North Coventry, Pa. (July 26, 2022) — PGA Associate Tyler Spielberger of Wild Quail Golf & County in Wyoming, Del., and his team of youth golfers, Evan Gebhart, Matt Reed, and Reagan Garnsey, tied Radley Run Country Club’s Michael Wolf, PGA, Jason Jones, Rex Opdahl, and Johan Tuerff, in the 2022 Philadelphia PGA Professional-Junior Team Championship at Bellewood Country Club. Each team finished rounds of 57, 14-under-par, in the one best of four format; PGA Professionals played their own golf ball throughout the round, while the youth golfers played a scramble, with the best between the two counting.

Spielberger’s team made 12 birdies and an eagle, while Wolf’s pairing made 10 birdies and two eagles. Finishing in third place, one stroke behind was the team from DuPont C.C., featuring Matt Finger, Meredith Finger, Nick Belgrade, and Landon Fox. PGA Member Rich Steinmetz, Spring Ford C.C., and his team, Lucas Steinmetz, Morgan Kunze, and Nicole Yun, finished at 12-under-par, and Kevin Edwards, PGA, of Olde Homestead G.C., and his team of Justin Edwards, Trent Moyer, and Austin Zweizig, finished in fifth place at 11-under-par.

The 2022 Philadelphia PGA Professional-Junior Team Championship is supported by Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Bellewood Country Club, its members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

To view the full 2022 Philadelphia PGA Professional-Junior Team Championship leaderboard, click here.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of PGA Member Jason Martonick; he was 43. He is survived by mother Lucille (Carsia) Martonick, sister Corrine Wilson, brother Steve Potochney, nephew Jeremy Corra, niece Devin Wison, all of Drums, several aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends.

His funeral will be held Saturday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. at Harman Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc. (East) on 669 W. Butler Drive in Drums, Pa. Friends may call Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment will take place privately in Calvary Cemetery, next to his father.

Jason was the golf coach at Penn State Hazleton, and was a member at Valley C.C. in Sugarloaf, Pa. Prior to working for Penn State Hazleton, Martonick worked at Sugarloaf G.C., Silver Spring C.C., and Deal G. & C.C.

Online condolences can be entered here; to read Jason’s full obituary, click here.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of PGA Master Professional and Past Section President George McNamara; he was 74. He was survived by his wife Nancy, sister, Barbara Foley, nieces Kristen, Jennifer, and Nicole, and nephews Will and Tucker.

A Celebration of George’s life will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 24, at Penn Oaks Golf Club, 150 Penn Oaks Dr., West Chester, PA. Visitors are encouraged to bring a favorite picture or memory of George to leave with the family after the celebration.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in memory of George to PGA REACH or Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. You may click on your chosen organization’s name to make a donation.

McNamara, born in Philadelphia in 1948, learned to play golf as a caddie at the 1921 Club (then known as Plymouth C.C.) under the tutelage of the PGA Professional Pete DeAngelis. When McNamara turned professional in 1966, he became an assistant professional for Terry McCoy at Chester Valley Golf Club, followed by stints at the now defunct Cedarbrook Hill C.C., Whitemarsh Valley C.C., Cedarbrook C.C., and Aronimink G.C.

In 1974, he became the PGA Head Professional at Downingtown Inn & G.C., now known as Downingtown C.C., where he hosted the first four Philadelphia PGA Junior Golf Academies. After 12 years at Downingtown, he accepted the PGA Head Professional position at Brandywine C.C., where he stayed over 25 years. In 1985, McNamara built a golf range and miniature golf course, which he operated for 14 years, in addition to serving as PGA head professional at a private club. In 2015, he left Brandywine to become part owner and managing partner of the Golf Zone Family Fun Center, where his hard work and keen interest in cutting-edge technology made the facility a huge success.

