Melton Wins Second Straight Tournament at Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship
Full Tournament Leaderboard
Pine Hill, N.J. – Heavy overnight rains threatened to cancel the 2018 installment of the Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship but fortunately this year’s event was played at Trump National Philadelphia which boasts a nice sandy soil helping to drain the water quickly. The Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship is the fifth points event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar and is played as an individual stroke play event. The field featured more than 100 Professionals from across the Section and also included members of the Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) who were competing in the PAO event which was held in conjunction with today’s Championship. As a note some PAO members were competing in both of the day’s tournaments.
Philadelphia PGA veteran Mark Sheftic (Merion GC) was the first player to separate himself from the field. Sheftic got off to a fast start birdieing four of his opening nine holes. However, as Sheftic played the inward nine he found some trouble on the par-3s, posting a bogey on each, and only found red figures one additional time ultimately finishing with a score of 3-under (68).
However as play turned to the afternoon Sheftic saw his spot at the top of the leaderboard disappear. Fresh off of his win at last week’s 33rd Burlington Classic, Brett Melton (Radley Run CC) was looking to continue his good fortunes at today’s Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship. After an opening hole birdie, Melton found some trouble at the difficult par-4 3rd hole posting a double bogey. However, that would be his only blemish of the day. Melton carded five additional birdies, bringing his total to six, most of any player in the field and finished his round at 4-under (67).
With players still on the course, Melton needed to watch the leaderboard to see if his lead would be good enough to give him his second win of the year. One player in the afternoon forced Melton to watch the leaderboard extra close as he was making a charge up the leaderboard. Michael Tobiason (Deerfield GC) posted four birdies on his outward to make the turn at 4-under. As he made his way back to the clubhouse, Tobiason was able to find another birdie to quickly take a one shot lead. Unfortunately that is where the luck ran out for Tobiason as he bogeyed two of the last three holes to finish at 3-under (68), two shots behind Melton and in a second place tie with Sheftic.
In the senior division, Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) took home the top spot with a score of 2-under (69). Ingraham overcame some early struggles to finish one shot clear of second place finisher Dave Quinn (Philmont CC). Rounding out the podium in the senior division were a pair of players tied at 1-over (72). The first to reach the number was Greg Farrow (Deerwood CC) and was eventually joined by Terry Hertzog (CC of York) who was playing in the tournament’s next to last group.
The super senior division saw a new winner for the first time in the young season. Greg Farrow’s 1-over (73) was good enough for a two shot victory over a trio of super seniors. George Forster (Radnor Valley CC), Gary Hardin (Northampton CC), and Don DeAngelis (Center Square GC) all finished with scores of 3-over (74) to share second place.
Played in conjunction with today’s Championship was a tournament bearing the same name for the Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO). Leading the way in the PAO Jack Jolly / Golf Pride Championship was Brett Melton (Radley Run CC) who’s 4-under (67) was good enough for a one shot win over Michael Tobiason and Billy Stewart (The ACE Club) who both finished with scores of 3-under (68).
Congratulations to Dustin McCormick (Glen Brook GC) who aced the par-3 2nd hole at Trump National Philadelphia. McCormick used a 7-iron on the par-3, 160 yards long hole to accomplish the feat, his first in competition.
The Section would like to thank our tournament sponsors, Jack Jolly & Son and Golf Pride Grips who came out to today’s event. The next event on the Philadelphia PGA calendar is the Atlantic City Team Stableford Championship on Thursday, June 14.