DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The 2017 edition of the Doylestown Open was once again played at Doylestown Country Club on Friday, July 28. The Doylestown Open is a one-day stroke play event that featured 80 PGA Professionals and three amateur golfers. The tournament served as the 10^th event in the race for the Omega Player of the Year presented by Haverford Trust.

Playing in the tournament’s first pairing, Brett Melton (Radley Run Country Club) posted an impressive score of 5-under (67) to lead the way early. On his round, Melton had seven birdies against two bogeys to give a number for all other competitors to chase.

However, it wouldn’t be long until a player from the field would post a number better than Melton’s 5-under. Playing only two groups behind Melton, Eric Figueroa (McCall Golf & Country Club) got off to a hot start with five birdies and only bogey through his first nine holes to make the turn at 4-under.

“I knew I had something going when I made the turn at 4-under,” commented Figueroa on his round. “I knew that if I could finish the last nine holes at even par I would have a pretty good finish.”

Fortunately for Figueroa his inward nine would yield more than just even par. After a bogey on the 11^th hole, Figueroa would post three consecutive birdies on holes 13-15 to finish with a tournament total of 6-under (66), one shot better than Melton. Unfortunately for Figueroa he would now have to wait more than six hours to see if his number would be good enough for his first tournament win.

The first person to make a run at Figueroa at the top of the leaderboard was defending Philadelphia PGA champion Jordan Gibbs (Gulph Mills Golf Club). Gibbs. Despite having enough birdies to overtake Figueroa, three bogeys, including two late, kept Gibbs from the top of the leaderboard and ultimately he finished in solo fourth place with a 4-under (68).

The next player to try and knock Figueroa from the top spot was Kevin Kraft (Bumble Bee Hollow). Although he had four birdies over his final five holes, it was early bogeys that proved too difficult to overcome. In the end, Kraft finished with eight birdies and three bogeys to finish one shot behind Figueroa in a tie for second place at 5-under (67).

Leading the way in the tournament’s senior division was Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range). With a 3-under (69), Ingraham finished three shots clear of the senior field and notched his fifth senior win of the 2017 season increasing his lead on the Skee Riegel Senior Player of the Year Leaderboard.

In the end Figueroa’s 6-under would be good enough to give him his first Philadelphia PGA tournament win of his career.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to get this first win,” Figueroa said of his accomplishment. “We have so many great players in our Section and to be able to join them in the winner’s circle is such a cool feeling. I want to thank Gary Rodgers and the entire membership of Doylestown Country Club as well as Kevin McClellan for their support today.”

The third event on the Philadelphia PGA’s super senior circuit sponsored by Jani-King was also held as a part of the Doylestown Open. To be eligible for the super senior division a Professional must be 60 years of age or older and in good standing with the PGA of America. Taking home the title in the super senior division was Gary Hardin (Northampton Country Club) who carded an even par (72) to win by one shot over George Forster (Radnor Valley Country Club).

The Section would like to thank the membership and staff of Doylestown Country Club, Kevin McClellan with Cutter & Buck, the PGA Tour and Jani-King for their support of this event.

