ASSOCIATED PRESS
SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. – Mike Small won the PGA Professional National Championship for the second time in five years, closing with a 3-under 68 on Wednesday for a one-stroke victory over Mark Sheftic and Steve Schneiter.
Small, the golf coach at the University of Illinois, had a 7-under 277 total to top the 20 qualifiers for the PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
Schneiter finished with a 71, and Sheftic shot a 72. Craig Thomas (68), Ryan Benzel (69), Eric Lippert (70) and Lee Rinker (71) tied for fourth at 5 under.
• • •
Here are capsules of the 20 qualifiers for the 2009 PGA Championship from the PGA Professional National Championship at Twins Warriors Golf Club, Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. (in order of finish):1. Mike SmallAge: 43
Hometown: Champaign, Ill.
College: University of Illinois
Position: Head coach of the men’s golf team, University of Illinois.
Career highlights: Winner of the Professional National Championship in 2005; finished second twice in the 2004 and ’07 PNCs, fourth in 2006; low club professional at the 2007 PGA Championship; Big Ten Conference coach of the year in 2002 and ’09; has won the Illinois Open four times and the Illinois PGA seven times.
Previous majors: Three U.S. Opens (MC in 1994, ’98 and ’07), four PGA Championships (MC in 2004 and ’06, 76th in 2005, T-69 in 2007).
• • •
T-2. Mark ShefticAge: 34
Hometown: Ambler, Pa.
College: Coker College
Position: Teaching professional at Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.
Career highlights: Twice (2004, ’07) runner-up at the Pennsylvania Open.
Previous majors: None.
• • •
T-2. Steve SchneiterAge: 45
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
College: Brigham Young
Position: Assistant professional at Schneiter’s Pebble Brook, Sandy, Utah
Career highlights: Won the 1995 National Professional Championship; low club professional at the 2005 PGA Championship; former winner of the Arizona Open, Wyoming Open and Idaho Open; three-time winner at the Utah PGA Section Championship; as an amateur, finished eighth at the NCAA Championship, earned All-America honors at BYU and won the Utah Amateur.
Previous majors: Nine PGA Championships (T-40 in 2005, MC in 1996-97, ’99, ’01-04, ’06).
• • •
T-4. Ryan BenzelAge: 30
Hometown: Bothell, Wash.
College: University of Idaho
Position: Teaching professional at Battle Creek Golf Course, Marysville, Wash.
Career highlights: Top-five finishes in two PGA Professional National Championships (T-2 in 2007, T-4 in 2008); winner of three straight (2004-06) Washington State PGA Match Play Championships.
Previous majors: Two PGA Championships (71st in 2007, MC in 2008).
• • •
T-4. Lee RinkerAge: 48
Hometown: Jupiter, Fla.
College: University of Alabama
Position: Director of golf at Emerald Dunes Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Career highlights: Played on the PGA Tour from 1984-2006; twice a runner-up in 1997, at the Byron Nelson Classic and at the BC Open; 2005 South Florida PGA Section player of the year; won the South Florida PGA in 2003 and ’05.
Previous majors: Five U.S. Opens (best finish, T-33 in 1993), six PGA Championships (best finish, T-29 in 1998).
• • •
T-4. Craig ThomasAge: 45
Hometown: White Plains, N.Y.
Position: Head professional at Metropolis Country Club, White Plains, N.Y.
Career highlights: 2004 Metropolitan PGA player of the year; winner, 2005 Metropolitan PGA Head Professional Championship; T-6 at 2006 Professional National Championship.
Previous majors: MC in three PGA Championships (2004-06).
• • •
T-4. Eric LippertAge: 34
Hometown: Marina, Calif.
College: California State University at San Bernardino
Position: Assistant professional at Del Monte Golf Course, Monterey, Calif.
Career highlights: Monday qualifier for the PGA Tour’s AT&T National Pro-Am in 2001.
Previous majors: None
• • •
T-8. Todd LancasterAge: 33
Hometown: Aurora, Ohio
College: Kent State
Position: Assistant professional at Westwood Country Club, Rocky River, Ohio
Career highlights: T-45 at the 2008 Professional National Championship.
Previous majors: None.
• • •
T-8. Tim WeinhartAge: 37
Hometown: Suwanee, Ga.
Position: Teaching professional at St. Marlo Country Club, Duluth, Ga.
Career highlights: Winner, 2003 Southern PGA Professional Championship and 2005 Georgia PGA; four-time Georgia PGA player of the year.
Previous majors: MC at 2002, ’05, ’06, ’08 PGA Championships.
• • •
T-8. Keith DiccianiAge: 37
Hometown: White Plains, N.Y.
