Mount Laurel, N.J. – The opening round of the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship was held on Tuesday, September 19 at both Laurel Creek Country Club and Burlington Country Club. The field of 139 PGA Professionals was split between the two facilities for the Championship’s first day.
Playing in the tournament’s first pairing, Brendon Post (Univ of Delaware), playing his opening round at Laurel Creek Country Club, set the pace early. Post carded three birdies on his opening nine holes to make the turn at 3-under. As Post made his way back to the clubhouse he carded two birdies along with two bogeys to finish his inward nine at even par giving him a day one total of 3-under (68).
It was not until four hours later that anyone would join Post at the top of the leaderboard. John Cooper (Green Valley Country Club), also playing at Laurel Creek Country Club got off to a quick start with a birdie on the first hole. Cooper would add an additional birdie on the par-5 5th hole but after a double bogey on the tricky par-4 8th, his only blemish of the day, Cooper would make the turn at even par. After a couple of pars early in his back nine, Cooper would card three consecutive birdies on holes 12-14 to get to 3-under which is where he would finish his opening round.
While Post and Cooper were the low scores of the day, there are a number of players within striking distance heading into the Championship’s second round. Playing at Laurel Creek Country Club, Rusty Harbold (Philadelphia Cricket Club) managed one more birdie than bogey to post an opening round 1-under (70). A pair of even pars from Sam Ambrose (Aronimink Golf Club) and defending champion Jordan Gibbs (Gulph Mills Golf Club) leave them three shots back after round one.
The low round of the day at the Championship’s second course, Burlington Country Club, went to Tony Perla (LedgeRock Golf Club). Perla traded two birdies against two bogeys to make the turn at even par. After consecutive birdies on holes 10-11 Perla would drop a shot at the difficult par-3 12th hole dropping him to 1-under which is where he would finish.
The 54-hole Championship features a 36-hole cut and is the marquee event for all Philadelphia PGA Professionals. The top finisher will take home the William B. Packer Trophy along with the first place check and will lead 12 Philadelphia PGA Professionals to next summer’s 51st PGA Professional Championship at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, California. Players will now flip courses before playing their second rounds.
For complete coverage of the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship be sure to follow the action on philadelphia.pga.com or via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@PhiladelphiaPGA).
Mount Laurel, N.J. – The biggest event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar is set to take place next week at beautiful Laurel Creek Country Club in southern New Jersey. The 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship will feature nearly 140 Philadelphia PGA professionals all looking to cl
aim their spot as the Section’s top golfer and have their name forever engraved on the William B. Packer trophy. In addition to the top prize, all competitors will be looking to secure one of thirteen spots into next year’s 51st PGA Professional Championship at the Bayonet Black Course in Seaside, California.
Championship week will officially get underway on Monday, September 18 at Laurel Creek Country Club with the annual Mariniello Tournament of Champions Pro-Am. The Pro-Am is named in honor of past Variety – The Children’s Charity president and longtime friend of the Philadelphia PGA Vince Mariniello. The event will bring together more than twenty teams and will help to generate donations for the Philadelphia PGA’s charitable partner, Variety – The Children’s Charity of Delaware Valley.
As Championship week moves into tournament play, the first and second rounds of the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship will be held on Tuesday, September 19 and Wednesday, September 20 with play at both Laurel Creek Country Club and Burlington Country Club. For the opening rounds the field will be split with competitors alternating courses after their opening rounds. At the conclusion of the second round the tournament field will be cut to the low 60 players plus ties.
The final round of the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship will be played on Thursday, September 21 at Laurel Creek Country Club. The final round will get underway in the morning with players just inside the cut line leading the way allowing the tournament leaders to play together in the final parings in the early afternoon. At the conclusion of play, ties for the overall champion as well as any qualifying spot will be settled via a sudden death tiebreaker.
This year’s tournament field will feature thirteen past champions including defending champion Jordan Gibbs (Gulph Mills Golf Club). Gibbs will look to become the first person to defend his title since Rich Steinmetz (Spring Ford Country Club) accomplished the feat in 2010-2011. Also in the fie
ld will be 2015 champion Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club) who will be arriving at the Championship just a couple days after representing his country in the PGA Cup matches.
For complete coverage of the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship be sure to follow us on our Social Media Channels Facebook / Twitter / Instagram by using the #PPGAChamp
JoeSeptember 14, 2017Comments Off on Team USA makes its bid to win back Llandudno Trophy in showdown with Great Britain & Ireland in the 28th PGA CupUncategorized
By Bob Denney
PGA Historian
OTTERSHAW, Surrey, England (Sept. 14, 2017) – For those American players present two years ago, watching their Great Britain & Ireland counterparts taking turns leaping into a pond by the 18th green at CordeValle in San Martin, California, was unsettling.
