Malvern, Pa. –The heat wave continued on Tuesday afternoon, July 3, 2018 but the Philadelphia PGA was still able to hold their annual Connelly Cup- Head Professional Championship at Applebrook Golf Club, on a walking only course. The Connelly Cup is named in honor of Jack Connelly a past President of both the Philadelphia PGA and the PGA of America. This year’s event at Applebrook Golf Club brought together 50 of the Section’s Head Professionals. Play today began with shotgun start allowing all players to start their rounds at the same time.

The build-up of heat as the day progressed produced a fifteen minute delay with a heavy downpour and thunder. The sweltering heat continued following the delay as the players finished in sauna-like conditions. As the scorecards started to come in it was the host Head Professional, Dave McNabb, who took the early lead with a 3-under par, 68. Dave’s lead would not last long as past Section President John Pillar (Country Club of Woodloch Springs) topped the leaderboard with a score of 65, 6-under par. Pillar had 7 birdies and 1 bogey on his scorecard despite the weather conditions.  Out of the five par threes Pillar birdied three of them adding two more on par fives and two on par fours. Unfortunately the day ended with a much longer weather delay causing five people to be unable to finish.

The Philadelphia Section would like to thank the Applebrook staff for helping make this a great event as well as our presenting sponsors Bushnell, Country Club Editions, Earth Networks, Pukka, and the PGA Tour.

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The Philadelphia PGA’s annual Pro-Junior Championship was held on Monday, July 11 at Applecross Country Club. The championship pairs one PGA Professional with one junior partner, boy or girl age 18 or younger, in a better ball of partners event featuring both a NET and GROSS division with juniors receiving 80% of their current handicap. 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.

With scores coming in fast and furious after the championship’s 12pm shotgun it was tough to get a grasp as to who was pulling away from the field. However, in the end it was the team from Llanerch Country Club featuring Jared Murosky, PGA and his partner Riley Quartermain who walked away as champions. Murosky and Quartermain shot a combined 12-under (60) in the tournament’s net division to finish four shots ahead of second place finishers John Pillar, PGA and his partner and son Alex who finished with a score of 8-under (64). Rounding out the top three was the team from Sunnybrook Golf Club featuring PGA Professional Branden Allen and his partner TJ Robertson.

Despite finishing runner-up in the tournament’s net division, John and Alex Pillar did manage to claim the top spot in the tournament’s gross division. The Pillar’s shot a combined gross score of 7-under (65) to finish three shots ahead of four teams who all finished at 4-under (68). The group at 4-under featured Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) and his partner Ryan McCabe, Robert Kleckner (Linfield National Golf Club) and his partner Joshua Ryan, the father/son team of Rich and Drew Steinmetz of Spring Ford Country Club and the tournament’s net division champions Jared Murosky and Riley Quartermain.

The Philadelphia PGA thanks the staff and membership of Applecross Country Club for their support of our tournament program. We also thank our tournament partner Adidas and local representative Tom Kelly, PGA for their contributions to today’s event. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA’s schedule is the Rolling Green Team Stableford on Tuesday, July 17 at Rolling Green Country Club in Springfield, Pa.

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HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. – The 2018 edition of the William Hyndman III Memorial Classic was played on Monday, July 9 at perennial host course Huntingdon Valley Country Club. This year’s tournament brought together 140 Philadelphia PGA professionals to compete in the Section’s seventh Omega Player of the Year points event presented by the Haverford Trust Company. The event also served as a points event for the Section’s Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO). The PAO event featured 50 players most of which were also competing in the main event.

Three players in the tournament’s morning wave set the early pace as each carded a score of 2-under (68) to share the lead. The first player to reach the number was Eric Kennedy (Overbrook Golf Club). Kennedy got off to a hot start with birdies on three of his first four holes. After a bogey on the par-3 5^th hole, Kennedy quickly recovered and posted consecutive red numbers on holes 6 & 7. With a second bogey on the tough par-4 8^th hole, Kennedy made the turn at 3-under. As he played his way back to the clubhouse, Kennedy found one additional birdie but bogeys on holes 12 & 18 dropped Kennedy back to 2-under for the day.

The first player to join Kennedy with a score of 2-under (68) was Michael Little (Lookaway Golf Club). Like Kennedy, Little got his tournament started on Huntingdon Valley’s first hole. As he played the outward nine, Little traded two birdies and two bogeys to make the turn at even par. However, as he played the back nine, Little played great golf managing to card two additional birdies joining Kennedy at the top of the leaderboard.

The final player to post a score of 2-under (68) in the morning wave was Alex Knoll (Bethlehem Golf Club). Unlike Kennedy and Little, Knoll got his tournament underway on the 10^th hole at Huntingdon Valley. Despite a quick start with two early birdies, Knoll made the turn at even par after bogeys on holes 15 & 17. As Knoll played the course’s front nine, his back nine, he once again got off to a quick start and found himself 3-under for the tournament with only two holes to play. Unfortunately for Knoll a bogey on the par-4 8^th hole dropped him back to 2-under and into a first play tie.

With the morning wave in the house, the players in the afternoon now knew the number to beat. However, as groups finished no one was able to best the players at 2-under but two additional players did manage to join the group. Playing in the first group off the 10^th hole in the afternoon, Zac Oakley (Waynesborough Country Club) was the next player to finish with a 2-under (68). After a bogey on his second hole of the day, Oakley quickly recovered with three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15^th hole to make the turn at 4-under. Unfortunately for Oakley that is where his luck ran out as he bogeyed two of his final three holes to finish at 2-under becoming the fourth player to tie for the lead.