McNamara’s first involvement in Philadelphia PGA Section affairs came when he was asked to be on the Membership Committee. As he was one of the first PGA Professionals to make computers an integral part of his golf shop, the Section appointed him the chair of their new Computer Committee in 1988. The committee advised the Section officers and PGA Members on computer hardware and software. McNamara went on to serve as Section treasurer for two years in the 1980s, vice president of Section affairs for two years in the 1990s, and another two years as secretary. In 1997, McNamara became the Section’s first vice president, following the Association’s terminology adjustments. Following his term, he was elected as the Section’s 32nd president.

Over a period of 25 years, he served on nearly every Section committee. He represented the Section as a delegate to the national meeting three times. McNamara hosted numerous Section meetings, tournaments, and events, as he was always willing and ready to support the Section’s activities. Along with assisting the Section, he was active in raising funds for various charities through the game of golf. He was named the Section’s Merchandiser of the Year on three different occasions, and in 1988, McNamara became just the second Section PGA Member to earn PGA Master Professional status. The following year in 1989, McNamara was named the Section’s PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor a Section PGA Member may receive, and was inducted into the Philadelphia PGA Section Hall of Fame in 2012.

To read George’s full obituary, click here.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Exton, Pa. (July 21, 2022) — Philadelphia PGA Member Joanna Coe of Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., endured high temperatures and humidity to win the 2022 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship at Whitford Country Club by seven strokes over Britt Weddell of Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pa., and Patty Post of the University of Delaware in Newark, Del.

Coe, the inaugural (2020) Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year, birdied half of her holes, nine in all, finishing with a 5-under-par 67. Coe also made nine birdies in her previous 2022 win, the Conestoga Classic.

“I struck it really well today, and was able to practice between events over the past couple of weeks,” Coe said of her round. “I’ve been putting well too, for probably over a year now, so I feel as if I give myself chances, I can make them.”

Coe said she was pleased the way she played, especially considering the LPGA Professionals National Championship, a qualifying event for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, is coming up next month.

Abby Mann, Aronimink G.C., finished in fourth place at 8-over-par, while Andrea Grier finished at 9-over in fifth place.

Fifteen women PGA Professionals competed at Whitford, approximately 50 percent of the Philadelphia PGA’s women’s membership. The Section’s tournament and women’s committees and staff worked hard over the past two years months to create this championship for its women PGA Members and Associates.

The 2022 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is supported by Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, KM Golf Sales, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Whitford Country Club, its members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

To view the full 2022 Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship leaderboard, click here.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com

Telford, Pa. (July 18, 2022) — PGA Professional Nick Corper of Skippack (Pa.) Golf Club led his team of amateurs, Billy Beisel, Bob Oswald, and Aaron Roland, to a net victory in the 2022 Philadelphia PGA Indian Valley Team Stableford Pro-Am at Indian Valley Country Club, finishing before inclement weather interrupted play.

While the competition was paused twice for severe weather in the area, totaling two hours and eight minutes, the team from Skippack finished ahead of the delays with 89 points, one more than Blue Bell (Pa.) C.C.’s Joey Pohle, PGA, Jim Ravina, Joe Fields, and Roger Cohn. In the event’s modified Stableford format, teams earned points as follows: Bogey or higher, 1 point; Par, 2 points; Birdie, 3 points; Eagle, 4 points; and Double Eagle, 5 points.

Eric McNamee, Golf Galaxy – Montgomeryville, and his team of Joe Boyle, Brian Murphy, and Walt Hoffner finished in third place with 87 points. Makefield Putters’ Michael Little, PGA, Chris Salvatico, Tom Holmes, and David Sheerr ended their round with 86 points in fourth, while two teams tied for fifth with 85 points each: Steven Farrell, PGA, Garrisons Lake G.C., Mike Forsyth, Richard Karolczak, and Chris Birch; and Dan Hoban, PGA, Middletown C.C., Brian Sacharczyk, WD Horan, and Keith Lewis.

