Lafayette Hill, Pa. (June 28, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional Ryan Rucinski of Wilmington (Del.) Country Club, battled the field and oppressive heat to capture the 2025 Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club for his first Philadelphia PGA Section victory.

The championship is supported by Srixon | Cleveland Golf, Payntr Golf / Frank Wittenberg / Quaker Sales, Ohana Farm LLC, and the PGA Tour.

Rucinski carded rounds of 66-69–135 to finish at 9-under-par, four strokes ahead of the duo finishing in a tie for second place: Austin Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, and Zac Oakley, Bidermann Golf Club. The Country Club of York’s Andrew Turner and Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort’s Brian Bergstol tied for fourth place at 3-under-par.

“My good memories from playing at Whitemarsh Valley in the past helped me,” Rucinski said after his second round. “I was medalist in the Philadelphia Amateur here in 2018. I relied on my past experiences and knowledge of the course. Keep doing what got me here.

He said that he was given a gift, and has been very fortunate to be a part of golf for most of his life.

“Our Section is filled with great players, and we do an amazing job hosting tournaments, so it’s pretty cool to get my name on the trophy.”

Rucinski went on to thank his family, the Wilmington Country Club membership and staff, the Section staff, partners, and Whitemarsh Valley Country Club for hosting.

Our champion, a PGA Associate, is still working through the first level of his PGA of America education and is ineligible to compete in the 2025 Assistant PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on November 13-16. However, seven other Philadelphia PGA Professionals will travel south to compete in the event: Andrew Turner; Brian Bergstol; Andrew Cornish, Green Valley Country Club; Matt Zehner, Pine Valley Golf Club; Zach Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club; Chad Ferguson, Pine Valley Golf Club; and Zac Oakley. Oakley was already exempt for the tournament in November thanks to second-place-tie in the 2024 championship.

To view the full 2025 Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship leaderboard, click here.

The 2025 Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship is supported by Srixon | Cleveland Golf, Payntr Golf / Frank Wittenberg / Quaker Sales, Ohana Farm LLC, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, its membership, management, staff, and host PGA of America Golf Professionals, 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

Doylestown, Pa. (July 25, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional Braden Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., battled through the oppressive heat and severe weather to claim victory in the 2025 Doylestown Open at Doylestown Country Club, his first Section victory of the year. Shattuck previously won this event in 2022.

His round 5-under-par round of 67 tied Brian Bergstol of Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, but Bergstol, who teed off in the event’s second pairing, was not present to compete in a sudden-death playoff. In accordance with the Philadelphia PGA Section’s Rules and Regulations, Section 8.09 – Playoffs, PGA Professionals who do not onsite for a playoff lose the right to compete for first place.

With the heat index reaching nearly 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and an hour-and-fifteen-minute severe weather delay, Shattuck had more to contend with other than the field. He made six birdies and a lone bogey to get to 5-under-par.

“[The heat] was tough,” Shattuck said following his round. “I probably need to spend more time in a sauna to get used to the heat, to be honest.”

Shattuck joked that one of his playing competitors, Jeff Fick, deserved most of the credit, as he helped keep him calm throughout the round. He went on to thank his wife, Veoletta, for being so supportive, all the members and staff at Rolling Green for everything they do for him, Doylestown for hosting, and the Section staff for running the event.

Chesapeake Bay Golf Club’s Austin Barbin finished in a tie for third place at 3-under-par with Aronimink Golf Club’s Riley Wheeldon. Seven PGA Professionals tied for fifth place at 2-under-par.

In the Senior Division, John Pillar, Country Club at Woodloch Springs, earned the victory, finishing at 1-under-par, four strokes ahead of Eric Kennedy, Overbrook Golf Club. Three PGA Professionals tied for third place at 4-over-par. Deerwood Country Club’s Greg Farrow took the top prize in the Super Senior Division, bettering three PGA Professionals by two strokes.

The Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) held an event concurrently with the Doylestown Open, with Brian Bergstol taking the top prize. Austin Barbin finished in second place three behind the victor. Green Valley Country Club’s Andrew Cornish, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club’s Zach Barbin, and Bidermann Golf Club’s Zac Oakley tied for third place at 2-under-par.

Matthew Hutcheson turned in a 2-over-par 74 to earn Low Amateur honors; he finished two strokes ahead of Ryan Rigby, and four in front of Neil Gordon.

View the full 2025 Doylestown Open leaderboard by clicking here.

The 2025 Doylestown Open is presented by Doylestown Country Club and 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 Doylestown Country Club, their owners, 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 Pro-Am for Wishes at Penn Oaks Country Club in West Chester, Pa., on Sunday, August 3 – Monday, August 4.

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

Welcome to the latest episode of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s web series, “Playing Through,” where PGA of America Golf Professionals, Section staff, Section partners, and other industry professionals are asked 18 questions about their lives and careers.

This episode features PGA of America Member Matt Bonanno, the PGA head golf professional at Newark (Del.) Country Club.

To watch the episode, click on the below button.

If you are interested in appearing in a future episode, please complete this form by clicking here. To watch past episodes, click here.