbing win. Sheftic would give it all he had as he posted nine birdies, including five consecutive on holes 9-13, but a couple of late bogeys would prove costly. When all was said and done Sheftic would finish his second round with a score of 6-under (66) giving him a 36-hole total of 11-under (133) two shots back of Miller.

The win marks the first time an amateur has won the GALV Lehigh Valley Open in the ten year history of the event. All was not lost for Sheftic as he would finish as the tournament’s low PGA Professional.

“It was my first professional win, I have won NCAA tournaments but this is the first time I have ever won an event that featured a field of PGA Professionals”, said Miller on his victory. “It feels great to go up against some of the best players in the area and know that I can compete alongside of them.”

In the tournaments senior division John Pillar would take the top spot finishing the 36-hole event at 8-under (136). Pillar finished three shots clear of second place finisher Brian Kelly (Bucknell Golf Club) who posted a 5-under (139).

The Section would like to thank our title sponsor, the Golf Association of Lehigh Valley and Mr. Karl Gilbert as well as the entire staff and membership of Northampton Country Club for their hospitality.

The Philadelphia PGA tournament calendar continues this Friday, July 28 at Doylestown Country Club for the annual Doylestown Open. For complete coverage of the Philadelphia PGA be sure to follow us online Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

 1    Cole Miller (a)                             64-67--131 -13 
 2    Mark Sheftic         Merion GC              67-66--133 -11 
 3    Rich Steinmetz       Spring Ford CC         68-67--135 -9  
 T4   Michael Tobiason     Deerfield              65-71--136 -8  
 T4   John Pillar          CC at Woodloch Springs 67-69--136 -8  
 6    Matt Episcopo        Pine Valley GC         71-66--137 -7  
 T7   Greg Matthias        Tavistock CC           68-71--139 -5  
 T7   Kevin Kraft          Bumble Bee Hollow      70-69--139 -5  
 T7   Brian Kelly          Bucknell GC            69-70--139 -5  
 T10  Pat Butkus           Overbrook GC           66-74--140 -4  
 T10  Michael Little       Lookaway GC            68-72--140 -4  
 T10  Dave Quinn           Philmont CC            69-71--140 -4  
 T10  Jeff Fick            Chapel Hill GC         71-69--140 -4  
 T14  Brian Bergstol       Shawnee Inn and GR     71-70--141 -3  
 T14  Dave Pagett          Whitemarsh Valley CC   69-72--141 -3  
 T14  Terry Hertzog        CC of York             73-68--141 -3  
 T17  Stu Ingraham         M Golf Range           67-75--142 -2  
 T17  Kevin Scherr (a)                            71-71--142 -2  
 T17  Ashley Grier         Overbrook GC           72-70--142 -2  
 T17  Alex Knoll           Bethlehem GC           74-68--142 -2  
 T21  Joe Kogelman         GolfTEC Moorestown     68-75--143 -1  
 T21  John Olszewski (a)                          69-74--143 -1  
 T21  Eric Schultz         Sunnybrook GC          69-74--143 -1  
 T21  Gary Hardin          Northampton CC         71-72--143 -1  
 T21  Bob Hennefer         Indian Springs GC      72-71--143 -1  
 T26  Brett Melton         Radley Run CC          72-72--144 E   
 T26  Rob Rohrbach         Foxchase GC            72-72--144 E   
 T26  John Spina           Phila Cricket Club     72-72--144 E   
 T29  Eric Kennedy         Overbrook GC           69-76--145 +1  
 T29  Shawn Matthews       Huntingdon Valley CC   71-74--145 +1  
 T29  Bill Sautter         Phila Cricket Club     71-74--145 +1  
 T29  Billy Stewart        ACE Club               72-73--145 +1  
 T29  Mark Anderson        Phila Cricket Club     73-72--145 +1  
 T29  Mike Paukovits       St. Davids GC          73-72--145 +1  
 T29  J.T. Barker (a)                             73-72--145 +1  
 T29  Steve Swartz         Regents' Glen CC       76-69--145 +1  
