Past Champions Year
Champion
Club Affiliation
Host
2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928
Alex Beach Alex Beach Brent Studer Pat Fillian Frank Esposito Brian Gaffney Sam Kang Frank Esposito Frank Esposito Brent Studer Frank Esposito Bill Britton Bill Britton Joey Rassett Frank Esposito Steve Sieg Michael Burke Chris Dachisen Michael Burke Brent Studer John Klocksin Robin Kohberger Gary Ostrega Jamie Fordyce Bill King Michael Burke Steve Sieg Ed Whitman Peter Oosterhuis Bill King Ed Whitman David Glenz David Glenz Gary Ostrega Ed Whitman Ed Whitman Pat Schwab Carlton White Tom Ulozas Babe Lichardus Babe Lichardus Billy Ziobro Gary Head Charles Huckaby John Buczek Dick Pearce Pat Schwab Pat Schwab Bob Shields Pat Schwab Stan Mosel Babe Lichardus Babe Lichardus Wes Ellis Wes Ellis Wes Ellis Wes Ellis Al Mengert Harold Sanderson Jake Zastko Emery Thomas Stan Mosel Otto Greiner Fred Backer Babe Lichardus Lou Barbaro Emery Thomas Emery Thomas Vic Ghezzi Angelo Petraglia Gene Kunes Jack Mitchell Emery Thomas Dave O’Connell Emery Thomas Johnny Kinder Frank Walsh Frank Walsh Vic Ghezzi Craig Wood Johnny Kinder Vic Ghezzi Maurrie O’Conner Johnny Kinder Johnny Kinder Craig Wood Clarence Clark Craig Wood Jack Forrester Craig Wood
Baltusrol Ridgewood Metedeconk National Canoe Brook Brooklake Rumson Farmstead Brooklake Brooklake Manasquan River Brooklake Twin Brooks Eagle Oaks The Ridge at Back Brook Brooklake Navesink Mountain Ridge North Jersey Mountain Ridge Manasquan River Metuchen Newton Colonia Green Brook Spring Lake Mountain Ridge Navesink Knickerbocker Forsgate Rutgers Knickerbocker Morris County Morris County Colonia Hackensack Hackensack Playboy Club Washington Valley Bamm Hollow East Orange East Orange Tammy Brook Mountain Ridge Forest Hill Plainfield Echo Lake Playboy Club Playboy Club Alpine Playboy Club Essex Fells Hollywood Hollywood Mountain Ridge Mountain Ridge Mountain Ridge Mountain Ridge Echo Lake Canoe Brook Forsgate Forest Hill Essex Fells Knickerbocker Maplewood Baltusrol Hollywood Forest Hill Forest Hill Rumson Spring Meadow Englewood Essex County Forest Hill Essex Fells Forest Hill Plainfield Rumson Rumson Rumson Forest Hill Plainfield Deal Hendrick’s Field Jumping Brook Jumping Brook Hollywood Forest Hill Forest Hill Baltusrol Forest Hill
Mountain Ridge Plainfield The Ridge at Back Brook Knickerbocker Baltusrol Arcola Metedeconk National Trump National Bedminster Mountain Ridge Essex County Mountain Ridge Manasquan River Cherry Valley Plainfield Hackensack Baltusrol Fairmount Navesink Alpine Hollywood Metuchen Montammy Cherry Valley Montclair Crestmont Forsgate Eagle Oaks Mountain Ridge Crestmont Metuchen Hollywood Montammy Forsgate Fairmount Forsgate Forsgate Forsgate Forsgate Forsgate Forsgate Forsgate Fairmount Fairmount Fairmount Ash Brook Pike Brook Braidburn Hendrick’s Club Glen Ridge Braidburn Essex Fells Essex County Echo Lake Essex County Knickerbocker Mountain Ridge Homestead Canoe Brook Forsgate Homestead Homestead Hendrick’s Field Rockaway River Shackamaxon Forsgate Forsgate Jumping Brook Spring Brook Crestmont Forsgate Braidburn North Jersey North Jersey Homestead Suburban Knoll White Beeches Asbury Park Preakness Hills Suburban Suburban Rivervale Baltusrol Elmwood Ridgewood Hopewell Valley Trenton Crestmont Braidburn Forest Hill
PRESENTED BY
SUPPORTED BY
A MAJOR TEST This week, 158 PGA Professionals will compete in the largest field of the year in pursuit of the John J. Clancy Trophy. This event was introduced in 1928 and has produced champions such as Craig Wood, Vic Ghezzi and Peter Oosterhuis. Babe Lichardus, Emery Thomas and Frank Esposito share the record for the most titles with five each. This year’s host, Crestmont Country Club, marks the fifth time the Donald Ross golf course has held this event. PGA Head Professional Bob Downey of Crestmont, who has worked at the facility since 1989, says the conditions of the course get better each year. “The golf course is challenging from different tee boxes,” Downey said. “It changes from the spring to the fall to the summer. It really plays to its original design.”
