Concordville, Pa. – For the third consecutive day the Philadelphia PGA returned to Concord Country Club to for the 2017 Match Play Championship. After two exciting days of golf the field was whittled down from 64 players to just four all looking to capture the season’s final point’s event.

The first semifinal match featured Greg Farrow (Deerwood Country Club) and Trevor Bensel (Huntingdon Valley Country Club). Early in the match the players battled back and forth with each gaining no more than a hole advantage. However with a win on the short par-4 5^th hole, Bensel grabbed a 1-up lead and would never relinquish it back. In the end, Bensel closed out Farrow on the 17^th hole to win 2&1 and advanced to the finals.

In the second semifinal match Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort) w battled the 2017 Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic champion Andrew Turner (Sunnybrook Golf Club). After winning the first hole to grab a quick 1-up lead, Bergstol did not win another hole until the par-5 14^th hole. After taking the lead on the 4^th hole, Turner increased his advantage to as much as 4-up before closing out Bergstol on the 16^th hole to win 3&2 and set up a finals match with Bensel.

Bensel’s road to the finals featured wins over John Rudolph (2&1), Mickey Sokalski (2-up), Tom Michaels (2&1) and Jakob Gerney (4&3) before his win over Farrow in the semifinals. Turner had wins over Jimmy Maack (5&4), Carson Solien (4&3), Michael Caldwell (4&3) and Dave Quinn (1-up) before beating Bergstol to advance to the finals.

As the finals match got underway, Bensel got off to a quick start with a win on the first hole to grab a quick 1-up lead. However, his lead did not last long as Bensel dropped the second hole to Turner after making a bogey. But after that dropped hole, Bensel went on to win five consecutive holes to lead the match 5-up through seven holes. Turner cut into the lead with a win on the par-3 8^th hole before the pair traded pars on the 9^th hole giving Bensel a 4-up lead after nine holes.

After making the turn, the pair traded wins with Bensel grabbing the 10^th hole and Turner winning the par-3 11^th with a birdie. After halving the 12^th hole the pair once again traded holes with Bensel winning the par-4 13^th and Turner grabbing the par-5 14^th. The pair both parred the par-3 15^th hole but with the match dormie the halved hole gave Bensel the match 4&3. The win was Bensel’s first Philadelphia PGA tournament win.

“It’s definitely exciting to get my first Philly PGA tournament win”, said Bensel of his Match Play win. “I play matches with the guys at Huntingdon Valley all the time so it’s a format I am comfortable with. I played well in my early matches which gave me a lot of confidence. I want to thank Mike Moses and everyone at Concord Country Club for a great week as well as all of the tournament sponsors for their support.”

The Section would like to thank the membership and staff at Concord Country Club for their hospitality during the week. The Section also thanks event sponsors Omega and the PGA Tour for their continued support of our tournament program.

The next on the Philadelphia PGA calendar is the annual Fall Meeting which, this year, is being held at Cedarbrook Country Club. The meeting is a chance for the Section’s officers to update the membership on all business matters. After the meeting will be the Fall Meeting foursome event, the final tournament of the 2017 season.

Final Match Play Bracket

Philadelphia, Pa. – The annual McQuiston Sr. Pro – Jr. Pro Championship was held at Bala Golf Club on Thursday, October 12. The event, named in honor of longtime PGA Professional and past Philadelphia PGA President Henry McQuiston, pairs one Sr. PGA Professional (age 50 and older) with one PGA Professional in a four-ball, better ball of partners, tournament. With a shotgun start all teams got their rounds underway at 12:00PM with teams battling tough fall-like weather throughout the day.

As teams began to finish, the pair of Jim Muschiltz (Southmoore Golf Club) and Sean Szerencsits (Southmoore Golf Club) quickly rose to the top of the leaderboard. The pair got off to a shaky start as they traded a birdie for a bogey on their opening holes. However, they turned things around quickly adding seven additional birdies including five on holes 1-9 to finish with a team score of 7-under (61).

Unfortunately for the pair their time alone at the top of the leaderboard did not last long. The duo of Dustin McCormick (Glen Brook Golf Club) and Dave Quinn (Philmont Country Club) managed an equally impressive score of 7-under (61) to join in the fun. McCormick and Quinn also got off to a slow start but in the end managed to card eight birdies, including a stretch of four consecutive on their last four holes, against one bogey to share the top spot.

