Month: April 2018

Applebrook’s McNabb Wins Callaway Golf TPD Championship on First Playoff Hole

Greenville, Del. – The 2018 Philadelphia PGA returned to tournament action on Monday, April 23 at Fieldstone Golf Club for the Callaway Golf TPD Championship. The event was the first in the race for the Omega Player of the Year presented by the Haverford Trust Company. The Callaway Golf TPD Championship featured nearly 140 Professionals and was played as a modified stableford tournament. Players earned 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.  

Playing in the tournament’s third group, Dave McNabb (Applebrook Golf Club) posted an impressive score of 28 points in the modified stableford event. McNabb’s round was paced by two eagles and four birdies which more than made up for the four bogeys on his card.

However, McNabb’s run as solo leader would not last long as playing at the end of the morning wave, Brendan Post (Univ. of Delaware) matched McNabb’s score of 28 points. Post carded seven birdies on his round, the most of any player in the field, but untimely bogeys on his final two holes ultimately dropped him into a first place tie as the tournament moved to the afternoon wave.

Conditions for players teeing it up in the afternoon wave were not as generous as the winds began to increase making birdies hard to come by. One player in the afternoon did make a valiant effort to join the leaders at the top of the leaderboard but unfortunately for Dave Quinn (Philmont Country Club) his charge ended one point shy as he finished with 27 points.

With no other players in the field able to match McNabb and Post at 28 points the duo returned to the golf course for a sudden death playoff. Both players found the fairway with their tee shots on par-5 18th hole however neither player was able to reach the green in two. Post was the first to play his third shot and unfortunately his approach shot found the lower tier while McNabb was able to hit his third shot to ten feet. Post did manage to two-putt for par but McNabb was able to sink his birdie putt giving him his first win of the 2018 season.

McNabb’s 28 points also gave him the top spot in the tournament’s senior division where he edged Quinn’s 27 points for the top spot. Rounding out the top three was a trio of players who all finished with 16 total points. Don Allan (Burlington Country Club), Bob Lennon (Wilmington Country Club), and Terry Hertzog (Country Club of York) shared the final podium spot.

The Callaway Golf TPD Championship also awarded points in the newly created Super Senior Division. Players age 60 years of age or older are eligible for this new division. Earning points as the event’s top super senior was Greg Farrow (Deerwood Country Club).

The Philadelphia PGA would like to thank our title sponsor Callaway Golf as well as our Section representatives Laura Manchester and Kevin Martin and our presenting sponsor the PGA Tour for their support of today’s event. The next event on the tournament schedule is the TaylorMade Classic at RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve on Monday, April 30.

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Callaway Golf TPD Championship Leaderboard

2018 Spring Meeting Marks End of a Long Off-Season for the Philadelphia PGA

Blue Bell, Pa. – In what seemed like a never-ending winter, a glimmer of hope shined on Monday, April 9 as the Philadelphia PGA held their annual Spring Meeting at Normandy Farms Hotel and Conference Center. More than 250 Philadelphia PGA Professionals and Apprentices attended this year’s meeting all looking to get their 2018 seasons’ started on the right foot.

In his first Spring Meeting as Philadelphia PGA President, John Rogers, PGA led his fellow PGA Professionals through the day’s agenda. As always the Spring Meeting is a chance for the officers of the Philadelphia PGA to update the membership at large on Section operations as well as highlighting the events of the upcoming season.

In addition to the addresses from Section officers, the meeting was also highlighted by presentations from Philadelphia PGA partners Haverford Trust, Rothman Institute, CaddieNow, Hole-in-One USA and SCNS Sport Foods.

Two guest speakers rounded out the Spring Meeting. First up was PGA of America District 2 Director Tom Henderson, PGA. Henderson represents the Philadelphia PGA, Metropolitan PGA and New Jersey PGA on the national level. Henderson spoke on the various PGA of America initiatives as well as updated the attendees on the programs affecting each Section.

The second guest speaker was past PGA of America President Allen Wronowski, PGA, who was on hand to represent the Folds of Honor Foundation. Wronowski shared some inspiring stories associated with the Folds of Honor Foundation as well as some impressive statistics on the impact the PGA Professional relationship has had on the Foundation.

Throughout the Spring Meeting, the most recent Philadelphia PGA special award winners were recognized in front of their peers. The special award winners had previously been honored at a special awards dinner held at the Manor House at Commonwealth National on March 18.

After the meeting concluded nearly half of the attendees turned their attention to the Section’s opening event, the Spring Pro-Pro Scramble. The tournament featured 140 PGA Professionals playing in two man teams and was held at both Blue Bell Country Club and Bluestone Country Club.

