Melton's hole-out eagle lifts him to Burlington Classic Pro-Am victory

   Radley Run Country Club assistant pro Brett Melton, the reigning Philadelphia Section PGA Omega Player of the Year, was trailing Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster by a shot with two holes to play in Monday’s final round of the Burlington Classic Pro-Am presented by Beneficial Bank in Westampton, N.J.

   Melton knew he needed to make something happen. And he did just that. Melton’s wedge shot from 108 yards away at the par-4 17^th hole at Burlington Country Club found the bottom of the cup for an eagle that turned his one-shot deficit to a one-shot advantage.

   The ageless Forster couldn’t make up that shot in the final two holes and had to settle for second place.

   Melton’s eagle helped him card a 1-under-par 69, which, combined with his opening round of 2-under 68, gave him a 3-under 137 total. Forster matched par in the second round with a 70 after sharing the opening-round lead with Melton with a 68 of his own to finish at 2-under 138.

   “I just tried to stay as patient as possible,” Melton told the Philadelphia Section PGA website. “I knew I needed to do something over the last couple of holes and to hole out for eagle was a bonus. It’s an honor to join the list of winners to have won this event in the past.”

   Spring-Ford Country Club head pro Rich Steinmetz was also playing in the last group of the day after sharing the lead with Melton and Forster with a 2-under 68 in Sunday’s opening round. Steinmetz got it to 3-under on the back nine, but stumbled a little on the final holes, settling for a 2-over 72. That left him tied for third at even-par 140 with Sunnybrook Golf Club assistant pro Andrew Turner, who added a 1-over 71 to his opening round of 1-under 69.

   Philmont Country Club pro Dave Quinn, the reigning Philadelphia PGA Senior Championship winner, was  another shot behind Steinmetz and Turner in fifth at 1-over 141. Quinn matched par in the second round with a 70 after opening with a 71.

   Billy Stewart, an assistant pro at The ACE Club, also matched par in the second round with a 70 after opening with a 72 and finished sixth at 1-over 142.

   Mark Sheftic, the head of instruction at Merion Golf Club, headed a group of four players tied for seventh at 3-over 143. Sheftic added a 1-over 71 to an opening-round 72. Don DeAngelis of Center Square Golf Club and Michael Little of Lookaway Golf Club matched Sheftic’s rounds, each going 71-72, while Pat Butkus, out of the Tavistock Country Club pro shop, rounded out the foursome at 143 as he added a 2-over 72 to his opening-round 71.

   Jeff Bonicky, the director of golf at Linwood Country Club, got himself in contention with a 1-under 69 in the opening round before falling back a little with a 5-over 75 that left him tied for 11^th at 4-over 144. Bonicky was joined at that figure by Deerwood Country Club head pro Greg Farrow, who matched par with a 70 in the second round after opening with a 74, and Kings Creek Country Club’s Chris Krueger, who had one of the best rounds of the day Monday, a 1-under 69, after opening with a 75.

   Forster topped the senior division with a three-shot advantage over Quinn. Farrow was third in the senior division. Forster also bested the super-senior division for over-60 players. Yes, he’s over 60 and it takes a hole-out on the next-to-last hole by one of the young guns to keep him from winning the overall title.

   Eric Sulock had rounds of 77 and 81 for a 158 total to claim the Marotto Medal, which goes to the low amateur. The Marotto Medal is named for the late Ron Marotto, one of the members at Burlington who helped get the Burlington Classic Pro-Am started.