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.

MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans and smart product in the U.S.  More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com, www.mbsprinterusa.comand www.startusa.com.

Accredited journalists can visit our media site at www.media.mbusa.com.  Follow us on Twitter @MBUSAnews.

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.

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

The deadline to register for the 96th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is the Wednesday, August 23rd. As a reminder you must register with PGA of America before the deadline to be eligible to participate in the Championship.

If you have any questions please contact the Philadelphia PGA tournament office – 215.886.7742

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.

Full Leaderboard

Philadelphia Pa. –On a rainy Monday morning nearly 75 Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professionals converged on the newly renovated Union League Golf Club at Torresdale for the National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship. With weather threatening the tournament, all competitors did their best to battle both the difficult course and the rainy conditions as they tried to play their way into this November’s 41^st National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship to be at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla, November 9-12, 2017.

Quickly as the scorecards came in Brian Bergstol (Bangor, Pa.) would go to the top of the leaderboard with a score of -2 under par 68. Bergstol carded one birdie on the first hole, then, added three more birdies on the back nine. With only two bogies the whole day in nasty weather conditions Bergstol did better than everyone and ended  the day with the title of champion.

“My caddie asked me if he wanted him to come out today, and I told him no because it didn’t make sense in this weather, I usually complain to him in weather like today but because he wasn’t there I just kept playing, and I guess that worked in my favor today,” Brian Bergstol stated.

Billy Stewart (Devon, Pa.) the only other player under par, fell one shot short with a -1 under par 69. Stewart had back to back birdies on holes one and two followed by another birdie on hole 5.

By winning Bregstol qualified for the 41^th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, Nov. 9-12, at PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker Course) in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The facility will be hosting its twenty-second consecutive Assistant PGA Professional Championship.

“Mission accomplished,” said Bergstol when asked how it feels to qualify for this year’s Assistant PGA Professional Championship. “I wouldn’t say I played the best that I could have and I would have loved to play this course again in better weather conditions; I was only in the rough once which helped in these conditions; although I would have loved to play 36 today I’m happy with how the day turned out.”

Bergstol and Stewart will be joined at November’s Championship by fellow Assistants Jakob Gerney (Sewell, N.J.) who finished with an even par (70), as well as Andrew Turner (Honey Brook, Pa.), and Jordan Gibbs (Philadelphia, Pa.) who posted a score of 1-over (71).

The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank the membership and staff of The Union League at Torresdale as well as tournament sponsor National Car Rental, and our presenting sponsors Srixon, Cleveland Golf, XXIO, Golf Advisor, John Deere, and PGA Tour. The next event of the Philadelphia PGA calendar is the Pro-Junior Championship at Concord Country Club this Thursday August 10.

Qualifiers: 5  Alternates: 4

QUALIFIERS
 1   Brian Bergstol     Shawnee Inn and GR         34-34--68 -2  
 2   Billy Stewart      ACE Club                   33-36--69 -1  
 3   Jakob Gerney       Trump National GC- Philly  33-37--70 E   
 T4  Andrew Turner      Sunnybrook GC              34-37--71 +1  
 T4  Jordan Gibbs       Gulph Mills GC             35-36--71 +1  


ALTERNATES - IN ORDER
 T4  Greg Matthias      Tavistock CC               35-36--71 +1  
 7   Rusty Harbold      Philadelphia Cricket Club  35-37--72 +2  
 T8  Mike Furey         Mahoning Valley CC         37-36--73 +3  
 T8  James Hoke         The Union League GC        36-37--73 +3  