At Blue Bell Country Club, the team of Jeff Herb, (Waynesborough CC) and Chris Cerven, (Philadelphia Cricket Club), led all teams shooting an 11-under par (60).  The teams of George Forster (Radnor Valley CC) and Tony Perla (LedgeRock GC) and Jason Calhoun (U of P) and Mark Anderson (Philadelphia Cricket Club) finished a shot back at 10-under par (61).

At Bluestone Country Club, the teams of Anthony Napoletano (GolfTEC – King of Prussia) and Eric McNamee (Golf Galaxy) and Rick Gibney (Colonial Country Club) and Steve Swartz (Out Door Country Club) finished tied for first with score of 10-under par (61). Five teams finished one shot back in a tie for third with scores of 9-under par (62).

The day was highlighted by not one, but two holes-in-one at Blue Bell Country Club. Kevin Nicholson (White Manor CC) aced the 180 yd. 10th hole, while Sam Ambrose (Aronimink GC) had a similar result on the 170 yd. 16th.

The Section’s Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) will hold their Spring Meeting on Monday, April 16 at Lehigh Country Club.

For more information on the Philadelphia PGA – philadelphia.pga.com.

Full Tournament Results

Team Overbrook Wins 2nd Annual PPGA Pinehurst Pro-Am

Pinehurst, NC – The Philadelphia Section PGA (PPGA) headed south to historic Pinehurst Resort & Country Club for the 2nd annual Philadelphia PGA Pinehurst Pro-Am on Sunday-Wednesday, March 25-28, 2018. Seventeen PPGA Professionals accompanied by their three amateur partners were treated to rounds of golf on Pinehurst No. 5, No. 8, No. 9 and the famous No. 2 courses. Outside of the tournament, teams spent their spare time on the Thistle Dhu “This’ll do”, a miniature golf course on Pinehurst’s main putting green along with The Cradle, a new 9-hole short course at Pinehurst as well as admiring memorabilia from past major championships in the main hallway in Pinehurst’s clubhouse.  All throughout The Resort, players could not help but feel a sense of tradition and history around every corner.

Team’s arrived on Sunday, March 25 and immediately took to the course for a practice round on Pinehurst No. 5.  Following the practice round, the week officially kicked off with a Welcome Reception in the Donald Ross Grill Room.  All players received a gift package that included a vest from Puma Golf, hat and tee combo from Level Wear and a dozen Bridgestone golf balls.

Tournament play began on Monday, March 26 at Pinehurst No. 8 where weather conditions felt like Philadelphia in March, not North Carolina. The Tom Fazio design that was highlighted by tree lined holes that required accuracy off the tee and treacherous greens complexes that challenged your short game. After round one, Applebrook Golf Club Head Professional, Dave McNabb, PGA and his amateur partners, Keith Walters, Frank Hallinan, and Jeff Shapiro, current defending champions, were in familiar territory atop the leaderboard at 11-under-par (133). The team played well and was highlighted by a 67 (-5) from McNabb.

The week continued with round two taking place on the Jack Nicklaus’ designed Pinehurst No. 9. Once again, the weather didn’t quite cooperate with overcast skies and temperatures not reaching the fifty degree mark. The low rounds of the day belonged to Penn State University-Hazleton Golf Coach, Jason Martonick, PGA and his amateur partners, JC Blewitt, Michael Portnova and Charles DeCosmo together with Bear Trap Dunes Assistant Professional,  Michael Rushin and his amateur partners, Dave Alden, Ed Miller and Bill Thornton both with rounds of 9-under-par (135). After the second round, Penn State University-Hazleton jumped out to a three shot lead over the team from Bear Trap Dunes who were the biggest movers of round 2 jumping six spots on the leaderboard. Tied in second place with Bear Trap Dunes was Overbrook Golf Club Head Professional, Eric Kennedy, PGA and his amateur partners, Andrew, Jay and Vince Bellwoar.

The third and final round was played on the famous Pinehurst No. 2 course. This Donald Ross design is most famous for hosting three U.S. Open Championships and one U.S. Women’s Open Championship. It was a truly special round of golf for all 68 competitors.  After all the shots were played it was Overbrook Golf Club posting the low round of the day (137) by five shots over the field. In the end, their impressive final round score secure the victory for Team Overbrook awarded them the famous Pinehurst Putter Boy trophies. Every member on Overbrook’s team had a great day on the course including a 70 (-2) from Kennedy.

Full Tournament Leaderboard