PGA Professional John Roche of Elmhurst Country Club in Moscow, Pa., led his team of amateurs, Jim Lanza, Mike Bonavoglia, and JT Coyne, to victory in the event’s Gross Division, with 75 points. Roche’s team won the division by one stroke over Green Pond G.C.’s John Kulhamer, PGA, Charlie Leon, John Mace, and Ryan Orcutt. Bala G.C.’s Chris Barletta, PGA, Wesley Davis, Lars Beck, and Steve Minnick, and Whitford C.C.’s Evan Mitchel, Matt Dietrich, Matt Weist, and Bill Penney tied for third with 73 points each, while Blue Bell C.C’s Rick Pohle, PGA, Brian Alling, Jeremy Arner, and Dick Beck finished in fifth with 71 points.

The 2022 Philadelphia PGA Indian Valley Team Stableford Pro-Am is supported by Ohana Farm LLC, Parx Casino, Precision Pro Golf, Swannies, Trinity Flavors, Workhorse Brewing Company / Workhorse Tour, and Imperial Headwear. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Indian Velley Country Club, its members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

To view the full 2022 Philadelphia PGA Indian Valley Team Stableford Pro-Am leaderboard, click here.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com

Mount Laurel Township, NJ- With not a cloud in site, this Monday was the perfect day to hold our Girl’s Junior Championship at Laurel Creek Country Club. After 36 holes on the water hazard filled course, our girls shot impressive rounds. The day was completed with a memorable two-hole playoff between Kayla Maletto, Grace Smith, and Sawyer Brockstedt for second place.

Placing first overall in the 13-18 division is Mary Grace Dunigan (Kennett Square, PA). Mary Grace fired a 142 overall (E) and had 8 birdies between here two rounds. In second place, after winning the two-hole playoff with a 146 (+4) was Sawyer Brockstedt (Rehoboth Beach, DE), Rounding off the top three overall is Grace Smith (Wallingford, PA) who shot a 146 (+4). Grace finished second in the two hole playoff. The top three overall also placed in their separate divisions. Mary Grace placed first and Grace placed second in the 16-18 division and Sawyer took first place in the 13-15 division. Mary Grace and Sawyer were also the only two all day to shot a round under par!

In the girl’s 16-18 division, Kayla Maletto (Sinking Spring, PA) took third place after shooting a 146 (+4). Kayla was even on her second round of the day! In the girl’s 13-15 division, Rhianna Gooneratne (Rehoboth Beach, DE) placed in second shooting a 150 (+8). Rhianna had three birdies over over her two rounds. Taking third place was Zoey Zhu (Basking Ridge, NJ) after firing a 150 (+8). Zoey finished her 36th hole of the day with a birdie!

The Philadelphia Junior Tour would like to thank Bob Hennefer, PGA and the Laurel Creek Country Club staff for hosting a great event. Thank you to all the parents and juniors that participated in today’s event. The next PJT event will take place on Thursday, July 14th at Southmoore Golf Course (Bath, PA).

To view results from the event, please click here.
To view photos from the event, please click here.

Pottstown, PA – Bellewood Country Club played host to the Boys Junior PGA Championship on a warm and sunny day, giving the field favorable conditions in the first major of the season. A great day of golf was capped off by an exciting 4-hole playoff between Nicholas Ciocca and Joshua Ryan.

In the Boys 16-18 division, Nicholas Ciocca (Berwyn, PA) claimed first place with a thrilling 4-hole playoff victory following his second-round score of 65 (-6) and overall gross score of -2. Starting on the 10th hole and ending on the 18th hole, Ciocca and Ryan went back and forth across the playoff before Ciocca eventually prevailed on the Par-5 18th. Joshua Ryan (Norristown, PA) earned second place in the overall division, also posting a gross score of -2 with several birdies across the day. Third place was claimed by Matthew Vital (Bethlehem, PA), who had two impressive rounds to finish at +2 overall. Ciocca, Ryan, and Vital also claimed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the overall 13-18 division.

