TABLE OF CONTENTS J.P. LUNN, PGA NAMED 2020 DEACON PALMER AWARD WINNER
9
YONG JOO, PGA WINS HIS FIRST MAPGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
DICK MAST CAPTURES FIRST MAPGA SENIOR PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
15 20
JOHN O’LEARY REPRESENTS MAPGA WELL AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
22
7 STEVE DELMAR WINS NATIONAL CAR RENTAL MAPGA ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP
14
19 STEVE DELMAR TAKES JANIKING MAPGA STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
JOSH SPEIGHT MAKES HISTORY BY WINNING MARYLAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
TROY THORNE WINS BRITT SLOAN MAPGA HEAD PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
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23
JOY BONHURST WINS HER SECOND MAPGA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The Professional
Letter
From The
President
Josh Tremblay, PGA Section President
The Professional Volume V, Issue II Editor: Ben Smith Contributing Writers: Ben Smith MSGA.org VSGA.com - Chris Lang PGA.com
Dear MAPGA Professionals, 2020 is going to memorable for many of us for a variety of reasons as it has challenged us personally and professionally. One of the silver linings of COVID-19 is the increase in rounds and interest in the game of golf. Hopefully, this has meant more revenue for your facility and ultimately you as the PGA Professional. Many of us are still working with smaller staffs and trying to do less with more but hopefully you can find the time to play with members and compete. Although our tournament season was delayed this spring, there has been some outstanding play by our MAPGA Professionals thus far. The first Section event of the year was held at the beautiful Links at Perry Cabin where Larkin Gross, PGA won by three shots. A month later at Creighton Farms Golf Club, Troy Thorne, PGA won the Head Pro Championship and Steve Delmar, PGA won the Stroke Play Championship. Delmar was victorious again at the Assistant’s Championship at Woodholme CC in early August and then we headed to Golden Horseshoe Golf Club for the MAPGA Section Championship. Three days of fierce competition resulted in Yong Joo, PGA winning with an impressive total of 200 (-13). We then had history made at the Maryland Open Championship as Josh Speight was the first MAPGA Professional to win since 2011. The stellar play continued into September as we saw three Chapter Champions crowned: Northern Chapter – David Hutsell, PGA; Central Chapter – Billy Hoffman, PGA; Southern Chapter – Josh Speight, PGA. Finally, Joy Bonhurst won her second MAPGA Women’s Championship. Considering all that we have faced as PGA Professionals, the preparation by these outstanding players in our Section is phenomenal. There are so many more talented PGA Professionals in our Section that will be competing this fall in the Players Cup, Team Championship and more. Don’t overlook the reason why we all got into this business…we love to play this great game. Help us continue this resurgence in golf by getting out there with your members or students on the course. Challenge yourself to sign up for a tournament or start dreaming up that golf trip you want to organize for 2021. We will be seeing each other virtually quite a bit this fall for Chapter Meetings and for the MAPGA Section Meeting. We’re working to make this valuable for you and I hope you participate. I look forward to seeing you on the course and a lot more in person in 2021. Warm Regards, Joshua Tremblay, PGA MAPGA President joshtremblay@pga.com
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The Professional Dear MAPGA Professional, I want to first thank you for your hard work and perseverance at your facility and for the golf industry. Despite the obvious perils of a global pandemic, golf has established itself as a safe outdoor sport and seen tremendous growth, even with a huge downturn in March/April. In this issue, we celebrate some of our tournament winners. In March/April/May, I doubted we would have an issue like this. But thanks to diligence from you all as PGA Professionals, superb preparation by our tournament staff and host facilities, and probably throw in a little luck, we have had a successful tournament season so far. We definitely appreciate how many of you have participated and supported your Section/Chapter events!
