Steinmetz's 67 gives him one-shot edge at Doylestown Open

   Spring-Ford Country Club head pro Rich Steinmetz made six birdies against just one bogey at Doylestown Country Club Friday to get back to the Philadelphia Section PGA winner’s circle for the first time in two seasons with a victory in the Doylestown Open.

   It was Steinmetz’s first win on the Philadelphia Section circuit since he captured The TaylorMade Top 100 in 2014. Steinmetz was the runnerup to Dave Quinn of the Links Golf Club a year ago at Doylestown and he won the event in 2007.

   Steinmetz was one of the early starters and made three birdies and a bogey on the front nine and three more birdies on the inward nine for a 6-under 67 over the 6,600-yard, par-72 Doylestown Country Club layout.

   Stu Ingraham, the head of instruction at the M Golf Range in Newtown Square, made a run at the lead, but a bogey at the par-3 17^th left him at 4-under 68.

   Tavistock Country Club pro Greg Mathias had an up-and-down front nine that featured three birdies and three bogeys. He made four birdies on the back nine, but, like Ingraham, came up a shot short of Steinmetz with a 4-under 68.

   Ingraham was the low senior in the field and his fourth senior division victory of the season solidified his hold on the top spot in Robert “Skee” Riegel Senior Player of the Year standings.

Michael Little of Lookaway Golf Club finished alone in fourth place with a 3-under 69.

   Trevor Bensel and Shawn Matthews of Huntingdon Valley Country Club – the Huntingdon Valley pro shop was well represented among the top 10 – and Eric Kennedy, the head pro at Overbrook Golf Club, shared fifth place, each player carding a 2-under 70.

   John Allen of Huntingdon Valley led a group of seven players who finished in a tie for eighth at 1-under 71.

   Allen was joined at that figure by John Spina of Philadelphia Cricket Club, Bill Walker of Riverton Country Club, Jordan Gibbs of Gulph Mills Golf Club, Kevin Kraft, the director of golf at the Bumble Bee Hollow Golf Center, Curtis Kirkpatrick of Indian Springs Golf Club and Mike Furey of Mahoning Valley Country Club.

   Low-amateur honors went to Rob Bass of Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, who posted a 5-over 77.