With both teams tied at 7-under at the end of regulation they headed back out to the 18^th tee for the first hole of the sudden death playoff. After their approach shots all four players found the green meaning each team had two putts for a birdie. The putts from both McCormick & Muschiltz came up just short before Quinn drained his 15 footer for birdie. Despite his best effort, Szerencsits’ birdie putt just missed as it rolled over the left edge giving McCormick & Quinn the title.

Rounding out the podium Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) and Andy Watters (Talamore GC) finished two shots back in solo third place with a score of 5-under (63). The duo is a perennial favorite and with each player contributing to the overall team score it is no surprise that they have finished inside the top-5 each of the past three years.

The Section would like to thank the membership of Bala Golf Club for their support. Additionally, the Section thanks Vineyard Vines and Mr. Cory Creland for providing gifts to all participants. The Section will return to action on Tuesday, October 17 for the Match Play Championship at Concord Country Club.

Full Tournament Leaderboard

2017 Fall Meeting Membership Reports

The Fall Meeting on October 23rd will take place at Cedarbrook Country Club. Our Keynote speaker will be PGA of America President, Paul Levy.  President Levy will discuss the past season and the upcoming PGA Annual meeting along with other Association and industry trends. Please be sure to join us as we close the 2017 Season, celebrate the great play of our Section and Junior Tour Members and hear from our Association’s Leadership.

The deadline to register for the Fall Meeting is Monday, October 16th at 5:00pm. The registration fee will increase by $25 after the deadline so if you are planning on attending please register as soon as you can.

Golf will follow the meeting and a light reception will follow golf. In addition, please see the 2017 Fall Meeting NEW Business Form (Download).  If you would like anything to be discussed, please submit the form prior to the October 18th, 2017 deadline.

Please take this opportunity to register for the meeting on line:

Click Here to Register

2017 Fall Meeting Membership Reports

We look forward to seeing all of you.

Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pa. – The 2017 edition of the Shawnee Open was played at the historic Shawnee Inn & Resort. The Shawnee Open has been in existence since 1912, although not always run by the Philadelphia PGA. This year’s edition of the Shawnee Open was the 12^th event in the race for the Omega Player of the Year presented by the Haverford Trust Company and was originally scheduled to be played as a 36-hole tournament. However, persistent rains ultimately shortened the tournament to an 18-hole event which still allowed the Section to crown a champion.

Playing early in the first round, past champion of the Shawnee Open Mark Sheftic (Merion Golf Club) set the pace. Sheftic played bogey-free carding five birdies along the way to post an impressive 5-under (67) and quickly positioned himself at the top of the leaderboard.

Not far behind Sheftic, Mike Furey (Mahoning Valley Country Club) also found some magic in the tournament’s opening round. Furey was able to overcome a bogey on the final hole of his outward nine by carding four birdies as he made his way back to the clubhouse. Those four birdies combined with two birdies on his opening nine holes got Furey to the 5-under (67) number allowing him to join Sheftic at the top of the leaderboard.

Unfortunately for both Sheftic and Furey there was another player in the field who played a near perfect round of golf. Brett Melton (Radley Run Country Club) was playing in his first Shawnee Open but his performance was that of a seasoned veteran. Melton made the turn at 1-under par but that is when things got exciting. Melton added five additional birdies on consecutive holes (12-16) and finished the opening round with a score of 6-under (66).

Although the tournament was shaping for an exciting day two finish, the work done by Melton in the tournament’s opening round ultimately allowed him to capture his second Philadelphia PGA title (Pro-Am for Wishes). The win also vaulted Melton into the top spot on the Omega Player of the Year leaderboard with only the Match Play Championship left to determine this year’s player of the year.

Although Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) came up just short in the tournament’s main division after finishing at 4-under (68) he did manage to walk away with a two-shot victory over John Pillar (Country Club of Woodloch Springs) in the tournament senior division, further increasing his lead in the Robert “Skee” Riegel Senior Player of the Year race.

The Shawnee Open was the fourth and final event to feature a super senior division. The super senior division was sponsored by Jani-King and only Philadelphia PGA Professionals age 65 or older are eligible. Finishing in first place in the super senior division was Gary Hardin (Northampton Country Club) who finished at 2-over (74) one shot ahead of Bill Sautter (Philadelphia Cricket Club).

The Section would like to thank the staff of the Shawnee Inn and Resort for their support of the event as well as our event sponsor Golf Cart Specialties.