Letter
From The
ED
While our Fall Chapter and Section meetings will all be virtual (I hope you can join us), we do have our fingers crossed that our 2021 Spring Meeting can be in Jon Guhl person. We are planning a “Super Meeting� at Lansdowne Resort from February Executive Director 28-March 2, 2021. We plan to have our HOF/Awards Banquet on Sunday night (Feb 28), our Section Meeting on Monday morning (March 1) and our Teaching Summit on Monday afternoon and all-day Tuesday (March 2). We hope this collection of activities will attract you to come stay for a few days, share in the camaraderie of our Section, and both honor award winners and learn a little about teaching along the way. We may even have an official or unofficial visit to TopGolf Loudoun. Please save these dates on your calendar! As a reminder, we will honor our 2020 class of award winners at that February 28th banquet. We will do a new awards process next summer for the 2021 class. Also, I think this health crisis has given us all some perspective on what is important in our lives. Something that seemed imperative in February may now seem not as important. So hug your loved ones and appreciate that our industry is a safe haven for our customers. I hope you have a strong finish to your season and please continue to do your part for your Association and our game! Sincerely, Jon Guhl Executive Director jguhl@pgahq.com
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The Professional
J.P. LUNN, PGA NAMED 2020 DEACON PALMER AWARD WINNER J.P. Lunn, a 26-year PGA Member and Head Professional at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, Maryland, is the recipient of the 2020 Deacon Palmer Award, honoring a PGA Professional who personally displays outstanding integrity, character and leadership in the effort to overcome a major obstacle in their life. Lunn never missed a Section meeting while serving as an Officer, despite enduring treatments for a brain tumor that was diagnosed in 2014. A member of the Middle Atlantic PGA Section since 1990, Lunn has volunteered to serve his Chapter and Section since 1997. He reached the highest level of Section leadership in 2001 when he was elected Director at Large for its Board of Directors, then became Secretary, Vice President and eventually the 48th President of the Section. He has served the MAPGA as a Board member for 16 of the last 18 years, and has been involved in many committees within the Section. Lunn has received numerous MAPGA honors including 2020 Professional of the Year; 2017 Bill Strausbaugh Award; and the 2009 and 2014 Horton Smith Award.* * Renamed the PGA Professional Development Award
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The Professional
Championship Season
MAPGA Spoiled With Great The 2020 Championship Season a different feel this year with Finishes, New Winners, And had the new normal in golf tournaments. Single carts, own rakes, and Unlikely Wins
sanitized flag sticks were among the things players had to get used to this season. They didn’t let these changes get in their way of playing great golf. We had several down to the wire finishes, new major winners in Yong Joo and Dick Mast, and an MAPGA Professional winning the Maryland Open Championship in Josh Speight for the first time in 9 years. We had one of our own, John O’Leary, play in the PGA Championship. We also have many great qualifiers that will represent the MAPGA on the big stage in national events. The MAPGA staff would like to thank all of our players for playing and accepting the new normal as well as the sponsors that stuck with us and continued to support these tournaments.
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The Professional - Championship Edition
YONG JOO, PGA WINS HIS FIRST MAPGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Williamsburg, VA – The 2020 MAP-
GA Professional Championship felt like it was going to take something special to win from the very first round. The leaderboard was packed tightly with past champions, proven veterans, and young talent looking for their first victory. The 6,527-yard, Par-71 Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (Gold Course) provided the perfect test, allowing low scores but penalizing bad shots. It ended up taking the best round of the tournament to win the event, in what would be a great back-and-forth battle to crown the 2020 MAPJoo hits his tee shot on the GA Section Champion. Par-3 12th hole during the Final Round Yong Joo, PGA of Topgolf-Loudon was one of those proven veterans that was looking for his first Section Championship. He has been in the thick of things during the last three Section Championships with consecutive top-20 finishes, highlighted by a tie for 10th last year. He knew he needed to put three solid rounds together to become a champion. In Round 1, Mason Stutler, PGA and Steven Delmar, PGA set the early pace. Stutler led the morning wave to get out to an early lead. His six birdies against one bogey put him at 5-under to start the