Cooper heats up at Medford Village to capture title in Jack Jolly/Golf Pride Championship

   Pine Valley Golf Club’s Tom Cooper birdied half the holes at Medford Village Country Club in Medford, N.J. Monday to cruise to a three-shot victory in the Philadelphia Section PGA’s Jack Jolly/Golf Pride Championship.

   Cooper had four birdies against a bogey on the outgoing nine at the 6,687-yard, par-72 Medford Village layout and added five more birdies against a lone bogey on the incoming nine for a 7-under-par 65 that gave him the victory in the Philadelphia Section PGA’s fourth Haverford Trust points event on the schedule.

   “I’ve been hitting the ball really well the past couple weeks,” Cooper told the Philadelphia Section PGA website. “I made an important putt on the par-4 second hole and carried that momentum for the rest of the round.”

   Cooper finished three shots ahead of three players who posted solid 4-under 68 totals.

   Merion Golf Club’s head of instruction Mark Sheftic, one of the Philadelphia Section’s top players, was the early leader in the clubhouse as he made four birdies on Medford Village’s front nine before cooling off in posting a 68.

   Michael Little, an assistant pro at Lookaway Golf Club, got hot late in his round with four birdies on the back nine, going back-to-back at the 17^th and 18^th holes to finish his round, as he joined Sheftic at 4-under.

   Doug Delaney of Union League National Golf Club also got hot on the back nine at Medford Village, making four birdies in a five-hole stretch to complete the trio tied for second at 68.

Dave Quinn of Laurel Creek Country Club finished alone in fifth place with a 3-under 69 that also earned him top honors in the senior division.

   Radley Run Country Club assistant pro Brett Melton, the Philadelphia Section’s Omega Player of the Year in 2017, headed a group of five players tied for sixth at 2-under 70.

   Joining Melton in the tie for sixth at 2-under were John Appleget, the teaching pro at The Shore Club, Bob Lennon of Wilmington Country Club, Hugo Mazzalupi of Patriots Glen National Golf Club and Jordan Shuey of West Shore Country Club.

   Appleget, Lennon and Mazzalupi shared second place in the senior division, a shot behind Quinn.

Joe Kogelman of the GolfTEC store in Moorestown, N.J., Dave Pagett, the head pro at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, and Mike Tobiason of Deerfield Golf Club shared 11^th place in the overall scoring as each landed on 1-under 71.

   Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster took top honors in the super-senior division as he matched par with a 72. Bill Sautter of the Philadelphia Cricket Club and Don DeAngelis of Spring-Ford Country Club shared second place, a shot behind Forster at 1-over 73.