Position: Assistant professional at Metropolis Country Club, White Plains, N.Y., and Muttontown Golf and Country Club, East Norwich, N.Y.
Career highlights: Played in the 2008 Professional National Championship.
Previous majors: None.
• • •
T-8. Grant SturgeonAge: 30
Hometown: Pittsburgh
College: University of Louisville
Position: Assistant professional at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club
Career highlights: Won 2002 Kentucky Open; tied for third in a Hooters Tour event in 2002; as a collegian, won the 2000 San Diego State Aztec Invitational.
Previous majors: None
• • •
T-8. Bob GausAge: 48
Hometown: St. Louis
College: Southern Illiinois-Edwardsville
Position: Teaching professional at Tower Tee Golf Center, St. Louis
Career highlights: Second at the 1998 Professional National Championship; was a member of the 1998 U.S. PGA Cup team; was a first-team Division II All-America; is a two-time Gateway PGA Section player of the year.
Previous majors: MC in two U.S. Opens (1990, 2008) and three PGA Championships (1998, 2000, 2007).
• • •
T-13. Brian GaffneyAge: 38
Hometown: Monmouth Beach, N.J.
College: Montclair (N.J.) State
Position: Head professional at Rumson (N.J.) Country Club
Career highlights: T-8 at the 2000 Professional National Championship; selected to U.S. PGA Cup team in 2000.
Previous majors: 2000 PGA Championship (MC).
• • •
T-13. Sam ArnoldAge: 37
Hometown: Cincinnati
College: Wright State
Position: Head professional at The Vineyards Golf Course, Cincinnati
Career highlights: Won 2006 and ’07 Southern Ohio Stroke Play, 2005 Southern Ohio Assistant Professional and the 2007 Southern Ohio PGA; top-20 finishes in two previous Professional National Championships (T-16 in 2006, T-13 in 2008).
Previous majors: MC at the 2006 and ’08 PGA Championships.
• • •
T-13. Greg BiscontiAge: 36
Hometown: South Salem, N.Y.
College: St. John’s University.
Position: Assistant professional at St. Andrews Golf Club, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Career highlights: Top-20 finishes in the 2006 and ’07 Professional National Championships; won the 2000 Metropolitan PGA Section Assistant Championship and the ’07 Metropolitan PGA Professional.
Previous majors: MC at 2006 and ’07 PGA Championship.
• • •
T-16. Chris StarkjohannAge: 53
Hometown: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.
College: Eastern Wyoming College
Position: Event coordinator for Torrey Pines Golf Club and Golf Outings, Encinitas, Calif.
Career highlights: Two-time recipient of the Senior PGA professional of the year; low club professional at the 2009 Senior PGA Championship; competed on the Nationwide Tour between 1991 and 2007 and had three top-10 finishes, including a win at the 1998 St. Louis Golf Classic; six-time Southern California PGA Section player of the year; two fifth-place finishes (1992, 2006) in the National Professional Championship.
Previous majors: MC at the PGA Championship in 1993 and 2005.
• • •
T-16. Kevin RomanAge: 41
Hometown: Roswell, Ga.
College: SUNY-Utica.
Position: Assistant professional at Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta
Career highlights: Medalist at a 2009 U.S. Open local qualifier; has 14 career holes-in-one.
Previous majors: None.
• • •
T-16. Scott HebertAge: 40
Hometown: Traverse City, Mich.
College: Ferris State University
Position: Head professional at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme, Mich.
Career highlights: Six-time Michigan Open winner; three-time Michigan PGA champion; 2008 Professional National Championship winner.
Previous majors: MC at 2007 and ’08 PGA Championship.
• • •
T-16. Mike MilesAge: 47
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.
College: Long Beach State
Position: Assistant professional at Virginia Country Club, Long Beach, Calif.
Career highlights: Won 2008 Southern California PGA Match Play and Southern California PGA Championship; played on the PGA Tour in 1986 and 1989; quarterfinalist in the 1981 U.S. Amateur Public Links.
Previous majors: MC at the 1987 and 2009 U.S. Opens.
• • •
T-16. Mitch LoweAge: 42
Hometown: Modesto, Calif.
College: Pacific
Position: Director of golf at Del Rio Country Club, Modesto, Calif.
Career highlights: 2000 and ’05 Northern California player of the year.
Previous majors: None.