DID NOT QUALIFY
 10  Tony Perla         Philadelphia Cricket Club  35-36--71 +1  
 11  Ashley Grier       Overbrook GC               38-35--73 +3  
 T12 David Henry        Huntingdon Valley CC       38-36--74 +4  
 T12 Shawn Matthews     Huntingdon Valley CC       36-38--74 +4  
 T12 Michael Little     Lookaway GC                35-39--74 +4  
 T12 Jordan Shuey       West Shore CC              38-36--74 +4  
 T12 Brett Melton       Radley Run CC              33-41--74 +4  
 T12 Matt Episcopo      Pine Valley GC             37-37--74 +4  
 T18 Robby Bruns        Merion GC                  38-37--75 +5  
 T18 Pat Butkus         Overbrook GC               38-37--75 +5  
 T18 Sean Szerencsits   Southmoore GC              36-39--75 +5  
 T18 Isaac Bickel       Sunnybrook GC              37-38--75 +5  
 T22 Michael Caldwell   Bidermann GC               39-37--76 +6  
 T22 Rick LeBeau        Gulph Mills GC             36-40--76 +6  
 T22 Kevin Kraft        Bumble Bee Hollow          36-40--76 +6  
 T22 Carson Solien      Aronimink GC               41-35--76 +6  
 T22 Corey McAlarney    Squires GC                 38-38--76 +6  
 T22 Zac Oakley         Heritage Shores GC         36-40--76 +6  
 T22 Jeff Herb          Waynesborough CC           38-38--76 +6  
 T22 Sam Ambrose        Aronimink GC               38-38--76 +6  
 T30 Andrew Geesey      Meadia Heights GC          39-38--77 +7  
 T30 Chris Duckett      Saucon Valley CC           38-39--77 +7  
 T30 Kevin Nicholson    White Manor CC             40-37--77 +7  
 T30 Chris Wright       Llanerch CC                36-41--77 +7  
 T30 Jesse Hackett      Kennett Square G & CC      38-39--77 +7  
 T35 Matthew Hillier    Pine Valley GC             38-40--78 +8  
 T35 Andrew Hill        Manufacturers GCC          40-38--78 +8  
 T35 Alex Knoll         Bethlehem GC               37-41--78 +8  
 T35 Dan Marz           Huntingdon Valley CC       34-44--78 +8  
 T39 Jim Parella        Blue Bell CC               39-40--79 +9  
 T39 Brendan White      Trenton CC                 40-39--79 +9  
 T39 Brad Sanders       Tavistock CC               39-40--79 +9  
 T39 Tyler Franks       Merion GC                  39-40--79 +9  
 T39 Kevin Fairchild    Greate Bay GC              38-41--79 +9  
 T44 Gary Mackay        Trump National GC- Philly  38-42--80 +10 
 T44 Aaron Hartman      Philadelphia Cricket Club  41-39--80 +10 
 T44 Andrew Pierson     Camden County GA           41-39--80 +10 
 T44 Kevin Rossi        Lookaway GC                37-43--80 +10 
 T44 David Sandberg     Pine Valley GC             41-39--80 +10 
 T44 Vincent Kabaso     Cleveland Golf             35-45--80 +10 
 T50 Steve Frederick    Lehigh CC                  40-41--81 +11 
 T50 Matt Brown         Whitemarsh Valley CC       38-43--81 +11 
 T50 Trevor Bensel      Huntingdon Valley CC       40-41--81 +11 
 T53 Christian Castelli Philadelphia CC            40-42--82 +12 
 T53 Sean Furman        Atlantic City CC           42-40--82 +12 
 T53 Brian Dionisio     Aronimink GC               43-39--82 +12 
 T53 Tyler Canaday      The Springhaven Club       42-40--82 +12 
 T57 Jacob Hoffer       The Union League GC        41-42--83 +13 
 T57 Brandon Kuzmich    Merion GC                  42-41--83 +13 
 T57 Jason Howard       Tavistock CC               41-42--83 +13 
 T57 Ryan McLean        Saucon Valley CC           41-42--83 +13 
 T57 Peter Clarke       Manufacturers GCC          41-42--83 +13 
 T57 Sean Schwarze      GolfTEC - Lehigh Valley    42-41--83 +13 
 T63 Branden Allen      Sunnybrook GC              43-41--84 +14 
 T63 Evan Mitchell      Spring Mill CC             41-43--84 +14 
 65  Tony Shields       ACE Club                   46-39--85 +15 
 T66 Matthew Walbert    Saucon Valley CC           43-43--86 +16 
 T66 Joe Shapley        Indian Springs GC          41-45--86 +16 
 T66 Andrew Heffernan   St. Davids GC              41-45--86 +16 
 69  Greg Wingate       Merion GC                  42-46--88 +18 
 70  Ron Pine           Whitemarsh Valley CC       42-51--93 +23 

Villanova, Pa. – The 2017 edition of the Robert “Skee” Riegel Senior Open was played on Thursday, August 3 at Radnor Valley Country Club. The tournament, named for the longtime PGA Professional, brought together some of the Section’s best Senior PGA Professionals as well as one senior amateur competitor for a one-day, 18-hole stroke play event.