The first U.S. loss on home soil in PGA Cup history stung, and now sets up a compelling weekend nearly 27 miles southwest of London. The 28th PGA Cup, the premier international event for PGA Club Professionals, opens Friday at Foxhills Club & Resort’s Longcross Course.
The U.S. owns a 17-6-4 series lead since the event began in 1973, and is 6-5-1 on the road in the chase for the Llandudno International Trophy.
To set the stage for Friday morning’s four-balls, the Americans got a heavy dose of encouragement following Thursday’s opening ceremony. They viewed a video in the Team Room featuring Jack Nicklaus, Paul Azinger, Dave Stockton, Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw, Maj. Dan Rooney, Golf Channel announcer/North Florida PGA Member Charlie Rymer and reigning PGA Champion Justin Thomas.
If that wasn’t enough, U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk dialed in from Florida, asking the team to “set the winning plate for us as we come over next year.” Furyk closed by saying, “Play your own game. I promise you it’s good enough.”
PGA of America President and U.S. Captain Paul Levy of Indian Wells, California, said he likes what’s he’s seen in his team during practice.
“We have five veterans that have played in these matches before and five who haven’t. But there are also a lot of mature guys,” said Levy. “It’s not like we have a team of 25-year-olds. We have got a lot of experienced players – even those who haven’t played in the match before – who have been top-notch club professionals, tour experienced-type players. So we are excited. We think we’ve got a great team.”
Among the veterans is a twosome who competed at CordeValle in 2015: reigning PGA Professional Champion Omar Uresti, a PGA Life Member from Austin, Texas; and Jamie Broce of Indianapolis, the new head men’s and women’s golf coach at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
“I feel like I take a lot of responsibility for my singles match in 2015,” said Broce. “I played great, and the guy I played made two eagles and three birdies in the last eight holes on me. He won the match and he really played well. I think their whole team played well and they earned it. We didn’t give them anything. For us to come over here to reclaim the Cup, we’re going to have to earn it. We’re not going to be able to back into anything.”
This marks Uresti’s third international team event, having competed in the Japan Friendship Matches as a junior at the University of Texas. “We definitely want to win the Cup back. To be on the first team that lost the Cup on U.S. soil was disappointing,” he said. “They have good players on their team and we have good ones on ours. We’ll be playing a course that is narrower than the old U.S. Open courses we’ve played.”
The 6,751-yard, par-72 Longcross is deceptively inviting in length, but has been honed to the specifications of Great Britain & Ireland Captain Albert MacKenzie. The fairways, according to Foxhills Director of Golf Chris Fitt, “have been pinched to provide bottlenecks” as a defense to the longest hitters.
There are no par-4s over 400 yards on the back nine, which leads to a shotmaker’s course and ideal for match play.
Great Britain & Ireland’s original plan was to utilize the longer Bernard Hunt Course. Both courses are well known to PGA Members here, as they host the annual Senior PGA Professional Championship.
“We just felt the Longcross Course was a little bit more British in its nature, where precision may be par around that course,” said MacKenzie, who was vice captain to winning 2015 Captain Jon Bevan. “Aesthetically, it’s easier on the eye and would provide a great theater for match play and the opportunity for more birdies on the back nine.
“Having been here the last four years for the British Seniors Championship, and finishing runner-up here in 2014, I am very fond of Foxhills. It is a wonderful resort, and offers virtually anything you want.”
MacKenzie doesn’t hide the fact that planning two years ago was paramount to bringing momentum to Great Britain & Ireland. “That was a great week,” said MacKenzie, “Jon (Bevan) was an inspirational Captain. We prepared very thoroughly. I would say the year before the PGA Cup, Jon and I had spoken 250 of the 365 days. It was a fantastic journey. We put a lot of effort into it. We had a template that we studied very closely for what happened in CordeValle and I pretty much used my personal twists.”
For Levy and his team, the task was aligning compatible partners who could mount a challenge. He also will call upon veterans in two-time PGA Professional Champion Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, New York; Mark Brown of Oyster Bay, New York; and 2013 PGA Professional Champion Rod Perry of Port Orange, Florida.