– Compiled by Rich Skyzinski
Final scores with relation to par from the PGA Professional National
Championship, played June 27-July 1 at the par-71, 7,493-yard Twin Warriors
Golf Club and the par-71, 7,219-yard Santa Ana Golf Club in Santa Ana
Pueblo, N.M. (Note: top 20 finishers advance to the PGA Championship):
| 1. Mike Small |
70-71-68-68--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 2. Stephen Schneiter |
71-69-67-71--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 2. Mark Sheftic |
67-68-70-73--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 4. Craig Thomas |
69-72-70-68--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 4. Ryan Benzel |
69-74-67-69--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 4. Eric Lippert |
73-71-65-70--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 4. Lee Rinker |
71-69-68-71--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 8. Bob Gaus |
72-69-71-68--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 8. Grant Sturgeon |
79-65-67-69--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 8. Tim Weinhart |
69-72-69-70--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 8. Keith Dicciani |
71-69-67-73--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 8. Todd Lancaster |
71-68-68-73--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 13. Sam Arnold |
72-71-70-68--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 13. Brian Gaffney |
71-70-70-70--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 13. Greg Bisconti |
71-68-70-72--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 16. Frank Bensel |
73-70-71-68--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Michael Miles |
70-73-73-66--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Mitch Lowe |
75-67-71-69--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Scott Hebert |
66-76-71-69--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Jeff Martin |
70-70-72-70--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Tim Graves |
74-66-72-70--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Kevin Roman |
72-66-72-72--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 16. Chris Starkjohann |
67-73-69-73--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 24. Chris Moody |
75-68-71-69--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 24. Michael Suhre |
70-70-69-74--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 26. Paul Trittler |
73-69-72-70--284 |
|
|
E |
| 26. Ryan Garrity |
70-67-74-73--284 |
|
|
E |
| 26. Dan Olsen |
71-70-69-74--284 |
|
|
E |
| 29. Mark Brown |
74-68-72-71--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 29. Shawn Koch |
75-68-73-69--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 29. Sonny Skinner |
71-70-72-72--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 29. Steve Orrick |
69-73-71-72--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 29. Chip Johnson |
67-71-74-73--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 34. John Hickson |
71-71-73-71--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 34. Alan Morin |
70-72-71-73--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 34. Tim Thelen |
69-71-76-70--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 34. Kyle Flinton |
67-69-76-74--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 34. Steve Gotsche |
73-68-71-74--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 34. Mark Fuller |
68-73-71-74--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 40. Brent Studer |
73-70-71-73--287 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 40. Charles Meola |
68-75-73-71--287 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 40. Wes Skaggs |
71-70-72-74--287 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 40. Dirk Schultz |
71-71-70-75--287 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 44. Mickey Yokoi |
69-71-74-74--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 44. Shane Zywiec |
70-72-73-73--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 44. Chris Endres |
74-70-71-73--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 44. Brett Upper |
68-75-73-72--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 44. Brett Melton |
70-73-74-71--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 44. Rodney Perry |
73-70-76-69--288 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 50. Brent Johnson |
72-72-72-73--289 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 50. Perry Holmes |
74-70-72-73--289 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 50. Ron Philo |
70-73-74-72--289 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 50. Carl Alexander |
73-71-73-72--289 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 54. Craig Brischke |
71-72-71-76--290 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 54. Todd Kolb |
71-71-72-76--290 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 54. Brad Lardon |
75-68-71-76--290 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 54. Phil Schmitt |
71-73-71-75--290 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 54. Jeff Freeman |
70-73-73-74--290 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 59. Eric Manning |
71-72-71-77--291 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 59. David Von Hoffmann |
67-74-72-78--291 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 59. Denny Hepler |
70-73-74-74--291 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 59. Eric Barlow |
70-72-75-74--291 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 59. Chad Stocker |
69-74-69-79--291 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 64. Henrik Simonsen |
69-71-74-78--292 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 64. Scott Mallory |
73-70-75-74--292 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 64. Kevin Savage |
67-73-77-75--292 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 64. Mark Voeller |
71-72-76-73--292 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 64. Travis Johns |
76-68-78-70--292 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 69. Darrell Kestner |
70-72-73-78--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Tim Fleming |
71-71-73-78--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Tony Kelley |
68-76-72-77--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Bill Harvey |
71-73-73-76--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Casey Bourque |
71-72-75-75--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Brad Martin |
71-73-75-74--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 69. Clark Spratlin |
71-72-77-73--293 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 76. John Lee |
73-70-72-79--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 76. Chad Kurmel |
71-72-74-77--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 76. John Gibson |
72-72-73-77--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 76. Steven Hausmann |
76-68-74-76--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 76. Vince Jewell |
67-76-76-75--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 76. Jay Norman |
73-71-76-74--294 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 82. Jamie Elliott |
69-75-76-76--296 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 83. Gary Bebelaar |
74-70-76-77--297 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 84. Pete Busch |
74-70-77-80--301 |
|
+ |
17 |
| 84. Erik Wolf |
73-71-77-80--301 |
|
+ |
17 |
Posted: 7/1/2009
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