Overbrook Golf Club assistant pro Trevor Bensel is one of the most explosive players on the Philadelphia Section PGA circuit. In August, for instance, he scorched Concord Country Club with a scintillating 9-under-par 61 to capture the Delaware Valley Open.
Bensel was at it again in last week’s Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship at Waynesborough Country Club in Easttown Township, blitzing Bidermann Golf Club instructor Zac Oakley, 6 and 5, in Wednesday’s title match, firing, with the usual match-play concessions, a sizzling 30 on the front nine.
Even though Bensel, seeded third overall, dominated his six match-play opponents – his closest win was his 2 and 1 victory over surprising semifinalist Nicholas Iacono of Chester Valley Golf Club – he displayed the patience required to succeed in match play. Not surprising that it was his second Philadelphia PGA Match Play win, Bensel having won the title in 2017.
He simply overwhelmed Oakley, the top seed overall, in the title match, a rematch of the final a year ago in which Oakley prevailed, 4 and 3. Bensel got the jump in the final, taking a 3-up lead with wins at the first, second and fourth holes. Oakley cut his deficit to 2-down by taking the fifth hole, but it would be the only hole Oakley would win.
Bensel resumed his onslaught by winning the sixth, seventh and eighth holes to take a commanding 5-up lead to the back nine. After going 6-up with a win on the 11th hole, Bensel halved the next two holes to close out Oakley on the 13th hole.
“I saved my best golf for the championship match, which is what I needed to do,” Bensel told the Philadelphia Section PGA website. “It was nice to make a few putts against a great opponent in Zac.
“Thank you to Waynesborough, its members and staff, for hosting us for three days and to Overbrook for allowing me to play. I would also like to thank J.R. Delich, my coach and mentor, for all his help and patience with me.”
Bensel’s toughest challenge came in Wednesday morning’s semifinals against Iacono, who had emerged from the Ed Dougherty Bracket with four victories, including a stunning upset of Lookaway Golf Club head pro Michael Little in 21 holes in Monday afternoon’s second round.
Little, seeded second overall, had been the hottest player in the Philadelphia Section, including a victory in the coronavirus-delayed Philadelphia Open earlier this month at Doylestown Country Club. Iacono was seeded 31st overall.
Iacono actually took a 1-up lead on Bensel, the winner of the Henry Williams Bracket, by taking the sixth hole. But Bensel evened the match by winning the ninth hole and then got wins at the 11th and 13th holes to earn his spot in the final. The two halved 13 holes in the hard-fought match.
Bensel will represent the Philadelphia Section in next month’s 44th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He finished in a tie for second place in the Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship in August at St. Davids Golf Club to punch his ticket to the PGA Golf Club.
Bensel started his road to winning the Henry Williams Bracket by claiming a 6 and 4 victory over Baker DeCamp of host Waynesborough in Monday morning’s opening round followed by a 6 and 5 win over David Fields, playing out of the Brookside Country Club pro shop, in Monday afternoon’s second round.
In Tuesday morning’s third round, Bensel dispatched Curtis Kirkpatrick of Indian Spring Country Club, 6 and 5, before finishing off his final opponent in the bracket, Stephen Sieracki of Woodcrest Country Club, 4 and 3, a win that advanced Bensel to the semifinals.
Oakley reached the final with a 4 and 2 victory over Andrew Turner, playing out of the French Creek Golf Club pro shop, in the other semifinal.
After getting an opening-round bye in the Dick Smith Sr. Bracket, Oakley rolled to an 8 and 6 decision over Andrew Watters of Talamore Country Club and a 4 and 3 verdict over Radnor Valley Country Club head pro George Forster. A 3 and 2 victory over the Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort’s talented assistant pro, Brian Bergstol, gave Oakley the top spot in the bracket and a berth in the semifinals.
Iacono opened his unlikely march to the top of the Ed Dougherty Bracket with a 4 and 3 victory over Robert Hennefer, the director of goal at Indian Spring Country Club.
After his upset of Little in Monday afternoon’s second round, Iacono knocked off Aronimink Golf Club head pro Jeffrey Kiddie, 4 and 3, before claiming a 3 and 2 decision over Doylestown Country Club head pro Travis Deibert to win the bracket and earn a semifinal date with Bensel.
Turner, seeded fourth overall, got a bye into the second round in the Art Wall Jr. Bracket and won a 3 and 2 decision over Overbrook head pro Eric Kennedy in Monday afternoon’s second round.
Turner the earned another 3 and 2 victory over Ross Brown, playing out of the Fox Hill Country Club pro shop, in Tuesday morning’s third round before taking the top spot in the bracket with a 4 and 3 victory over Merion Golf Club assistant pro Brandon Kuzmich and landing a spot in the semifinals opposite Oakley.
The Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship was an Omega Player of the Year points event that was supported by Omega and the PGA Tour.
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