Ingraham breaks into win column at Huntingdon Valley

   Stu Ingraham, the head of instruction at the M Golf Range in Newtown Square, has had some near misses on the Philadelphia Section PGA circuit this year.

    Monday he broke into the win column, firing a 3-under 67 at Huntingdon Valley Country Club to capture the William Hyndman III Memorial Classic by two shots. The Hyndman, named for the Huntingdon Valley member who was an iconic figure on the local golf scene, was the seventh Omega Player of the Year, presented by Haverford Trust Co., points-list event of the season.

   Ingraham overcame an early bogey with four birdies to go low on the William Flynn design.

“This has been a very unique year for me on the golf course,” Ingraham told the Philadelphia Section PGA website. “There have been tournaments when I have been on top of my game and tournaments when I have struggled.

   “Luckily for me, today was a good day. The changes they have made to this golf course over the years have really helped it become one of my favorite courses in our section.”

   Rich Steinmetz, the head pro at Spring-Ford Country Club, shared second place with Dave Quinn of the Links Golf Club at 1-under 69. Steinmetz had the early clubhouse lead and it held up almost all day until he was overtaken by Ingraham’s strong finish.

   Four players – Don DeAngelis of Squires Golf Club, Mike Meisonzahl of Shore Gate Country Club, Zac Oakley of Heritage Shores Golf Club and Curtis Kirkpatrick of Indian Springs Golf Club – finished in a tie for fourth at even-par 70.

   The Overbrook Golf Club pro shop accounted for two of the eight players who shared eighth place at 1-over 71 as both head pro Eric Kennedy and assistant pro Ashley Grier landed on that number.

Also in the group at 1-over were: Aronimink Golf Club head of instruction John Bierkan, Andrew Turner of Whitford Country Club, Eric McNamee of Golf Gallery – Montgomery, Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster, Jaime Gylan of Royal Manchester Golf Links and Bob Hennefer of Indian Springs Golf Club.

   Ingraham also topped the Senior division with Quinn taking second.

   It was also a Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization event with Meisonzahl and Oakley sharing first place, a shot better than Turner and Grier.