tournament. Delmar, the defending champion, got his title defense off to a great start with 5 birdies on his front 9. A bogey and two more birdies on the back gave him an impressive 6-under 65 to give him the lead after the first round. Joo didn’t have his best stuff in the first round. He teed off on number 10 and made double bogey on the 13th hole. Two birdies on 15 and 17 got him back to even par on his first nine. His back nine was a roller coaster with only one par coming in. He went birdie-birdie-birdie-bogey-birdie-birdie-bogey-par-bogey to card a 2-under 69, four back of Delmar. Round 2 proved to be moving day at the Gold Course. First round leader Delmar wasn’t able to make much of a move with his 1-under 70. Stutler was able to gain ground with three consecutive birdies out of the gate. He couldn’t get much going after that, with two birdies and two bogeys the rest of the round, finishing with a 3-under 68 to take the lead from Delmar. The big mover on the day was Yong Joo. His 5-under-par 66 would shoot him up the leaderboard and into a tie for 2nd with Delmar, just one shot behind Stutler. The third and final round was set up to be a great battle between the three at the top. Stutler, Delmar, and Joo were three shots ahead of the field and battling for the championship amongst themselves. Delmar and Joo came out firing to quickly erase Stutler’s one shot lead. After 3 pars on the first hole, Joo birdied and Delmar eagled the Par-5 2nd hole to give Delmar the early one stroke lead. On holes 3 and 4, Joo made two more birdies and Delmar made one to share the lead at -10 through 4 holes. Stutler got back in the mix with a birdie on the Par-4 5th hole and a Delmar bogey on 5 gave Joo his first outright lead of the tournament. All three players birdied the Par-5 6th and parred the Par-3 7th. Delmar made birdie on number 8 to get him back into a share of the lead. They made the turn with Stutler at 10-under, trailing Delmar and Joo, who were tied at -11.
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The Professional - Championship Edition Delmar failed to get up and down from a bunker to bogey the 10th hole and give Joo the solo lead again which brought us to the turning point in the round. The drivable Par-4 11th could be a tempting birdie hole but there was trouble lurking right. Joo hit a 3-wood to the middle of the green and two-putted for birdie. However, Delmar and Stutler both went right and scrambled to make par. Joo made two impressive up and down par saves on 13 and 14 to keep his momentum and two-shot lead. On the Par-5 15th, Joo hit an impressive third shot from the rough behind a tree to set him up for birdie. That gave
Joo celebrates onhim a three-stroke lead with three the 18th greenholes to play. Three stress-free pars for Joo gave him a bogey-free 65 and the 2020 MAPGA Professional Championship. We would like to congratulate Yong on his win as well as the qualifiers that will represent the MAPGA at the 2021 PGA Professional Championship. These 10 players will join exempt players Joanna Coe, David Hutsell, and John O’Leary at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL next spring: Yong Joo, Steve Delmar, Mason Stutler, Josh Speight, Craig Callens, Geoff Montross, Sean English, Ryan Fellows, Larkin Gross, and Chris Nieto.
A big thank you goes out to Jeff Winters and his staff at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club for all the work they put in to make this a great championship. Another big round of appreciation goes to all of the sponsors of the event: Club Car, Omega, Nike, Titleist, Taylormade, Golf Channel, and the PGA Tour.
Yong Joo talks about his final round and win at the MAPGA Ptofessional Championship
Full Leaderboard
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The Professional
2020-21 NATIONAL PGA PROFESSIONAL QUALIFIERS Congratulations to all those that qualified for a National Event! We can’t wait to see how you represent the MAPGA.
8 MAPGA Professionals will travel to Port St. Lucie, FL for the 2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship. They will play PGA Golf Club October 15-18. Qualifiers (from left to bottom): Dick Mast, David Hutsell, Carey Hodsden, Dirk Schultz, Sean English, Jim Estes, Tim Lewis, and Brendan McGrath.
13 MAPGA Professionals will travel to Port St. Lucie, FL for the 2021 PGA Professional Championship. They will compete at PGA Golf Club next spring. Qualifiers (from left to bottom): David Hutsell, John O’Leary, Joanna Coe, Ryan Felows, Chris, Nieto, Larkin Gross, Sean English, Steve Delmar, Yong Joo, Mason Stutler, Craig Callens, Josh Speight, and Geoff Montross. EXPERTS IN THE GAME AND BUSINESS OF GOLF
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The Professional 5 MAPGA Professionals will travel to Port St. Lucie, FL for the 2020 Assistant PGA Professional Championship. They will compete at PGA Golf Club November 12-15. Qualifiers (from left to bottom): Steve Delmar, Larkin Gross, Ian McConnell, Jay Newcomb, and Alex Hoffman.