The fifth and final player to finish at 2-under (68) was Greg Matthias (Tavistock Country Club). Matthis, also starting on the 10^th hole, paired one birdie and one bogey to make the turn at even par. As his played Huntingdon Valley’s outward nine, Matthias birdie holes 2, 3, and 5 to jump out to a one shot lead. However an untimely bogey on the par-5 7^th hole dropped Matthias back to 2-under which is where he finished to become the last to join the leaders.

With no other players finishing at 2-under or better, the five players, Kennedy, Little, Knoll, Oakley, and Matthias headed out to Huntingdon Valley’s 18^th hole for the first of hole of sudden death. On the first playoff hole Knoll, Matthias, and Oakley all carded pars and moved on to the second playoff hole (hole #1). With all three players nearly driving the green, it was Matthias and Oakley who walked away with birdies and moved on to the third playoff hole (hole #17). With neither player finding the green on the difficult par-3 it was Matthias who managed to get up and down for par crowning him champion of the 2018 William Hyndman III Memorial Classic, his second consecutive points victory,

“Getting my first win at Conestoga definitely gave me a lot of confidence” said Matthias. “We have so many good players in our Section so to walk away with consecutive wins is a great experience. The playoff had so many great players so it means a lot to be able to walk away the winner. I want to thank all of our sponsors today as well as the membership and staff of Huntingdon Valley Country Club for their support.”

In the tournament’s senior division Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club) walked away with the top spot. Although McNabb finished one shot off the lead in the tournament’s main division his score of 1-under (69) was good enough for a two shot senior win. Finishing in solo second place was George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club) who posted a 1-over (71). Rounding out the top three was Greg Farrow (Deerwood Country Club) was finished with a score of 2-over (72).

Don DeAngelis (Center Square Golf Club) walked away as the tournament’s super senior champion. DeAngelis carded a 3-over (73) for a six shot victory in the division.

Matthis was a dual champion as his first place finish in the tournament’s main event also gave him the top spot in today’s PAO tournament. With the exception of Eric Kennedy the other members of the tournament playoff were also members of the PAO meaning Alex Knoll, Michael Little, and Zac Oakley will share the runner-up spot.

The Section would like to thank our tournament sponsors The Hyndman Family, Jack Jolly & Son, Golf Pride and Levelwear. The Philadelphia PGA returns to action on Wednesday, July 11 at Applecross Country Club for the Pro-Junior Championship.

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Lancaster, Pa. – On a beautiful early summer day, the Philadelphia PGA traveled into Amish Country and Lancaster County for the 2018 edition of the Conestoga Classic. Even with the heavy rains that came through overnight the golf course was in near perfect condition.

Playing in the tournament’s first pairing, 2017 Conestoga Classic runner-up Brian Bergstol (Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort) posted the tournament’s first under par score with a 2-under (68). Bergstol carded three birdies and two bogeys on his outward nine to make the turn at 1-under. As he played his way back to the clubhouse Bergstol carded two additional birdies and one bogey to post his second 1-under split en route to his 2-under overall number.

With the rest of the field to play, Bergstol needed to watch the leaderboard to see if his number was good enough for a win. However as group after group finished it looked as though the closest anyone would get would be even par. The first player to post an even par score was Alex Knoll (Bethlehem Country Club). Knoll had two birdies and two bogeys on his round to finish at even par. The next to join Knoll at that number was Rich Steinmetz (Spring Ford Country Club). Although Steinmetz had four birdies on his day, his four bogeys would ultimately bring him back to even par. The final player to finish at even par was Dustin McCormick (Glen Brook Country Club). McCormick got off to a fast start with birdies on his first three holes but that is where his luck ran out. McCormick went on to post a bogey on his ninth hole as well as a double bogey on the par-4 12^th hole to join the players at even par.

However a player in the tournament’s next to last group had his own plan. Greg Matthias (Tavistock Country Club) played a near perfect round of golf as he made his way around the 6400 yards long golf course. Matthias carded four birdies through his first nine holes to make the turn at 4-under. Matthias quickly added a fifth birdie on the par-5 10^th to get to 5-under par. Matthias’ lone bogey came at the par-4 13^th hole but he quickly recovered to post two additional birdies on holes 14 and 16 respectively giving him a final score of 6-under (64) and his first Philadelphia PGA points win.

“I felt really good coming into today’s tournament,” said Matthias. “I need to thank my head professional Pat Butkus for helping me out with my posture and putting leading into the round. I had a couple of early birdies and that gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the day. This is my first Section win and it feels great to join the long list of tournament winners in the Philadelphia Section. I also have to thank Robert Leeman and the membership and staff of Conestoga Country Club for their support of this event.”

Leading the way in the tournament’s senior division was a trio of players who all finished with scores of 1-over (71). John Allen (Huntingdon Valley Country Club), Rob Shuey (Colonial Golf Club), and Terry Hertzog (Country Club of York) shared the top spot and will split the first place points in today’s event.

The Conestoga Classic also featured a super senior division. Finishing in the top spot in the super senior division was Don DeAngelis (Center Square Golf Club). DeAngelis carded a 1-under (69) to finish three shots clear of division runner-up George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club). Rounding out the top three was Bill Sautter (Philadelphia Cricket Club) who finished with a score of 3-over (73).

Matthias also took the top spot in the Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) event which was taking place at the same time. Matthias once again finished four shots clear of tournament runner-up Brian Bergstol.

The Section would like to thank the members and staff of Conestoga Country Club for hosting our event as well as our tournament sponsors, Jani-King, Golf Max and the PGA Tour.

The Philadelphia PGA will return to action on Tuesday, July 3 at Applebrook Golf Club for the Connelly Cup – Head Professional Championship.

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