Sunnybrook Golf Club Assistant Andrew Turner Captures 21st Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic
Flourtown, Pa. – One day removed from Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, the annual Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic was held at Sunnybrook Golf Club. Despite temperatures and conditions that were more like fall weather, it did not deter the field of 150 players (138 professionals and 12 amateurs) for competing for the Section’s largest first place check…$100,000.
One year removed from the sting of a runner-up finish, Andrew Turner (Sunnybrook Golf Club) was primed to have a different outcome in 2017. Playing early in the day, Turner did not get off to the start he envisioned after he bogeyed the par4 2nd hole. However, using some home course knowledge Turner was able to turn things around and birdie four holes to close his opening nine holes at 3-under. After making the turn, Turner carded four additional birdies but it was not all that good coming in as three bogeys dropped Turner to 4-under (68) at the end of his round. The early tee time meant that the only thing Turner could do was sit and wait to see if his score would be good enough for a win.
As play went on in the morning wave players now knew the number they needed to reach. However, at the end of the wave, the closest someone would get would be three shots, as fresh off his appearance at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club) would finish his day at 1-under (71).
In the afternoon wave, a few players made a charge at Turner and the top of the leaderboard. The first to make waves was Justin Riegel (French Creek Golf Club). After twelve holes, Riegel was able to match Turner at 4-under but a couple of bogeys on his closing holes dropped Riegel out of the top spot.
The next player to make a charge for the lead was Jake Gerney (Trump National Philadelphia). Gerney made the turn at even par but after three consecutive birdies on holes 11thrru 13, Gerney was only one shot back. However, that was as close as Gerney would get, as an untimely bogey on the par 4 14th hole dropped Gerney to 2-under (70) which would ultimately be good enough for a solo second place finish.
The final player to make a charge at Turner was Steve Swartz (Regents Glen Golf Club). Like Gerney, Swartz reached the 3-under number but a couple of late bogeys also dropped Swartz out of contention.
When all was said and done no one was able to match Turner at the top and his 4-under number would be good enough to give Turner the title and the $100,000 first place prize. It was a great time for Turner to capture his first Philadelphia PGA tournament win as the first place prize in the Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic is the largest of the year.
Leading the way in the amateur division was Joe McClatchy who posted an impressive 5-under (67). As a note, amateurs playing in today’s tournament play from a modified set of tees.
As always the members of the Philadelphia PGA would like to thank Mr. George Connell and the Haverford Trust Company as well as the membership of Sunnybrook Golf Club for their tremendous support of this event.
