Swartz's sand save in playoff gives him Delaware Valley Open title

   Steve Swartz, a pro at Regent’s Glen Country Club, posted an early 1-under-par 71 at Indian Valley Country Club in Telford and waited to see if anyone would surpass in Monday’s Philadelphia Section PGA Delaware Valley Open.

   Stu Ingraham, the head of instruction at the M Golf Range in Newtown Square, and Indian Spring Golf Club head pro Curtis Kirkpatrick did manage to match Swartz’s 71 over the 6,830-yard, par-72 Indian Valley layout. Ingraham couldn’t hang around for a playoff, so Swartz and Kirkpatrick squared off for the title.

   And Swartz got it up and down for a bunker, holing a six-foot par putt to claim the title.

Lookaway Golf Club’s Michael Little, the reigning Philadelphia Section Player of the Year, and Kevin Kraft of the Bumble Bee Hollow Golf Center shared fourth place as each matched par with a 72. Brett Melton of Radley Run Country Club, Dave Quinn of  Centerton Golf Club and Rich Steinmetz, the head pro at Spring-Ford Country Club, finished in a tie for sixth at 1-over 73.

   Four other players – Brandon Post, an assistant coach for the Delaware women’s golf team, Merion Golf Club head of instruction Mark Sheftic, Bob Lennon of Wilmington Country Club and Michael Rushin of Bear Trap Dunes – finished tied for ninth at 2-over 74.

   Ingraham did end up with the top prize in the senior division with a two-shot margin of victory over Quinn.

   The Delaware Valley Open was also a simultaneous Philadelphia PGA Assistant’s Organization (PAG) event and Little and Kraft finished tied among the assistants. Kraft had to head back to the Harrisburg area to tend to his duties at Bumble Bee Hollow, so the victory went to Little.