News

Lesniak and Zizas tie Pillar and Bergstrol in the 2024 Henry McQuiston Senior Pro-Junior Pro Championship

Philadelphia, Pa. (October 17, 2024) — PGA of America Golf Professionals Ben Lesniak and Matthew Zizas from Bala Golf Club tied with John Pillar, C.C. of Woodloch Springs, and Brian Bergstol, Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, in the 2024 Philadelphia PGA Henry McQuiston Senior Professional-Junior Professional Championship at Bala Golf Club. This is Pillar’s and Bergstol’s fourth victory in five years for this event. Both teams finished their rounds at an impressive 6-under-par under today’s fourball format.

The sole team in third place, carding a 4-under-par round of 64 was Laurel Creek Country Club’s Dave Quinn and Sandy Run Country Club’s Trevor Bensel. Three teams tied for fourth place at 3-under-par: John Cooper, Green Valley C.C. and Andrew Cornish, Cedarbrook C.C.; Michael Loeper, the 1912 Club and Danie Steyn, Julian Krinsky School of Golf; and Wayne Phillips, Lehigh C.C. and Dave Pagett, Whitemarsh Valley C.C.

To view the full 2024 Philadelphia PGA Henry McQuiston Senior Professional-Junior Professional Championship leaderboard, click here.

The 2024 Philadelphia PGA Fall Pro-Pro Championship is sponsored by Bala Golf Club and supported by Weatherman. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank our host, Bala Golf Club, their members, management, host PGA Professionals, and as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.

About Henry J. McQuiston Jr., PGA
Henry J. McQuiston Jr. was born in Philadelphia in 1932 and grew up next to the Chester Valley Golf Club where his family lived. He and his two brothers played golf at Chester Valley and worked for  superintendent Dick Murphy. McQuiston graduated from West Chester State Teachers College in 1954 and then served two years in the United States Army. After being discharged from the Army, he went to work as a schoolteacher. In 1958 he turned professional and worked at Chester Valley while playing some tournaments on the PGA Tour during the summer months and still teaching school the rest of the year. In 1960 he took the job as the assistant at the Bala Golf Club and two years later he became the head professional. In 1968 McQuiston finished in a tie for second in the Section Championship losing in a three-way playoff and in 1971 he was second in the Philadelphia Open losing a playoff. He qualified for the 1962 PGA Championship, the 1963 U.S. Open and the 1984 PGA Senior Championship. McQuiston qualified for the PGA Tour tournament at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club ten times and made the cut three times. McQuiston was a member of eleven Challenge Cup teams that competed against the Middle Atlantic Section. He qualified for the Club Professional Championship four times and the Senior Club Pro Championship once. In 1970 McQuiston and several other Section members built the Avalon Golf Club and operated it until they sold out in 1986. He was elected as the 20th president of the Section in 1973 and 1974 after having served as the second vice president for two years. McQuiston was the head pro at Bala for thirty-seven years after which he continued on as the pro emeritus at the club. In 2004 McQuiston’s name was added to the Section’s Senior Pro-Junior Pro Championship, which had been held at the Bala Golf Club for over 20 years. He was the Section’s “Golf Professional of the Year” in 1997. In 2005 he was inducted into the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame.

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

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