In the Boys 13-15 division, Reed Krosse (York, PA) finished +8 overall to claim first place with a gross score of 150. Krosse bounced back later in the day, with several birdies to take first place. In second place was Samuel Feeney (West Chester, PA), who finished three strokes behind Krosse at +11 overall. Rounding out third place in the division was Ethan Martin (North Wales, PA), at +13 overall.

The Philadelphia Junior Tour would like to thank John Bonaduce, PGA and the Bellewood Country Club staff for hosting a great event. Thank you to all the parents and juniors that participated in today’s event. The next PJT event will take place on Thursday, July 14th at Southmoore Golf Course (Bath, PA).

To view results from the event, please click here.
To view photos from the event, please click here.

About the Philadelphia Junior Tour
The Philadelphia PGA Section Junior Tour leads the region in competitive junior golf, conducting over 85 events seasonally at top facilities. With more than 800 members, the Junior Tour is represented by players from every geographic location in the section.

Select tournaments earn players AJGA performance-based entries and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings. With ample opportunities to learn, grow, and compete, many Junior Tour members graduate to play at the collegiate level and beyond. The Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour Program is proud to help develop social skills, self-esteem, and inspire youth in our community.

For more information on the tour, please visit www.phillyjuniortour.com
Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

Contact: 
Philadelphia Junior Tour Staff, (267) 622-6170, info@phillyjuniortour.com

• Taylormade Classic at Cedarbrook Country Club in Blue Bell, Pa.
• Fall Teaching and Coaching Summit
  November 15 at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pa.

Macungie, Pa. (July 12, 2022) — Philadelphia PGA Member Rich Steinmetz of Spring Ford Country Club in Royersford, Pa., won the Golf Association of Lehigh Valley’s 2022 Lehigh Valley Open at Brookside Country Club by three strokes over Alex Knoll of Glen Brook Golf Club in Stroudsburg, Pa., finishing at 3-under-par for the championship (68-71–139).

Steinmetz, the event’s 2009 champion and 2022 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Champion, remained steady in the final round, keeping his three-stroke lead throughout most of the round, while on occasion padding it to four and five strokes. Ultimately, Steinmetz made three birdies and three bogies to shoot even-par and secure his second Section victory of the year.

“I recently figured something out with my putting, which helped with my round yesterday,” said Steinmetz. “I had the same game plan as yesterday, even with a three-stroke lead; keep calm and keep it going.”

Jake Haberstumpf of Bethlehem, Pa., shot an even-par 71 in the final round to finish at 1-over-par, earning Low Amateur honors by three strokes over Michael Ashcraft of Freemansburg, Pa. As Low Amateur, Haberstumpf will receive an exemption into the 2023 GALV Lehigh Valley Open.

Haberstumpf finished tied for third place overall with Doylestown C.C.’s Travis Deibert at 1-over-par. Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green G.C.; and Alex Willey, Burlington C.C. tied for fifth place at 2-over-par.

Steinmetz also finished at the top of the Senior Division, with Dave McNabb, Applebrook G.C.; and George Forster, Radnor Valley C.C.; sharing second place at 3-over-par. The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Bill Sautter took top honors in the Super Senior Division with rounds of 74-75–150, three ahead of PGA Life Member Michael Versuk.
The 2022 GALV Lehigh Valley Open, a Philadelphia PGA Rolex / The Haverford Trust Company Player of the Year tournament, is supported by the Golf Association of Lehigh Valley, Jani-King, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Brookside Country Club, its members, management, host PGA Professionals, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

To view the full 2022 GALV Lehigh Valley Open leaderboard, click here.

The next Philadelphia PGA Rolex / The Haverford Trust Company Player of the Year tournament on the schedule is the Doylestown Open on Friday, July 29 at Doylestown Country Club. The Doylestown Open is also the final Silvercrest Cup qualifier prior to the final in September.

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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com