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The Professional - Championship Edition
STEVE DELMAR WINS NATIONAL CAR RENTAL MAPGA ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR Delmar hits his approach to the Par-4 6th at Wodholme Country Club
Pikesville, MD – The 2020 National Car Rental Assistant MAPGA Professional Championship had to be changed to a 1 day, 27-hole event due to incoming inclement weather. This turned out to be a tough test for the players in the heat at Woodholme Country Club. The 6,889-yard, Par-73 course played tough throughout the day with fast greens and a steady breeze. Only four players finished the first round under par. Steven Delmar of Columbia Country Club led the way with an impressive 5-under 68. He got his day started on the 10th hole with a birdie to get off to a great start. He added another birdie on the 18th to cap off a clean first nine 36. He birdied three of his next four holes on the front nine to shoot him into the lead. His lone bogey in Round 1 came on the Par-4 5th but he got it back with a birdie on the 7th hole. His 5-under round got him in the clubhouse 2 shots clear of 2nd place going into Round 2. Larkin Gross was in the hunt as Delmar’s second round stalled with a double bogey on 6. Gross stumbled a bit out of the gate in his Second Round, but he was able to rattle off three birdies in a row on holes 5-7 to tie Delmar for the lead. It wouldn’t be quite enough as Delmar bounced back from the double bogey with two birdies in a row to finish 2 shots clear of Gross. This is Delmar’s second straight Assistant MAPGA Professional Championship. We had 5 qualifiers for the 2020 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship that will be hosted at PGA Golf Club November 12-15: Steven Delmar, Larkin Gross, Ian McConnell, Alex Hoffman, and John Newcomb. We would like to thank Mike Castrilli of Woodholme Country Club for being gracious hosts. Another thank you to National Car Rental, Srixon Cleveland Golf, John Deere, and the PGA Tour for sponsoring this event. Full Leaderboard
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The Professional - Championship Edition
DICK MAST CAPTURES Haymarket, VA – The 2020 MAPGA Senior Professional Championship was a soggy with heavy rains during the first round and FIRST MAPGA SENIOR one, light sprinkles throughout the second round. The players braved the wet conditions and were able PROFESSIONAL to get in both rounds with no delays. The Piedmont Club gave us a bunched leaderboard at the top that produced some drama to the end. CHAMPIONSHIP With the rain falling in round one, the 6,473-yard Piedmont Club only surrendered 7 rounds below par. Three players were tied at the top: Tim Lewis, David Hutsell, and Dick Mast at 4-under par 68. Tim Lewis got his championship off to a solid start, with two birdies and two bogeys for an even par 36 on his front nine. He bogeyed hole 10 but really got his round going on the back side with two birdies on 11 and 12 and then three in a row to finish on holes 16-18. David Hutsell, making his senior division debut, got off to a poor start with two bogeys on the first two holes. He cleaned it up from there as those were his only bogeys on the day. A birdie on 8 and birdie streak on 13-15 gave him a 4-under 68 to tie Lewis at the top. Dick Mast has been playing solid golf all season. He has been in contention at the State Open of Virginia, MAPGA Professional Championship, and made the cut at the Maryland Open. It was no different here as he made 7 birdies to 3 bogeys to give him a share of the lead with Lewis and Hutsell. Their 4-under rounds gave them a two-shot lead headed into the second and final round. With the heavy rains gone, the Piedmont Club surrendered more low rounds in Round 2. Lewis, Hutsell, and Mast knew they had to shoot a low score to take home the title. Lewis didn’t have his best stuff in the second round. Making only one birdie, he fell behind what would become a two-man race between Hutsell and Mast. The tussling started early between the two players, as Mast birdied and Hutsell bogeyed the first hole to give Mast a quick 2-stroke lead. Hutsell responded quickly though, matching Mast’s birdie on the 2nd hole to stay two down. A great third shot on the Par-5 3rd gave Hutsell another birdie to get within one shot of Mast. From there, David couldn’t get much more going on the front nine with six pars. Mast, despite battling a bad back, made two more birdies on 5 and 8 and had a momentum saving up & down on the 9th to make the turn bogey free with a 3 shot lead. Mast continued to apply the pressure on the back nine with birdies on 10 and 12. Hutsell wouldn’t be fazed with birdies of his own on 11 and 12. Birdie attempts for both came agonizingly close through the next three holes but both would continue to make pars. That led us to the short Par-3 16th hole. With the pin tucked on the left, both players hit the middle of the green with long putts for birdie. Hutsell knew he needed something and made a 50-foot bomb to get within two shots of Mast when Dick’s putt didn’t fall. On 17, Mast couldn’t get his approach shot to the green out of the wet rough. He failed to get up and down and an
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The Professional - Championship Edition easy par for Hutsell brought them to the Par-5 18th with a one-shot lead for Mast. Both players hit the fairway and had long second shots to the green. Mast hit the green in two and Hutsell flared his second shot to the right. Knowing he needed to make birdie for a chance to force a playoff, Hutsell hit a miraculous chip shot to within three feet and made the birdie putt. Now it was all up to Mast to two-putt from 70 feet and the championship was his. He made it look easy, cozying it to tap in range to win by one shot.
Mast hits his chip on the Par4 7th. He would get up and down for par.
Congratulations to Dick Mast on a fantastic win and to the qualifiers for the 2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship: Dick Mast (exempt), David Hutsell (exempt), Carey Hodsden, Jim Estes, Sean English, Dirk Schultz, Brendan McGrath, and Tim Lewis. They will play PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL on October 15-18 for the National Senior PGA Professional Championship. Thank you to Sean Dolan and his staff at Piedmont Club for helping us put on this championship with such tough conditions. Full Leaderboard
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The Professional - Championship Edition
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The Professional - Championship Edition
JOSH SPEIGHT MAKES HISTORY BY WINNING MARYLAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Article from Maryland State Golf Association (https://msga.org/99th-maryland-open-championship/) For the first time in nearly a decade, a Middle Atlantic PGA professional claimed the title of Maryland Open Champion, when Josh Speight birdied his final hole at the Country Club at Woodmore and secured a one-stroke victory at 99th MSGA Maryland Open Championship on August 26. Speight fired three straight rounds in the sixties (67-69-68—204) and posted 11-under par to earn a one-stroke victory over runner-up and fellow MAPGA member, Larkin Gross. Charlie Winegardner of The Cannon Club, finished the week as Low Amateur with rounds of 68-66-74—208. Woodmore and The Cannon Club hosted the first two rounds of the championship. All competitors played one round at each course on August 24-25, and the field was cut to the low 40 players and ties. 47 players at +4 (147) or better made the cut and played the final round at Woodmore on Wednesday. Speight’s consistent play throughout the week and down the stretch during the final round was key to his win. After a bogey-free front nine in the final round that included two birdies at holes three Speight fist pumps after he and eight, Speight made makes the winning putt on 18. just his second bogey of Photo from MSGA.com. the tournament at the par4 tenth. But he bounced back and took advantage on another par-5 with a birdie at the eleventh hole. Throughout the week and over the two courses, Speight played the par fives at 9-under par with seven birdies, an eagle, and no bogeys. He rattled off six consecutive pars before closing out his round with clutch birdies on the final two holes, and the birdie at the last was the decisive one. A fist pump accompanied the 20-footer when it dropped, as Larkin Gross was inside of Speight and had a birdie putt to tie for the lead and set up an intriguing playoff scenario, had Speight missed his bid. Gross, a professional from Center Cross, VA, poured in the birdie at the 18th hole to post a final round 70, but it wasn’t quite enough to keep him at the top of the leaderboard after his outstanding second-round 65 at Woodmore that included eight birdies. Gross’s final round was quite the rollercoaster ride that included six birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey at the par-3 ninth.
