Overbrook’s Grier Captures Callaway Golf TPD Championship
(Pine Hill, N.J.) – The Philadelphia PGA held the first event in the race for the Omega Player of the Year on Monday, April 24 at Trump National Philadelphia. The Callaway Golf TPD Championship featured more than 120 Professionals registered into the Section’s Tournament Player’s Division (TPD). The tournament serves as the first event in the chase for the Omega Player of the Year presented by The Haverford Trust Company.
The TPD Championship was played as a modified stableford tournament with players earning 1 point for any par, 3 points for birdies, 6 points for eagles, 9 points for double eagles, and -1 point for any bogey or worse.
The pace was set early in the day when defending Omega Player of the Year Michael Little (Lookaway Golf Club) posted a total of 22 points. Little’s round included four birdies, including a clutch birdie on his closing hole to post the early lead. As the morning wave went on players came close to matching Little but no one was able to join him at the top of the leaderboard until Jake Gerney (Trump National Philadelphia) used some home course knowledge to also finish at 22 points.
However, as the morning wave came to an end one player was able to separate herself from the field. Ashley Grier (Overbrook Golf Club) carded four birdies and only one bogey to finish with a total of 24 points on the day. Starting her round on the tenth hole, Grier carded two birdies in her first four holes before adding a third on the par 4 18th hole. After making the turn, Grier added one more birdie on her final hole to give her the 2 point lead.
“I have been trying to shake off the rust since coming back up from Florida in mid-March and have been working with Eric Kennedy to have some positive swing thoughts and it seemed to all come together today, said Grier on her first Section win. “I was able to make a few putts early in my round which settled me down and gave me some momentum. After a season of tournament play in the Philadelphia Section under my belt, I have a lot more confidence going into this season. I want to thank Dave Cartwright and the membership and staff of Trump National Philadelphia for hosting us today, Callaway Golf and Kevin Martin and Laura Manchester for sponsoring the event as well as Eric for being so supportive of his staff and allowing us to participate in Section events. Finally, I would like to thank Anthony for lending me his putter for today’s tournament or I wouldn’t hear the end of it.”
John Appleget (Wildwood Golf and Country Club) was one of the only players in the afternoon wave to make a run at Grier, he posted four birdies in a five-hole stretch but an untimely bogey on his next to the last hole proved to be too much and ultimately finished with 22 points.. However with 22 points, Appleget did take home the top spot in the tournament’s Senior division.
The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank our title sponsor Callaway Golf as well as our Section representatives Laura Manchester and Kevin Martin for their support of today’s event. The next event on the tournament schedule is the Delaware Valley Open being held at Indian Valley Country Club on Monday, May 1.
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