 T37  George Forster       Radnor Valley CC       69-77--146 +2  
 T37  Dave Fields          Brookside CC           71-75--146 +2  
 T37  Brendon Post         Univ. of Delaware      71-75--146 +2  
 T37  Andrew Turner        Sunnybrook GC          72-74--146 +2  
 T37  Eric Figueroa        McCall Golf & CC       72-74--146 +2  
 T37  Bill Walker          Riverton CC            74-72--146 +2  
 T37  Sam Ambrose          Aronimink GC           75-71--146 +2  
 T37  Don DeAngelis        Center Square GC       77-69--146 +2  
 T45  Chris Duckett        Saucon Valley CC       72-75--147 +3  
 T45  Curtis Kirkpatrick   Indian Springs GC      72-75--147 +3  
 T45  Robin McCool (a)                            72-75--147 +3  
 T45  John Allen           Huntingdon Valley CC   76-71--147 +3  
 T45  Jason Wilson (a)                            76-71--147 +3  
 T50  Greg Farrow          Deerwood CC            71-77--148 +4  
 T50  Barry Dear           Twisted Dune           74-74--148 +4  
 T50  Nick Vecellio (a)                           75-73--148 +4  
 T50  Mike Furey           Mahoning Valley CC     76-72--148 +4  
 T54  Stephen Sieracki     Indian Springs GC      72-77--149 +5  
 T54  Dave Blichar (a)                            73-76--149 +5  
 T54  John DiMarco         Laurel Creek CC        72-77--149 +5  
 T54  Nick Maff (a)                               76-73--149 +5  
 T54  Michael Caldwell     Bidermann GC           77-72--149 +5  
 T54  Anthony Napoletano   GolfTEC-KoP            77-72--149 +5  
 T60  Rick Flesher         Applebrook GC          74-76--150 +6  
 T60  Ryan Shaughnessy     Woodstone CC           73-77--150 +6  
 T60  Chad Hess (a)                               74-76--150 +6  
 T60  Grant Schumaker (a)                         76-74--150 +6  
 T60  Eric McNamee         Golf Galaxy            75-75--150 +6  
 T60  Joe Coulson (a)                             76-74--150 +6  
 T60  Carlos Fullerton (a)                        77-73--150 +6  
 T67  Dustin McCormick     Glen Brook GC          75-76--151 +7  
 T67  Kevin Edwards        Olde Homestead GC      78-73--151 +7  
 T69  Steve Kluemper (a)                          73-79--152 +8  
 T69  Carson Solien        Aronimink GC           73-79--152 +8  
 T69  Mike Wood            Saucon Valley CC       75-77--152 +8  
 T69  Joe Jasinski (a)                            78-74--152 +8  
 T73  Don Allan            Burlington CC          75-78--153 +9  
 T73  Rick LeBeau          Gulph Mills GC         75-78--153 +9  
 T73  George Frake         Little Mill            76-77--153 +9  
 T73  Evan Notaro (a)                             78-75--153 +9  
 T73  Steve Frederick      Lehigh CC              78-75--153 +9  
 T73  Peter Clarke         Manufacturers GCC      80-73--153 +9  
 T79  Andy Watters         Talamore CC            78-76--154 +10 
 T79  Ryan McLean          Saucon Valley CC       80-74--154 +10 
 T81  Tom Moore            Applecross CC          74-82--156 +12 
 T81  Tony Sarko (a)                              80-76--156 +12 
 T81  Jeff Hudson (a)                             80-76--156 +12 
 84   James Boburka (a)                           75-82--157 +13 
 85   Bill Smith           Mahoning Valley CC     78-80--158 +14 
 T86  Gregg Gipp           Phoenixville CC        76-83--159 +15 
 T86  Collin Seip (a)                             79-80--159 +15 
 88   Peter Lovenguth      Silver Creek CC        76-84--160 +16 
 89   Jacob Siegfried (a)                         77-84--161 +17 
 T90  Alec Cwienkala (a)                          77-86--163 +19 
 T90  Steve Kiefner        Northampton CC         78-85--163 +19 
 T90  Dylan Spadt (a)                             84-79--163 +19 
 93   J R Delich           Applebrook GC          82-82--164 +20 
 94   Justin Tresslar (a)                         77-92--169 +25 
 95   Tony Shields         ACE Club               83-88--171 +27 
 96   Gary Strausser       Riverview CC           89-92--181 +37