Tobiason edges Hertzog by a shot to claim victory in Pro-Am For Wishes at Penn Oaks

   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 12^th at 3-over 145. McNabb added a 73 to his opening-round 72.

   Also in the group tied for 12^th 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.