Mike Tobiason of Deerfield has played in a U.S. Open, but
before this week he had never won an event on the Philadelphia Section PGA
circuit.
It just proves, as Tobiason would point out after finally
breaking through in the Pro-Am For Wishes at Penn Oaks Golf Club Monday, how
high the talent level is in the Section.
Tobiason shared the lead with Alex Knoll, the talented
assistant pro at Bethlehem Golf Club, after Sunday’s Pro-Am round, each carding
a 4-under 67 at the par-71 Penn Oaks layout, where Chester County meets
Delaware County on Route 202 south of West Chester.
Tobiason eagled the par-5 third hole and had four birdies to
offset two bogeys in his sparkling opening round.
He got off to a strong start again in Monday’s final round
when he once again made eagle at the third. He had two birdies and two bogeys
the rest of the way in a 2-under 69 that gave him a 6-under 136 total that was
one shot better than a hard-charging Terry Hertzog, the veteran head pro at The
Country Club of York.
Hertzog, who will defend his Philadelphia PGA Professional
Championship title in just more than two weeks at Concord Country Club and
Whitford Country Club, trailed the co-leaders by one after an opening-round 68.
He opened his second round with four straight birdies, but
cooled off a little after that for a 2-under 69 that left him a shot behind
Tobiason at 5-under 137.
“It is truly an honor to win with all of the competition in
this Section,” Tobiason told the Philadelphia Section PGA website. “These
professionals in this Section have game, to win out here you have to go low.
I’ve played in the Pro-Am for Wishes for the past three years. It is a
privilege to be in the winning circle finally.”
Radley Run Country Club assistant pro Brett Melton, the
Section’s reigning Omega Player of the Year, finished alone in third at 3-under
139 after adding a 1-under 70 to his opening round of 2-under 69. Melton had
the best finish among the five Philadelphia Section pros who played all four
rounds of the PGA Professional Championship at the Bayonet and Black Horse
Courses on northern California’s Monterey Peninsula earlier this summer.
Steve Swartz of Out Door Country Club finished alone in
fourth at 2-under 140. He opened with a 3-under 68 before finishing up with a
1-over 72.
Knoll couldn’t maintain his momentum from that opening-round
67 and carded a 4-over 75 in the final round to finish fifth at even-par 142.
Chris Krueger, the head of instruction at Kings Creek Country Club, was a shot
behind Knoll in sixth at 1-over 143 after adding an even-par 71 to his opening
round of 1-over 72.
Five players, led by The ACE Club’s Billy Stewart, winner of
the Philadelphia Open earlier this summer, shared seventh place at 2-over 144.
Stewart opened with a 1-under 70 before adding a 3-over 74 in the final round.
Two of the Section’s outstanding group of senior standouts,
Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster, and Dave Quinn, out of the
Philmont Country Club pro shop, were also in the group at 144. Forster had a
pair of 72s while Quinn backed off from a 3-under 68 in the opening round with
a 5-over 76.
Rounding out the quintet at 144 were Sunnybrook Golf Club
assistant pro Andrew Turner, who played in the final group after opening with a
68, but like Quinn, struggled to a 76 in the final round, and Overbrook Golf
Club assistant pro Trevor Bensel, who matched par in the final round with a 71
after opening up with a 73.
Applebrook Golf Club head pro Dave McNabb, coming off a
victory in the Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship at White Manor
Country Club, headed a group of four players tied for 12th at 3-over
145. McNabb added a 73 to his opening-round 72.
Also in the group tied for 12th at 145 were The
Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort’s talented assistant pro Brian Bergstol, who
matched par in the final round with a 71 after opening with a 74, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club head pro Dave Pagett, who added a 72 to his opening-round
73, and Mahoning Valley Country Club’s Mike Furey, who opened with a 72 before
finishing up with a 73.
No comments:
Post a Comment