PGA Member Ashley Grier Leads 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship After Opening Round 66
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.
“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