“It’s really exciting to represent your country. It’s a great honor, It’s something that most people don’t get to do very often,” said Dobyns, a PGA Head Professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, New York. “It’s also to be on a team, which in golf we don’t get to do very often. It brings back a lot of good memories from college. Being in England, adds another dimension to it, taking a special trip and kind of living the life of a tour player is really exciting and something we all cherish.”
Perry arrived Wednesday morning, having secured his family and home following the passing of Hurricane Irma. He was one of the fortunate to get early clearance for a flight from the nearby Orlando International Airport. The PGA Head Professional at Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club in Port Orange, who missed two days of practice here, was not using any excuses.
“I was ready to play and really enjoyed my time around the course. Playing with Jamie (Broce) was a lot of fun,” said Perry, who competed in 2013 at Slaley Hall in Northeast England, when the U.S. forged a tie to keep the Cup for two more years. “We know we are in for a tough match.”
Brown, a 51-year-old PGA Head Professional at Tam O’Shanter Club in Glen Head, New York, last competed in the PGA Cup in 2000. He’s a three-time runner-up in the PGA Professional Championship.
“When we get on the course, we’re pulling for each other,” said Brown. “When you see that flag on the back of your shirt, it is really a special honor. Hopefully, we’ll take care of business.”
Levy said that he is pleased with the pairings that have come together through the practice rounds.
“The most important things about putting people together are all about relationships. After three days, we have a good idea and two players and want to win a match,” said Levy. “The golf course is very narrow and some areas the rough is tough. When it’s all said and done it’s about getting the ball in the hole faster than the other.”
The U.S. PGA Cup “rookies” include 2016 PGA Professional Champion Rich Berberian Jr. of Hooksett, New Hampshire; Paul Claxton of Claxton, Georgia; Dave McNabb of Newark, Delaware; Adam Rainaud of Chester, Connecticut; and Josh Speight of Locust Hill, Virginia.
“When my brother and I found out that I had made the team, it was the most pumped up that I have been,” said Rainaud, a PGA Assistant Professional at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. “We get the camaraderie of the team and are friends forever.”
It’s been a season of major highs for McNabb, who competed in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, was runner-up to Uresti in the PGA Professional Championship; and added appearances in the U.S. Senior Open and the PGA Championship.
“I think this would be one of the highlights of my career, to be one of the top 10 PGA Professionals in the country and to represent my country,” said McNabb, the PGA Head Professional at Applebrook Golf Club in Malvern, Pennsylvania. “I think we have to play good solid team golf and bond together as a unit to get the job done.”
28th PGA Cup
United States
Captain: Paul Levy, Indian Wells, Calif.
Rich Berberian Jr., Hooksett, N.H.
Jamie Broce, Indianapolis, Ind.
Mark Brown, Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Paul Claxton, Claxton, Ga.
Matt Dobyns, Glen Head, N.Y.
Dave McNabb, Newark, Del.
Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla.
Adam Rainaud, Chester, Conn.
Josh Speight, Locust Hill, Va.
Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas
Great Britain & Ireland
Captain: Albert MacKenzie, Devon, England
Phillip Archer, Warrington, Cheshire, England
Robert Coles, Romford, Essex, England
Matthew Cort, Leicester, England
Christopher Currie, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Scotland
David Higgins, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland
Gary Houston, Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales
Greig Hutcheon, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Chris McDonnell, Chichester, West Sussex, England
Damien McGrane, Kells, County Meath, Ireland
Andrew Raitt, London, England
Friday Morning Four-Balls
7:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. EDT)
Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla. & Jamie Broce, Indianapolis, Ind. (USA) vs. Greig Hutcheon, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland & Damien McGrane, County Meath, Ireland (GB&I)
7:45 a.m. (2:45 a.m. EDT)
Rich Berberian Jr., Hooksett, N.H. & Adam Rainaud, Chester, Conn. (USA) vs. Robert Coles, Romford, Essex, England & Chris McDonnell, Chichester, England (GB&I)
8:00 a.m. (3:00 a.m. EDT)
Matt Dobyns, Glen Head, N.Y. & Mark Brown, Oyster Bay, N.Y. (USA) vs. Phillip Archer, Warrington, England & Andrew Raitt, London, England (GB&I)
8:15 a.m. (3:15 a.m. EDT)
Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas & Paul Claxton, Claxton, Ga. (USA) vs. Chris Currie, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Scotland & David Higgins, Killarney, Count Kerry, Ireland (GB&I)
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – On Wednesday, August 30th, the Philadelphia PGA held the annual Summer Pro-Lady Team at Sunnybrook Golf Club. The event brought 43 teams together from around the Philadelphia Section; each made up of 1 professional and 3 female amateur players. The weather was perfect all day as the morning and afternoon waves made their way around the 18-hole golf course.