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The Professional - Championship Edition Korn-Ferry Tour member and Towson University product, Ryan Siegler of Baltimore, MD, finished alone in third at 8-under (67-71-69—207). In the first round at Woodmore, he went out in even par, then caught fire with four birdies and an eagle on par-5 eighteenth. The round was offset by a couple of bogeys on holes 14 and 15 to post a 4-under 67 for the day. During his final round on Wednesday, he fired a bogey-free 69 with three birdies. Winegardner showed out during his first and second rounds and was comfortable at his home club, The Cannon Club, opening with a 68 (-4) on Monday. In the second round at Woodmore, Winegardner posted a bogey-free 66 (-5) with five birdies. His last round at Woodmore wasn’t quite as steady, with bogeys coming before birdies. He climbed back to even par with a birdie at the sixteenth hole, but he was stymied behind a tree on the eighteenth and that led to an untimely double bogey at the last for a final round 74. Despite the disappointing finish after holding the 36-hole lead, Winegardner was the only amateur to finish in the top five. Full Leaderboard
STEVE DELMAR TAKES JANI-KING MAPGA STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Steve Delmar shot a 4-under 68 at the Club at Creighton Farms to win by 1 shot over Troy Thorne, Joe Lussier, and Ian McConnell. Rick Schuller dominated the Senior 50-59 Division, winning by 4 strokes with his 5-under 67. Fran Rhoads won the Senior 60+ Division with his 1-over 73. Full Leaderboard
TROY THORNE WINS BRITT SLOAN MAPGA HEAD PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Troy Thorne won the Head Professional Championship by 4 shots by shooting a 3-under 69 at Creighton Farms. Geoff Redgrave and Dirk Schultz tied for the Senior 50-69 Division by shooting even-par 72. Great play by all! Full Leaderboard
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The Professional - Championship Edition
MARK LAWRENCE JR. WINS DELTA DENTAL STATE OPEN OF VIRGINIA John O’Leary, PGA Earns Low Professional Honor
Article written by Chris Lang of the VSGA
ROANOKE — Mark Lawrence
Jr.’s historic blitz of Ballyhack Golf Club came to an end on Saturday afternoon with a tap-in for par at 18, giving him a three-day total of 200 and the championship at the Delta Dental State Open of Virginia. The victory was a long time coming for an accomplished amateur who has been agonizingly close to holding the Farmington Cup twice Mark Lawrence Jr. with State in the last five years. Open of Virginia Trophy Photo by Chris Lang
Richmond’s Lawrence, a member at Independence Golf Club who is set to complete his college golf career at Virginia Tech whenever the pandemic will allow, opened with a 9-under-par 63 on Thursday and never let anyone have a realistic hope of catching him. His steady 3-under 69 on Saturday left him with a place in the State Open record book, at least for the seven events held at Ballyhack. He shattered the previous low score of 204, set by Fielding Brewbaker and current PGA Tour member Lanto Griffin. His opening round tied his own Ballyhack competitive course record (also shared by Ballyhack member Justin Young, who shot a three-day 207 to finish second this week.) And he became the second member of an ultra-exclusive club of players who have won the State Open, VSGA Amateur and VSGA Junior Stroke Play championships. The other? World Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins. “I’ll have to mention that to Bobby the next time I see him at Kinloch,” Lawrence joked, referring to Wadkins’ brother. To anyone who has played with Lawrence lately, this week’s showing came of little surprise. “I played with him in the practice round, and I think everybody in our group saw this coming,” said Mikey Moyers, who shot a three-day 208 to finish third. “We were like, if he hits it like this, we have no chance. He hits hit higher and farther than all of us. There are certain shots you have to hit here high and with spin, and he can do that. “He was just playing a different game.” Lawrence led by four strokes after Thursday and seven strokes when Friday’s suspended second round was completed early Saturday morning. His lead never dipped below four strokes in the final round. His bogey on No. 3 opened the door just a tiny crack, but he made key birdies on Nos. 5, 9 and 11 to slam it shut once again. Loving Ballyhack hasn’t always been easy for Lawrence, who in 2014 shared his displeasure of the track on social media after a few tough rounds in his first appearance at the course.