When Bill King won the Section Championship in 1993, the last year Crestmont hosted this event, Downey said he was among the best ball-strikers in the Section. The key to winning at Crestmont, Downey added, is someone who will be able to control their distance around the flag. “Crestmont is not that long, but you really have to be on the right positions on the greens,” Downey said. “If you come to Crestmont and you don’t put the ball below the hole, you’re going to have trouble.” Alex Beach of Baltusrol Golf Club, the two-time defending champion, was a runner-up at the Lincoln Charity Clambake in June and comes into the week ranked No. 4 in the Omega Player of the Year standings. In 2017, Beach qualified for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, marking his first appearance at a major championship. The 29-year-old Assistant PGA Professional at Baltusrol became the first Section Professional to qualify for the PGA Championship since Brett Jones in 2015. The New Jersey PGA Championship serves as a qualifier for the PGA Professional Championship, which features a field of 312 PGA Professionals from around the country. The top 20 finishers from the national event automatically book their spot into the PGA Championship.
SUPPORTING
TOURNAMENT FORMAT New Jersey PGA Professional Championship Starting Field: 158 Format: Each competitor will play 36 holes in the first two rounds September 10 and 11. The field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties for the final round.
A LOOK BACK TO 1993 Bill King, then a 36-year-old, earned his second New Jersey PGA Championship by two strokes at Crestmont Country Club. King won his first Section Championship in 1988 at Metuchen Golf and Country Club when he was an assistant at Rutgers Golf Course.
PGA Professional Championship Qualifying Spots: 11 PGA Professional Championship: The 52nd PGA Professional Championship will be held April 28 through May 1 at the Belfair of Bluffton. This championship will now be contested in late April due to the new dates for the PGA Championship. The top 20 finishers from this national event will qualify for the 2019 PGA Championship, May 13-19, at Bethpage State Park Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.
2017 Results Mountain Ridge Country Club 1. Alex Beach, Baltusrol 73-68-68-209 2. Rich Terga, Mountain Ridge 72-68-71-211 3. Sam Kang, Essex Golf Center 69-69-76-214 4. Travis Deibert, Ridge at Back Brook 71-72-72-215 5. Brett Jones, Due Process Stable 72-76-68-216 T6. Pat Fillian, Echo Lake 76-71-70-217 T6. Jim McGovern, White Beeches 72-72-73-217 T6. Brent Studer, Metedeconk National 73-72-72-217 T6. Frank Esposito, Forsgate 73-69-75-217 T6. Marc Issler, Toms River Golf Center 70-71-76-217
1993 Results Crestmont Country Club 1. Bill King, Spring Lake T2. David Glenz, Crystal Springs T2. Pete Busch, Shackamaxon T2. Mike Burke, Mountain Ridge 5. Chris Dachisen, Maplewood T6. Charlie Cowell, Green Brook T6. Steve Sieg, Navesink T6. Billy Ziobro, Forsgate T6. Brent Studer, Essex Fells 10. Erich Mumford, Green Brook
71-70-72-213 74-69-72-215 68-72-75-215 70-71-74-215 74-71-71-216 74-75-68-217 73-74-70-217 73-72-72-217 75-72-70-217 73-74-71-218
2018 CHAMPIONS Greg Norman Collection Match Play Championship Somerset Hills Country Club May 8-10 Champion: Grant Sturgeon, Arcola Country Club
Lincoln Charity Clambake Rumson Country Club June 11-13 Champion: Nick Bova, Anchor Golf Center
New Jersey Senior PGA Professional Championship Navesink Country Club July 31 - August 1 Champion: Brent Studer, Metedeconk National Golf Club
National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship Canoe Brook Country Club August 13 Champion: Aaron Asedo, Mountain Ridge Country Club