Newtown Square, Pa. (August 31, 2020) — PGA Member Brett Walker, Sunnybrook G.C., surged to the top the 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship leaderboard with a second round score of 4-under-par 66 at Aronimink Golf Club. The championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and Rolex.

Walker, who won his first Section event earlier this month at the National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship, had not played Aronimink prior to today’s round, making it even more impressive. Walker’s scorecard featured four birdies and an eagle and is the low round of the week at Aronimink. First round leader Ashley Grier shot 66 in her first round at Applebrook Golf Club.

“My strategy has been to hit a lot of fairways, and I hit it really well off the tee, which allowed me to attack some of the hole locations,” said Walker. “The course was playing tough if you missed fairways, but I did a good job of keeping it in position, which made it an easier round for me.”

Walker, who played in his first major championship, the PGA Championship, earlier this year, said that he would employ the same strategy for tomorrow’s final round.

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Bidermann G.C.’s Zac Oakley turned in a 3-under-par 67 at Aronimink today, placing him in second place, two behind Walker. Oakley has won or tied for first in two Section events this season, including the Doylestown Open and Conestoga Classic. He is also currently second in the Rolex Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year race.

Billy Stewart, Union League Liberty Hill, is in third place following his 71 at Aronimink, five back. Overbrook G.C.’s Grier is in fourth at 2-under-par. Yesterday, she became the first woman to lead a Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship after any round.

Rounding out the top five at 1-under-par: Rusty Harbold, Philadelphia Cricket Club; Terry Hertzog, Merion G.C.; and host PGA Professional at Applebrook, Dave McNabb. Overbrook’s Trevor Bensel is at even-par; Six PGA Professional are tied for tenth.  The top 11 players at the conclusion of play will advance to the

Sixty-six Philadelphia PGA Section’s will advance to the final round to compete for the William B. Packer Trophy and a berth into the 55th PGA Professional Championship, April 17-20, at OMNI Barton Creek in ​Austin, Texas.

The championship is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, September 1, at Aronimink G.C., with tee times beginning at 8:00 a.m.  Follow the action via our live scoring by visiting golfgenius.com/pages/2799551 and our social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

For more information on the championship, including the week’s schedule, pairings, and more, visit the championship’s official e-publication.

Members of the media are welcome onsite to cover the championship.

The 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and Rolex, and supported by Titleist / FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Golf Channel, the PGA Tour, Ship Sticks, Visit Delco, Pa., and Precise Yardage Books.

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

Newtown Square, Pa. (August 30, 2020) — As the Philadelphia PGA Section celebrates its centennial, history continues to be made, as Aronimink Golf Club and Applebrook Golf Club host the 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship for the first time. Making more waves is PGA Member Ashley Grier, Overbrook G.C., who leads by one stroke after firing a 5-under-par 66 in the opening round, marking the first time a woman has led after any round of the event. The championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and Rolex.

Grier, the 2020 Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year, made six birdies and a lone bogey at Applebrook Golf Club. She will play her second round at Aronimink Golf Club tomorrow.

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“I was unusually calm today,” Grier said of her opening round. “It’s going to be a long week, so I was trying to be really strong mentally today. I hit the golf ball really well.”

Hitting the ball well may be an understatement, as Grier hit all 18 greens in regulation. Her only bogey came after a three-putt on No. 18. She went on to say that it was one of the best rounds for ballstriking and putting she has had in a while.

“I plan to look at the second round at Aronimink similarly to today’s round at Applebrook,” she continued. “You have to hit a lot of fairways and greens [at Aronimink]. I am going to take it one step at a time and try to sit down and rest as much as I can to rest my back as it’s been a little sore.”

Grier, the inaugural Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional champion, leads Billy Stewart, Union League Liberty Hill, and Brett Walker, Sunnybrook G.C., by one stroke. PGA Professionals tied for fourth place, two back, include Zac Oakley, Bidermann G.C., and Steve Sanderson, Pine Valley G.C.

The two host courses scored very differently for the first round. After the first round, the top nine players had all played at Applebrook. The PGA Professionals who turned in the low rounds at Aronimink (even par 70s) are tied for 10th and included Parks Price, C.C. of York; Scott Reilly, Philadelphia C.C.; and George Forster. Others at T10 include Peter Lovenguth, Applecross C.C.; Dustin Wallis, Honey Run G.C.; Jeff Fick, Moselem Springs G.C.; John Bierkan, Aronimink G.C.; Rusty Harbold, Philadelphia Cricket Club; John Cooper, Green Valley C.C.

One-hundred-sixty-three of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s best players are competing for the William B. Packer Trophy and a berth into the 55th PGA Professional Championship, April 17-20, at OMNI Barton Creek in ​Austin, Texas.