Early in the tournament a trio of competitors would finish at 1-under (69) to share the clubhouse lead. The first to reach the number was Greg Farrow (Deerwood Country Club) who finished with three birdies and two bogeys. Joining him in consecutive groups were John Pillar (Country Club of Woodloch Springs) and Brian Kelly (Bucknell Golf Club) who each finished with one more birdie than bogey to match Farrow at 1-under.

However, host professional, George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club) used his home course knowledge to post a number that bested the trio and gave all his fellow competitors a number to chase. Forster made his way around the par-70 golf course bogey-free while adding three birdies to finish with a tournament score of 3-under (67).

It looked as though Forster’s number would be good enough for a win until the tournament’s penultimate group came to the scoring area. Past champion Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) carded four birdies against only one bogey to match Forster at 3-under (67) forcing a sudden death playoff between the two Section legends.

As the pair headed out on Radnor Valley’s first hole, Forster’s drive found the fairway while Ingraham’s tee shot stayed in the rough. Despite being in prime position off the tee, Forster found himself away after both players reached the green with their second shots. Putting first, Forster was able to make his 15- foot birdie putt making Ingraham ‘s 9-foot putt to halve the hole seem a lot longer.  Despite his best effort, Ingraham’s putt fell just short giving Forster the 2017 title and the third Skee Riegel Senior Open of his career.

All was not lost for Farrow as he took home top honors in the tournament’s Super Senior division, narrowly edging out Don DeAngelis (Center Square Golf Club) who finished the day with an even par (70).

The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank the membership and staff of Radnor Valley Country as well as tournament sponsors Morell Studios and the PGA Tour. The next event of the Philadelphia PGA calendar is the National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the Union League Golf Club at Torresdale on Monday, August 7.

 T1  George Forster      Radnor Valley CC           32-35--67 -3  
 T1  Stu Ingraham        M Golf Range               34-33--67 -3  
 T3  Greg Farrow         Deerwood CC                36-33--69 -1  
 T3  John Pillar          CC at Woodloch Springs    34-35--69 -1  
 T3  Brian Kelly         Bucknell GC                35-34--69 -1  
 6   Don DeAngelis       Center Square GC           37-33--70 E   
 T7  John Allen          Huntingdon Valley CC       35-36--71 +1  
 T7  Jack Connelly       North Hills CC             36-35--71 +1  
 T7  Mark Anderson       Philadelphia Cricket Club  36-35--71 +1  
 T10 Mike Moses          Concord CC                 36-36--72 +2  
 T10 Don Allan           Burlington CC              34-38--72 +2  
 T10 Dave Quinn          Philmont CC                37-35--72 +2  
 T13 Terry Hertzog       CC of York                 37-36--73 +3  
 T13 Dave McNabb         Applebrook GC              36-37--73 +3  
 T13 Bob Lennon          Wilmington CC              37-36--73 +3  
 16  Tom Carpus          Kennett Square G & CC      34-40--74 +4  
 T17 John Kellogg        Radley Run CC              37-38--75 +5  
 T17 Paul Galczyk        Westover CC                40-35--75 +5  
 T17 Harvey Williams     Philly PGA                 37-38--75 +5  
 T20 Mickey Sokalski     Philmont CC                39-37--76 +6  
 T20 Mike Dynda          LuLu CC                    37-39--76 +6  
 T20 Rick Flesher        Applebrook GC              39-37--76 +6  
 T20 Kerry Mattern       Cedarbrook CC              39-37--76 +6  
 T20 Ed Dougherty        Philly PGA                 37-39--76 +6  
 T20 Rob Shuey           Colonial GC                38-38--76 +6  
 T26 Kevin Shaw          Deerfield                  39-38--77 +7  
 T26 William Bondaruk    Medford Lakes CC           37-40--77 +7  
 T26 Jeff Van Etten      Hanover CC                 39-38--77 +7  
 T29 Linda Nevatt        ACE Club                   39-40--79 +9  
 T29 J R Delich          Applebrook GC              40-39--79 +9  
 T29 Mike Mack           Burlington CC              39-40--79 +9  
 T29 Jeff Bonicky        Sea Oaks GC                43-36--79 +9  
 T33 Frank Palumbo       Rolling Green GC           40-41--81 +11 
 T33 Michael Chomicz (a)                            40-41--81 +11 
 T35 Rick Osberg         Philly PGA                 40-42--82 +12 
 T35 Joe Ambrose         Paupack Hills G & CC       39-43--82 +12 
 37  John Carpineta      Bensalem Township CC       44-43--87 +17 
 38  Bob Doria           Medford Village CC         39-50--89 +19