 1   Eric Figueroa       McCall Golf & CC           32-34--66 -6  
 T2  Brett Melton        Radley Run CC              33-34--67 -5  
 T2  Kevin Kraft         Bumble Bee Hollow          34-33--67 -5  
 4   Jordan Gibbs        Gulph Mills GC             35-33--68 -4  
 T5  Michael Little      Lookaway GC                35-34--69 -3  
 T5  Alex Knoll          Bethlehem GC               36-33--69 -3  
 T5  Stu Ingraham        M Golf Range               35-34--69 -3  
 T8  Jaime Gylan         Royal Manchester GL        35-35--70 -2  
 T8  Mark Parson         Harbor Pines               35-35--70 -2  
 T10 Dave Pagett         Whitemarsh Valley CC       37-34--71 -1  
 T10 Greg Matthias       Tavistock CC               34-37--71 -1  
 T12 Gary Hardin         Northampton CC             35-37--72 E   
 T12 Mike Dynda          LuLu CC                    37-35--72 E   
 T12 Michael Ferguson    Philadelphia Cricket Club  36-36--72 E   
 T12 Mark Anderson       Philadelphia Cricket Club  36-36--72 E   
 T12 John Kellogg        Radley Run CC              37-35--72 E   
 T12 Brian Hollins       Trenton CC                 34-38--72 E   
 T12 Michael Tobiason    Deerfield                  36-36--72 E   
 T12 Ryan McLean         Saucon Valley CC           38-34--72 E   
 T12 Mike Furey          Mahoning Valley CC         35-37--72 E   
 T21 John Allen          Huntingdon Valley CC       35-38--73 +1  
 T21 Mike Moses          Concord CC                 37-36--73 +1  
 T21 George Forster      Radnor Valley CC           37-36--73 +1  
 T21 Brian Bergstol      Shawnee Inn and GR         36-37--73 +1  
 T21 Rick Flesher        Applebrook GC              37-36--73 +1  
 T21 Curtis Kirkpatrick  Indian Springs GC          34-39--73 +1  
 T21 Frank Howell (a)    Doylestown CC              36-37--73 +1  
 T21 John DiMarco        Laurel Creek CC            38-35--73 +1  
 T29 Trevor Bensel       Huntingdon Valley CC       38-36--74 +2  
 T29 Dave McNabb         Applebrook GC              35-39--74 +2  
 T29 Brian Kelly         Bucknell GC                37-37--74 +2  
 T29 Don DeAngelis       Center Square GC           36-38--74 +2  
 T29 Rich Steinmetz      Spring Ford CC             35-39--74 +2  
 T29 Anthony Napoletano  GolfTEC-KoP                34-40--74 +2  
 T35 Eric McNamee        Golf Galaxy - Montgomery   38-37--75 +3  
 T35 Bill Walker         Riverton CC                36-39--75 +3  
 T35 Eric Schultz        Sunnybrook GC              39-36--75 +3  
 T35 Andrew Pierson      Camden County GA           38-37--75 +3  
 T35 Jack Connelly       North Hills CC             39-36--75 +3  
 T35 Isaac Bickel        Sunnybrook GC              39-36--75 +3  
 T35 Greg Farrow         Deerwood CC                36-39--75 +3  
 T35 Kevin Nicholson     White Manor CC             38-37--75 +3  
 T35 Andrew Geesey       Meadia Heights GC          39-36--75 +3  
 T35 Ben Schlesman       Manufacturers GCC          38-37--75 +3  
 T35 Tyler Collet        CC of York                 40-35--75 +3  
 T35 Bob Hennefer        Indian Springs GC          40-35--75 +3  
 T35 Mike Paukovits      St. Davids GC              39-36--75 +3  
 T48 Rick LeBeau         Gulph Mills GC             39-37--76 +4  
 T48 John Spina          Philadelphia Cricket Club  38-38--76 +4  
 T48 Eric Kennedy        Overbrook GC               38-38--76 +4  
 T48 Peter Clarke        Manufacturers GCC          37-39--76 +4  
 T48 Jason Calhoun       LaSalle University         38-38--76 +4  
 T48 Joe Kogelman        GolfTEC Moorestown         37-39--76 +4  
 T48 Andy Fisher         AF Golf Ctr.               37-39--76 +4  
 T48 Jim Parella         Blue Bell CC               40-36--76 +4  
 T48 Chris Atkins        Riverton CC                38-38--76 +4  
 T48 Pat Butkus          Overbrook GC               36-40--76 +4  
 T58 Bill Sautter        Philadelphia Cricket Club  38-39--77 +5  
 T58 Andy Watters        Talamore Country Club      40-37--77 +5  
 T58 Brian Trymbiski (a) Doylestown CC              38-39--77 +5  
 T61 Peter Lovenguth     Silver Creek CC            40-38--78 +6  
 T61 Dave Quinn          Philmont CC                38-40--78 +6  
 T61 Ryan Rigby (a)      Doylestown CC              41-37--78 +6  
 T61 Tony Shields        ACE Club                   39-39--78 +6  
 T65 Ashley Grier        Overbrook GC               39-40--79 +7  
 T65 Frank Palumbo       Rolling Green GC           39-40--79 +7  
 T65 Hugh Reilly         Twining Valley GC          38-41--79 +7  
 T65 Ben Debski          The Springhaven Club       38-41--79 +7  
 T69 Mike Wood           Saucon Valley CC           41-39--80 +8  
 T69 Nathalie Filler     Philadelphia Cricket Club  40-40--80 +8  
 T69 Greyson Rossi       Bayside Resort             40-40--80 +8  
 T69 Kevin Rossi         Lookaway GC                39-36--75 +8  
 T73 Ryan Fiore          Huntingdon Valley CC       41-40--81 +9  
 T73 Evan Mitchell       Spring Mill CC             40-41--81 +9  
 T75 Brad Sanders        Tavistock CC               40-42--82 +10 
 T75 Dustin McCormick    Glen Brook GC              40-42--82 +10 
 T75 Gregg Gipp          Phoenixville CC            40-42--82 +10 
 T78 Joe Ambrose         Paupack Hills G & CC       39-45--84 +12 
 T78 Nick Gorman         GolfTEC Moorestown         42-42--84 +12 
 80  Vincent Kabaso      Cleveland Golf             43-42--85 +13 
 81  J R Delich          Applebrook GC              47-41--88 +16