Pohle prevails in four-man playoff to take Connelly Cup Head Professional Championship

   It was the head pros only as the Philadelphia Section PGA’s Connelly Cup Head Professional Championship was staged Monday at Bidermann Golf Club near Wilmington, Del.

   And Joey Pohle, the head pro at Blue Bell Country Club, survived a four-man playoff after matching par at the 6,570-yard, par-72 Bidermann layout to claim the title.

Pohle’s 72 was matched by Indian Springs Country Club’s Bob Hennefer, Deerfield’s Michael Tobiason and Little Mill Country Club’s George Frake.

   All four players made bogey on the first hole of the playoff, No. 1 at Bidermann. Pohle and Hennefer birdied the second hole of the playoff, the 17^th, to eliminate Tobiason and Frake.

   On the third hole of the playoff, the 18^th, Pohle was short in front of the green while Hennefer was on in the regulation two. Pohle chipped to two feet and completed the up-and-down par while Hennefer three-putted for a bogey to give the title to Pohle.

   Four players finished tied for fifth, just a shot out of the playoff at 1-over 73, including Regents’ Glen Country Club’s Steve Swartz, Stonewall’s Ryan Lagergren, Woodstone Country Club’s Ryan Shaughnessy and Royal Manchester Golf Link’s Jamie Gylan.

   Dave Fields of Brookside Country Club in Macungie headed a group of three players tied for ninth at 2-over 74. Fields’ round included his first career hole-in-one as his 8-iron shot at the 160-yard fourth hole at Bidermann found the bottom of the cup.

   Fields was joined at 74 by Radnor Valley Country Club’s George Forster and Whitemarsh Valley Country Club’s Dave Pagett.

   Seven more players finished tied for 12^th at 3-over 75, including Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Michael Ferguson, Burlington Country Club’s Mike Mack, Fieldstone Golf Club’s John Rudolph, Spring-Ford Country Club’s Rich Steinmetz, Llanerch Country Club’s Chris Wilkinson, Waynesborough Country Club’s Adam Brigham and Indian Springs Country Club’s Curtis Kirkpatrick.

   The tournament is named in honor of Jack Connelly, a past president of the Philadelphia Section PGA and of the PGA of America. It’s not often you get to play in a tournament that’s named for you, but Connelly, the head pro at North Hills Country Club these days, did so and finished tied for 22^nd with a 77.