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The Professional - Championship Edition “When I was 14, you know, I thought you hit driver on every hole, I thought you went at every flagstick, I thought you went at every putt. I was just dumb,” Lawrence said. “Honestly, this course has taught me a lot about how to play golf, and I feel like I get a little bit better every year that I come here and play. It’s about learning how to attack and approach a golf course instead of just bombing driver all day. And it’s honestly become one of my favorite golf courses.
O’Leary putts on the 9th hole at Ballyhack John O’Leary, PGA, of Trump Golf Club. National Golf Club in Potomac Photo by Chris Lang Falls, earned low professional honors with a three-day 209 and finished fourth overall. After struggling to a 74 on Thursday, a round that included a few “rough Ballyhack bounces,” he said, O’Leary switched putters for the final two rounds and returned 69 and 66 to finish a shot clear of Roanoke’s Michael Wade. “I really hit my irons decent, and that gave me some good looks,” O’Leary said of his Saturday 66. “I had a couple of key up and downs that really kept my round going.”
“It’s funny, I hit two drivers today. In 2014, I bet you I hit seven. I was just dumb. You can’t do that.”
Next up for O’Leary is a trip to Because of the tone set Thursday, the field’s only chance the PGA Championship at Harding Park Aug. 6-9. He of rallying involved Lawrence backing up over the earned his way into the field by finishing in the top 20 of event’s next two days. With only two bogeys over the the 2019 PGA Player of the Year list. O’Leary will be one course of 54 holes, that opportunity never materialized. of 18 club professionals to compete in the event. “He’s too good of a player not to win,” Young said. “He just has a different game than everybody else. He’s always played well here. For him to win, it’s really no surprise. He’s been very close. Now for him to finally get the win, my hat’s off to him.”
Wade and Forest amateur Marshall Tinsley (Winton Farm) finished tied for fifth at 210. Tinsley is the reigning VSGA Mid-Amateur champion. Full Leaderboard
JOHN O’LEARY REPRESENTS MAPGA WELL AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
He shot 75-73 to finish 6th out of the 20 PGA Professionals that competed at TPC Harding Park. His shot on the Par3 17th was on the ESPN coverage and led to a birdie!
The Professional - Championship Edition
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JOY BONHURST WINS HER SECOND MAPGA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Springfield, VA – Springfield Golf & Country Club played very difficult during the 2020 MAPGA
Women’s Championship. The slick greens and narrow fairways gave the women a tough time as big numbers were lurking throughout the course. Joy Bonhurst of Blue Mash Golf Club was able to make only one of those big numbers, her double bogey on 10 was the lone double bogey or worse on her card. She was able to scrap pars and bogies together and that ultimately set her apart from the field. A birdie on the Par-3 13th would also go a long way in setting her up for victory. There would be some pressure as Joanna Coe of Baltimore Country Club and Cathy Kim of 1757 Golf Club were trying to chase her down. Bonhurst made back-to-back bogies on 16 and 17 to bring Coe and Kim closer. Coming to the 18th tee, she needed par or better to seal the victory. It wasn’t looking good after her tee shot went right into the trees. She was able to find a window and hit a great recovery shot that ended up just off the green to the left. Bonhurst was able to calm her nerves and hit a great chip shot to kick in range. She was able to make the putt to become the 2020 MAPGA Women’s Champion. Great playing, Joy! Full Leaderboard
EXPERTS IN THE GAME AND BUSINESS OF GOLF
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MAPGA Staff Jon Guhl
Executive Director
Eric Southard
Assistant Tournament Director
Bob Heintz, PGA
Assistant Executive Director/ Tournament Director
Collin Elphic
Kristine Hofmann Membership Director
Claire Jansa, PGA
Junior Golf Director
Player Development Coordinator
Ben Smith
Andrew Gridley
Tasita Garcia
Communication Manager
Director of Business Affairs
JT Moore
Junior Golf Intern
PGA Works Fellow