The second round continues tomorrow, August 31 at 9:00 a.m. at both Aronimink G.C. and Applebrook G.C. Follow the action via our live scoring by visiting golfgenius.com/pages/2799551 and our social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

For more information on the championship, including the week’s schedule, pairings, and more, visit the championship’s official e-publication.

Members of the media are welcome onsite to cover the championship.

The 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and Rolex, and supported by Titleist / FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Golf Channel, the PGA Tour, Ship Sticks, Visit Delco, Pa., and Precise Yardage Books.

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

West Chester, Pa. (August 15, 2021) — PGA Professionals John Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club; and Zac Oakley, Bidermann G.C.; led their respective amateur teams to tie for the 2021 Pro-Am for Wishes title on a beautiful summer day at Penn Oaks Golf Club. Spina’s team included Ned Scheffler and Mike Chapman, while Oakley’s featured Joe Paris and Zach Paris.

Using a two best balls of three format, both teams finished with scores of 133, 9-under-par, to win by one stroke over Laurel Creek C.C.’s Dave Quinn and his amateur partners Rob Narkiewicz and Karen Narkiewicz. Biderman’s Braden Shattuck finished in fourth place with amateurs Mike Ackerman and Pat O’Connor, while Honey Run G.C.’s Dustin Wallis and partners Andrew Tully and Brett Pasapane tied for fifth with Overbrook G.C.’s Eric Kennedy and partners John Thompson and Charles Meloro.

Oakley is tied for first with Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort’s Brian Bergstol in the PGA Professional event at 2-under-par, one stroke ahead of Hugo Mazzalupi, Patriots Glen National G.C.; John Cooper, Green Valley C.C.; and Billy Stewart, Union League Liberty Hill. Eric Kennedy, Stu Ingraham, M Golf Range & Learning Facility; and Steve Swartz, West Shore C.C. are two off the leaders.

After the first round of play was completed, there were two PGA Professionals tied atop the Senior Division at 1-under-par: Hugo Mazzalupi and John Cooper, Green Valley C.C. Stu Ingraham, M Golf Range & Learning Facility, is one stroke behind the division leaders, while John Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club; and Brian Kelly, Bucknell G.C. are tied for fourth place, trailing by two strokes.

Six amateurs have the option to play in Monday’s final round based on their opening round performance: Brandon Famous, 75; Zach Paris, 75; Jimmy O’Connor, 77; Kevin Ohara, 77; Doug Zelner, 78, and Rick Gorman, 79.

The PGA Professional field and qualifying amateurs will play their final round tomorrow, Monday, August 16 at Penn Oaks. To view the full leaderboard, click here.

The Pro-Am for Wishes has been held annually at Penn Oaks Golf Club since 2011 (the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) to benefit Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.

The 2021 Pro-Am for Wishes is supported by Otto’s BMW, Smart from the Start Childcare, Crothall Healthcare, Exelon Corporation, and T.Lad & Kristin Webb. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank Penn Oaks G.C., its membership, management, and staff, as well as our partners, 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 Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.

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

Easton, Pa. (July 19, 2021) — Amateur Zach Juhasz leads the Golf Association of Lehigh Valley’s 2021 Lehigh Valley Open by one stroke over Alex Knoll, PGA, finishing his opening round at Northampton Country Club at 6-under-par.

Juhasz, the two-time defending club champion at the host club, Northampton C.C., made seven birdies and a lone bogey to shoot his 66. In addition to his club championships, Juhasz has won five regional amateur major championships. He leads the Low Amateur race by two strokes over Andrew Adlard and three over Lee Nonnemacher. Each amateur is hoping to become the GALV Lehigh Valley Open’s second amateur champion, following Cole Miller’s win in 2017.

Glen Brook G.C.’s Alex Knoll made six birdies and eagled No. 11, alongside three bogeys to finish at 5-under-par. Knoll is looking to win this event for the second time, following his win in the inaugural Lehigh Valley Open in 2008. Seven players are tied for third place, two strokes behind Juhasz.

Dave McNabb, Applebrook G.C., and John Pillar, C.C. at Woodlcoh Springs, are tied atop the Senior Division at 4-under-par over. Jason Calhoun, University of Pennsylvania, is three strokes back. In the Super Senior Division, Flesher leads at even-par, two better than Brian Kelly, Bucknell G.C.

The 2021 GALV Lehigh Valley Open’s final round is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, July 20.

The 2021 GALV Lehigh Valley Open 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 partners, Northampton C.C., its membership, management, and host PGA Professionals, and staff, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

To view the full 2021 GALV Lehigh Valley Open leaderboard, click here.

The tournament is designated as a Philadelphia PGA Rolex Player of the Year Points event. The next Section’s next Rolex Player of the Year tournament on the schedule is the Doylestown Open at Doylestown C.C. on July 30.

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