Finishing in first place in the Net division was the team from Huntingdon Valley Country Club. The team led by professional, Shawn Matthews playing with amateur partners Kelly Gregor, Trudy Horrocks, and Judy Leighton each contributed multiple birdies on their way to a final team score of 13-under-par (59). There were three teams finishing in second place at 11-under-par (61); the team from The Springhaven Club, Huntingdon Valley Country Club and Country Club of Harrisburg.
Taking first place in the Gross division was the team from Country Club of Harrisburg with a 6-under-par (66) led by professional Jeff Breiner playing with amateur partners Mauria Matthews, Karen May, and Jennifer Donnelly.
The Section would like to thank Synlawn for their support in sponsoring this event as well as the staff of Sunnybrook GC for hosting.
Our next event is the Philadelphia Section Championship on September 19-21st at Laurel Creek Country Club and Burlington Country Club.
JoeAugust 22, 2017Comments Off on Dave Quinn Captures Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Title; Earns Berth in 29th Senior PGA Professional ChampionshipChampionships
VILLANOVA, Pa. August 22, 2017 – Dave Quinn of (Marlton, N.J.), winner of the Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship August 21-22, 2017 at Radnor Valley Country Club will lead eight Philadelphia PGA Professionals to compete Sept. 28 – Oct. 1, in the 29th Senior PGA Professional Championship.
The national Championship, presented by Mercedes-Benz USA and supported by Golf Advisor and John Deere, will be held at Desert Mountain’s Cochise and Geronimo Courses in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Quinn turned in a winning total of 5-under-par 135 to capture the Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship supported by Golf Advisor and Mercedes-Benz USA. Dave McNabb of (Newark, Del.) finished one strokes back at 4-under-par 136. They are joined by George Forster (Blue Bell, Pa.), John Pillar (Hawley, Pa.), Greg Farrow (Marlton, N.J.), Stu Ingraham (Broomall, Pa.), Wayne Phillips (Allentown, Pa.), and John DiMarco (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
The Senior PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of 264 contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections, and features a total purse of $300,000. The first two rounds will be conducted on the Cochise and Geronimo Courses. The first cut will be made after 36 holes of play to the low 90 players plus ties. The second cut will be made after 54 holes of play to the low 70 players plus ties. The final two rounds will be played on the Conchise course.
The Cochise and Geronimo Courses, each Jack Nicklaus designs, present a wide-ranging test of skill. The Cochise Course’s par-72 layout can be extended to 7,042 yards with the Sonoran desert touching on every side. From 2012-2016, the course was host to the PGA Tour Champions season-ending Charles Schwab Championship, and it is a former site of The Tradition, one of five major championships on the PGA Tour Champions. The Cochise Course features four premier “risk-reward” par-5 holes, along with rolling fairways surrounded by water and dramatic rock outcroppings.
The Geronimo Course is perhaps the most visually intimidating of six courses at Desert Mountain, and chosen one of the Most Challenging Golf Courses in Arizona by the Phoenix Business Journal. The par-72, 7,293-yard layout winds its way through dramatic boulders, deep washes, ravines and lush desert and over stunning plateaus.
Begun in 1989, the Senior PGA Professional Championship is modeled after the PGA Professional Championship, with a field of 50-and-older senior PGA Professionals who advanced through 41 Section Championships conducted from June through August this year.
The top 35 finishers in the national Championship earn a berth in the 79th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, which will be conducted in May 2018, at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The top five finishers earn an exemption into the final stage of the 2018 PGA Tour Champions National Finals. Since its debut, many participants in the Senior PGA Professional Championship have used their success in the event as a springboard to a PGA Tour Champions career.
AboutMercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty CLA-Class with four-door coupe to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT S.
AboutThe PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, with 28,000 professionals who daily work to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmericaon Twitter and find us on Facebook.
Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship
Aug 21 – Aug 22, 2017
Senior Championship Media Results
Qualifiers: 8 Alternates: 5
QUALIFIERS
1 Dave Quinn Philmont CC 68-67--135 -5
2 Dave McNabb Applebrook GC 68-68--136 -4
3 George Forster Radnor Valley CC 67-70--137 -3
T4 John Pillar CC at Woodloch Springs 69-69--138 -2
T4 Greg Farrow Deerwood CC 67-71--138 -2
T4 Stu Ingraham M Golf Range 65-73--138 -2
7 Wayne Phillips Lehigh CC 71-70--141 +1
T8 John DiMarco Laurel Creek CC 71-71--142 +2
ALTERNATES - IN ORDER
T8 Don Allan Burlington CC 74-68--142 +2
T10 John Allen Huntingdon Valley CC 72-71--143 +3
T10 Brian Kelly Bucknell GC 71-72--143 +3
T10 Rick Flesher Applebrook GC 69-74--143 +3
13 John Appleget Wildwood Golf & CC 71-73--144 +4
DID NOT QUALIFY
14 Jeff Bonicky Sea Oaks GC 74-72--146 +6
15 Don DeAngelis Center Square GC 76-71--147 +7
T16 Jack Connelly North Hills CC 76-72--148 +8
T16 Rob Shuey Colonial GC 74-74--148 +8
T16 Gary Hardin Northampton CC 73-75--148 +8
T16 Harvey Williams Philly PGA 69-79--148 +8
20 Jeb Boyle Centre Hills CC 76-73--149 +9
T21 Bill Sautter Phila Cricket Club 77-73--150 +10
T21 Mark Anderson Phila Cricket Club 76-74--150 +10
T21 Tom Carpus Philly PGA 75-75--150 +10
T21 Mike Dynda LuLu CC 72-78--150 +10
25 John Kellogg Radley Run CC 78-73--151 +11
26 Linda Nevatt ACE Club 78-74--152 +12
T27 Bob Lennon Wilmington CC 81-73--154 +14
T27 Mickey Sokalski Philmont CC 76-78--154 +14
T29 Ed Dougherty Philly PGA 83-72--155 +15
T29 Frank Palumbo Rolling Green GC 77-78--155 +15
31 Brian Leib Hanover CC 81-75--156 +16
32 Jack Brennan Mountain View CC 80-79--159 +19
33 Jim Baer Ingleside GC 78-82--160 +20
34 J R Delich Applebrook GC 77-84--161 +21
35 Kevin Shaw Philly PGA 83-81--164 +24
T36 Joe Ambrose Keystone College 86-81--167 +27
T36 Michael Hodges PeninsulaGolf&CC 84-83--167 +27
38 Bob Doria Medford Village CC 85-89--174 +34
West Chester, PA. – On a beautiful Thursday afternoon the Philadelphia PGA held the annual Pro-Junior Championship at Concord Country Club. The Championship pairs one PGA Professional with one amateur, male or female, 18 years of age or younger. In addition to being a competitive event that allows the junior golfer to experience a Philadelphia PGA Professional tournament, the Championship is also about camaraderie between PGA Professionals and the junior participants.
The Championship is played better ball of partner’s Net event (with amateurs getting 80% of their handicap), but a Gross division is also added, with teams only allowed to earn prizes in one division.
The tournament was a 1pm shotgun. As the scorecards were turned in, Mark Sheftic (Merion GC) and his amateur partner Kevin Smith posted the score to beat in the Net Division with 9-under par total of 62. After Sheftic thought all odds were in his favor Bob Lennon (Wilmington CC) and his amateur partner Ty Brinker managed a 10-under par 61 (29-32) to win the Net Division.
Although Bob Lennon and his amateur partner were first in the Net Divison they also finished on top in the Gross Division. With the teams ahead of them winning more in the Net Division, the team of Hugh Matthis (Tavistock CC) and partner Mary McGuinness won the top spot in the Gross division with a 6-under 65.
The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank the staff of Concord Country Club for helping make this event successful today. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA’s schedule is Philadelphia Senior PGA Championship on August 21-22 at Radnor Valley Country Club in Villanova, Pa.
WEST CHESTER, Pa, – On Sunday, August 27th Penn Oaks Golf Club hosted the first day of the Pro-Am for Wishes tournament benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. The first round of this two-day tournament pairs one PGA Professionals with two amateurs. The format for the event is one best ball of the two amateurs, (with ams receiving 100% of their established handicap), plus the professional’s score. Continue reading
JoeJuly 31, 2017Comments Off on Teams from Radley Run & Tavistock Lead the Way at Pro-Assistant-Pro ChampionshipUncategorized
Galloway, N.J. – On a beautiful mid-summer afternoon, 187 PGA Professionals and Assistant PGA Professionals descended upon the New Jersey shore and Seaview Resort for the annual Pro-Assistant-Pro Championship. This event pairs the highest ranking PGA Professional at a given facility with each of his or her PGA Assistant Professionals in a better ball of partners event. The tournament was held on both the Bay and Pines course at Seaview Resort with prizes awarded on each course separately.