 1   Brett Melton       Radley Run CC              35-31--66 -6  
 T2  Mark Sheftic       Merion GC                  34-33--67 -5  
 T2  Mike Furey         Mahoning Valley CC         35-32--67 -5  
 4   Stu Ingraham       M Golf Range               35-33--68 -4  
 5   Zac Oakley         Heritage Shores GC         33-36--69 -3  
 T6  Brian Bergstol     Shawnee Inn and GR         36-34--70 -2  
 T6  Kevin Edwards      Olde Homestead GC          35-35--70 -2  
 T6  John Pillar        CC at Woodloch Springs     32-38--70 -2  
 T6  Kevin Kraft        Bumble Bee Hollow          35-35--70 -2  
 T10 Michael Little     Lookaway GC                35-36--71 -1  
 T10 Rick LeBeau        Gulph Mills GC             33-38--71 -1  
 T12 Scott Reilly       Philadelphia CC            34-38--72 E   
 T12 Don Allan          Burlington CC              36-36--72 E   
 T14 John Spina         Philadelphia Cricket Club  35-38--73 +1  
 T14 John Allen         Huntingdon Valley CC       36-37--73 +1  
 T14 Eric Kennedy       Overbrook GC               35-38--73 +1  
 T14 Jeff Fick          Chapel Hill GC             37-36--73 +1  
 T14 Blake Hinckley (a)                            38-35--73 +1  
 T14 Jordan Gibbs       Gulph Mills GC             38-35--73 +1  
 T14 Pat Butkus         Overbrook GC               37-36--73 +1  
 T14 Rich Steinmetz     Spring Ford CC             34-39--73 +1  
 T14 Joe Kogelman       GolfTEC Moorestown         35-38--73 +1  
 T23 Dave Quinn         Philmont CC                34-40--74 +2  
 T23 Gary Hardin        Northampton CC             34-40--74 +2  
 T23 John Roche         CC at Woodloch Springs     39-35--74 +2  
 T23 Vincent Kabaso     Cleveland Golf             39-35--74 +2  
 T27 Bill Sautter       Philadelphia Cricket Club  37-38--75 +3  
 T27 Dustin McCormick   Glen Brook GC              41-34--75 +3  
 T27 Evan Mitchell      Spring Mill CC             38-37--75 +3  
 T30 Harvey Williams    Philly PGA                 34-42--76 +4  
 T30 Don DeAngelis      Center Square GC           38-38--76 +4  
 T32 George Forster     Radnor Valley CC           38-39--77 +5  
 T32 Hugh Reilly        Twining Valley GC          36-41--77 +5  
 T32 Bill Smith         Mahoning Valley CC         39-38--77 +5  
 T32 Bob Lennon         Wilmington CC              37-40--77 +5  
 T36 Frank Palumbo      Rolling Green GC           39-39--78 +6  
 T36 Tony Shields       ACE Club                   38-40--78 +6  
 T38 Anthony Napoletano GolfTEC-KoP                41-38--79 +7  
 T38 Paul Galczyk       Westover CC                42-37--79 +7  
 40  Chris Atkins       Riverton CC                40-40--80 +8  
 41  Dave Fields        Brookside CC               41-41--82 +10 
 42  Andrew Pierson     Camden County GA           40-43--83 +11 
 43  Patrick Spang      Manor Valley CC            40-44--84 +12 
 44  Kevin Shaw         Philly PGA                 48-39--87 +15 

For the 27th time teams from the Philadelphia PGA and the Golf Association of Philadelphia got together to compete in the Philadelphia Challenge Matches, a Ryder Cup style event that pits the top Philadelphia PGA Professionals against the top amateur golfers from Philadelphia. For the second consecutive year these matches were played at Saucon Valley Country Club.

The teams played 12 singles matches and 6 four-ball matches (better ball of partners) concurrently with a total of 18 points up for grabs. As the owners of the Cup, the Philadelphia PGA only needed 9 of the 18 points to retain the title while the Golf Association of Philadelphia needed to earn 9 ½ points to regain the title.

Both the individual matches and the four-ball matches were competitive but ultimately the Philadelphia PGA was able to win both sessions on their way to a fourth consecutive Challenge Match victory. The Philadelphia PGA won the singles matches 7-5 and the four ball matches 3.5-2.5 en route to a 10.5-7.5 victory. The is the 25th for the Philadelphia PGA bringing their record to 25 – 2.

Challenge Match Results