Kempa, Harbold finish in tie for 30th in Assistant PGA Professional Championship; title goes to Pigman

   Chester Valley Golf Club’s Zachary Kempa and Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Rusty Harbold finished off a solid week as each landed on 4-over-par 292 among the group tied for 30^th in the 42^nd National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship which wrapped up Sunday at the PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie on Florida’s Treasure Coast.

   The 27-year-old Kempa, who captured the Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship at Laurel Creek Country Club in the summer, struggled a little in the final round with a 3-over 75 over the 7,123-yard, par-72 Wanamaker Course layout.

   That enabled Harbold to catch Kempa for low-Philadelphia Section PGA finisher as Harbold got around in 1-over 73 in the final round to join Kempa at 4-over 292.

   Kempa had an up-and-down front nine, opening with a birdie at the first hole, making a bogey at the fourth, a birdie at the fifth and bogeys at six and eight to make the turn at 1-over. Bogeys at the 11^th and 14^th holes dropped Kempa to 4-over for the tournament.

   The 36-year-old Harbold started on No. 10 and made bogeys at the 11^th and 12^th holes to head for the outgoing nine at 2-over. A birdie at the seventh enabled him to finish 1-over for the round and catch Kempa in the group tied for 30^th.

   The Assistant PGA Professional Championship is supported by Srixon, Cleveland Golf, XXIO, GolfAdvisor.com and John Deere.

   The third member of the Philadelphia Section contingent to survive the 36-hole cut, Waynesborough Country Club’s Zac Oakley, carded a 6-over 78 in the final round. The 29-year-old Oakley finished in the group tied for 62^nd at 14-over 302.

   The tournament finished the way it started for Kenny Pigman of Goose Creek Golf Club in Mira Loma, Calif. as the 30-year-old pulled away from the field with a sparkling 6-under 66 for an impressive four-shot victory.

   Pigman, the runnerup in the 2014 Assistant PGA Professional Championship, had opened with a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a two-shot lead. He fell two shots behind the eventual runnerup Steven Delmar of Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md. with an even-par 72 in the second round. But he regained the lead with a 3-under 69 in Saturday’s third round before his seven-birdie, one-bogey gem in Sunday’s final round.

   Pigman took control of the tournament with birdies at the first, third, fourth and seventh holes as he made the turn at 4-under for the day and 13-under for the tournament. He made a bogey at the 14^th to fall back to 12-under overall, but finished it off in style with birdies at the 15^th, 16^th and 18^th holes.

   Pigman earned the top prize of $12,000 out of the total purse of $150,000. If he wasn’t already qualified, he also earned a spot in the field for next spring’s PGA Professional Championship at Belfair in Bluffton, S.C., which tees off April 23.

   Delmar struggled on the back nine of Saturday’s third round, which led to a 1-over 73. But he posted a 4-under 68 for the third time in the tournament in Sunday’s final round to earn runnerup honors at 11-under 277.

   Josh Rackley of Tam O’Shanter Golf Club in Glen Head, N.Y. went 4-under on his final three holes to finish third at 10-under 278, a shot behind Delmar.

   The 29-year-old Rackley was an assistant pro at Gulph Mills Golf Club in 2015 when he was the low pro and runnerup to former Temple standout Brandon Matthews in the Philadelphia Open at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course.

   Rackley made an eagle at the par-5 16^th hole and then birdied the 17^th and 18^th holes in a final round of 5-under 67.