Leading the way on the Bay course was the team from Radley Run Country Club featuring John Kellogg and Brett Melton. As a team the duo posted two eagles, both carded by Kellogg, and six birdies to finish with a team total of 10-under (61). The score was good enough for a three shot victory over the pair of Paul Viola and Alex Knoll from Bethlehem Golf Club who finished at 7-under (64). Three teams finished tied for third place after posting scores of 6-under (65). The group featured Tom Michaels and Ben Bewley of Bershire Country Club, Michael Ferguson and Tony Perla from Philadelphia Cricket Club, and Chris Wilkinson and Jared Murosky of Llanerch Country Club.
The Pines Course also featured a clear cut winner after the team of Hugh Matthis and Greg Matthias from Tavistock Country Club finished with a score of 8-under (63). The pair played bogey free while adding eight birdies to give them a two-shot victory over the field. A trio of teams posted scores of 6-under (65) to finish tied for second place. The first team to get to 6-under was Linda Nevatt and Billy Stewart from The ACE Club while the remaining two teams were both from Indian Springs Golf Club. Curtis Kirkpatrick paired with both Steve Sieracki and Brett Fernandes to finish in the second place tie.
The Section would like to thank our sponsors Cutter & Buck, Golf Max, Country Club Editions, and the PGA Tour for supporting this great event. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar is Thursday’s Skee Riegel Senior Open at Radnor Valley Country Club on Thursday, August 3.
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Elverson, Pa. – On Thursday 23 teams gathered at French Creek Golf Club for the National Car Rental French Creek Team Stableford. The teams not only had to tame the course, but they had to battle through one of the hottest days of the summer thus far. All teams featured one PGA Professional and three amateurs and played a Stableford points event competing for both Net and Gross division prizes.
In the Net division Jonathan Trauner (GolfTEC Moorestown) and his partners Scott Shawlinski, Skip Gmitter, and Al Silvestri turned in a score of 89 points, which included 7 net eagles, and 4 net birdies, but Shawn Hall (Radley Run CC) and his partners Jerry Shanahan, Mike Roy, and Jeffrey Gressel matched that score. However neither team would win as Brett Melton (Radley Run Country Club) and his amateur partners Alex Kane, Steve Murta, Jr., and Jim Krass finished with 90 points. They also tied for the Gross division top spot but teams can only win in one division.
In the Gross Division Justin Meyers (Golf Genius) and his partners Rob Blari, Gregg Russell, and Scott Blandford handed in their scorecard with 7 birdies and 3 eagles for a total of 81 points. Unfortunately for team Meyers, John Kulhamer (Green Pond Country Club) and his amateur partners Tom Lusto, Charles Leon, Jason Wilson topped the leaderboard. The team carded 11 gross birdies to finish their round with 82 points and the win.
The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank tournament sponsors National Car Rental as well as SynLawn. Additionally the Philadelphia PGA thanks the membership and staff of French Creek Golf Club for their continued support. The Philadelphia PGA’s next event is the GALV Lehigh Valley Open scheduled for Monday, July 24 – Tuesday, July 25 at Northampton Country Club.
York, Pa. – A predication of a stormy forecast threatened the Philadelphia PGA’s Pro-Scratch Championship at the Country Club of York. The event would mark the first time the Section would return to the course in over a decade. However, with the odds seemingly against the tournament only a small rain shower in the afternoon hampered the players in the field. The Pro-Scratch Championship is a two-man teamconsistingone PGA professional andone amateur at scratch.
Playing in the second tee time in the morning John Spina (Philadelpha Cricket Club) and his son J.T. scored an impressive number of 9-under (63) and thought they had to wait all day to see if anyone would come close to their score. However, shortly after the Spinas turned in their score, Rusty Harbold (Philadelphia Cricket Club) and his amateur partner Aaron Fricke jumped to the top of the leaderboard with 12 birdies and 6 pars on their scorecard to score an even more impressive 12-under (60).
At the end of the day the score stood and Harbold and Fricke would become the champions. Congratulations goes to Jacob Hoffer’s (The Union League Golf Club) amateur partner A.J. Jaskel who scored an ace on the 166 yard par 3, 17th.
The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank our newest sponsor, PXG, along with the membership and staff of the Country Club of York for making the Pro-Scratch Championship a success. The Philadelphia PGA will be back in action on Monday July 10 for the William Hyndman, III Memorial Classic at Huntington Valley Country Club.
