Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster worked
his way into contention at the Senior PGA Professional Championship with a
4-under-par 68 in Saturday’s third round at the PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker
Course.
The 60-year-old Forster is in a tie for sixth at 9-under
207, four shots back of the lead held by Gene Fieger, who dominated the
Philadelphia Section PGA as an assistant pro at Overbrook Golf Club in the
1990s, heading into Sunday’s final round.
Forster is in very good shape to earn another trip to the
KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The top 35 finishers in this week’s Senior
Club Pro qualify for the 2017 Senior PGA, a PGA Tour Champions major, which
will be held at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Va. If he makes it
to Trump National, Forster would be playing in his 12th PGA Tour
Champions major.
Forster, playing in the Senior Club Pro for the 11th
straight year, capped an up-and-down outgoing nine over the 7,123-yard, par-72
Wanamaker Course with double bogey at the par-4 ninth to fall back to even-par
for his round. But he got cooking on the back nine with birdies at 10, 11, 15
and 16 to surge into contention.
The 56-year-old Fieger, an assistant pro at The Club Pelican
in Naples, Fla., fired a 3-under 69 at the Wanamaker Course for a 54-hole total
of 13-under 203 that is two shots clear of the field.
Fieger, a product of the old Nether Providence High, won
this championship in 2013. He had an up-and-down front nine on the Wanamaker
Course Saturday and dropped back to even-par for his round with a bogey at the
12th. But, like Forster, Fieger had a finishing kick with birdies at
13, 15 and 16.
He finished his round with a tremendous par save at the
par-4 18th. A poor drive forced him to chip out of a bunker
sideways, but he drilled a 9-iron approach from 140 yards out to five feet and
rolled in the par putt.
“It’s going to be a shootout (Sunday),” Fieger said.
Jeff Roth of San Juan Country Club ibn New Mexico is alone
in second place at 11-under 205 after a 2-under 70.
Mike Northern, a life member from Colorado Springs, Colo.,
had the day’s best round, a 6-under 66, to move into a tie for third at
10-under 206. He was joined at that figure by Steve Schneiter of Schneiter’s
Pebblebrook Golf Course in Utah, who had a 3-under 69 in Saturday’s third
round, and Lee Houtteman of Manitou Passage Golf Club in Michigan, who matched
par with a 72.
Joining Forster in the group tied for sixth at 9-under 207
are Bill Britton of Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey, who fired a 68
Saturday, and Don Berry of Edinburgh USA Golf Club in Minnesota, who posted a
1-under 71.
Of the four other Philadelphia Section pros besides Forster
who survived the 36-hole cut, all are in with a shot at making the top 35 and
qualifying for next spring’s Senior PGA.
Applebrook Golf Club head pro Dave McNabb is tied for 33rd
at 4-under 212 following a solid 2-under 70. Stu Ingraham, the head of
instruction at the M Golf Range in Newtown Square, is another shot back in a
tie for 40th after also posting a 2-under 70. Ingraham, who his playing
in his 27th career national PGA event, qualified for last spring’s
Senior PGA at The Club at Harbor Springs in Benton Harbor, Mich. and played all
four rounds after surviving the cut.
Terry Hertzog of the Country Club of York is tied for 45th
at 2-under 214 after a 1-under 71 Saturday. Brian Kelly of Bucknell Golf Club
is tied for 53rd at 1-under 215 after matching par with a 72.
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