Southern Ohio's Sowards Nears Award

Reigning PGA Club Professional champion Bob Sowards of Columbus, Ohio, who captured his first national championship in June, has all but mathematically wrapped up a second straight PGA Club Professional Player of the Year Award.

The race remains tight for the PGA Senior Club Professional of the Year, however, with Darrell Kestner of Glen Cove, N.Y., the 1996 PGA Club Professional champion, owning a narrow lead over Bob Ford of Oakmont, Pa., who won the 1988 PGA Club Professional Player of the Year title.

Sowards, 36, a PGA assistant professional at Wedgewood Golf & Country Club in Powell, Ohio, has earned 1,502.81 points, with Chip Sullivan of Troutville, Va., the closest pursuer with 1,190.55. Sullivan would need to win all six events of the Srixon PGA Tournament Series to challenge Sowards' lead. The Series opens November 29-30, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and concludes December 16-17, at Ballantrae Golf & Yacht Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Mike Small of Savoy, Ill., runner-up in the PGA Club Professional Championship, is third with 933.5, and Roy Biancalana of Huntley, Ill., fourth with 883.

The PGA Club Professional Player of the Year point standings are based on player performance in the PGA Club Professional Championship, PGA Championship, all PGA Tour events, all Nationwide Tour events, the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Stroke Play and Match Play Championships, the Burrows Golf PGA Western Winter Tournament Program and the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship.

Sowards is the first Southern Ohio PGA member to win a PGA Club Professional Championship. That victory was worth 400 points. He also collected 300 points for winning the Section Player of the Year title, and 659.31 points for making the cut in five Nationwide Tour events between February 2 and June 6. His best finish was a tie for 27th in the Knoxville (Tenn.) Open. Sowards received 118.5 for making the cut in the Northern PGA Club Professional Championship, and 25 points for competing in a local U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament.

Kestner, 51, one of the country's acclaimed golf instructors, is the PGA head professional at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, N.Y. This season, he made his debut in Champions Tour events as an open qualifier.

Of his overall 1,268.6 points, Kestner earned 611.3 based on making the cut in five of six Champions Tour events. His best finish was a tie for 10th in the October 17 SBC Championship. Kestner also earned 150 points for finishing sixth in the Metropolitan PGA Player of the Year standings and 135 for making the cut in the U.S. Senior Open

Kestner also earned 132.5 points for finishing tied for eighth in the Callaway PGA Senior Club Professional Championship, 64.8 for making the cut in the Eastern PGA Club Professional Championship, 50 for qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open and 25 for advancing past the local U.S. Open qualifying event.

Ford, 50, the PGA Director of Golf at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and PGA head professional at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., has earned 1,203 points, with 300 for winning the Tri-State PGA Player of the Year title, and 187 for finishing runner-up in the Callaway Golf PGA Senior PGA Club Professional Championship.

The last event in which either player may affect the standings is by their participation in the Srixon PGA Tournament Series. There are 50 points available for a win in the Series, and points for finishing among the money list leaders at the December 17 conclusion of the Srixon PGA Tournament Series.

The Senior PGA Club Professional Player of the Year point standings are based on competition in "regular" tour or PGA Professional Championships, the Senior Stroke Play Championship, the Burrows Golf PGA Western Winter Tournament Program; the Senior PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open, and the Champions Tour season.

The final PGA and Senior PGA Club Professional Player of the Year Awards standings will be announced December 31.

2004 PGA Club Professional Player of the Year Standings (through 10/31/04)

Player/Residence PGA Section/Points

1. Bob Sowards, Columbus, Ohio Southern Ohio - 1,502.81
2. Chip Sullivan, Troutville, Va. Middle Atlantic - 1,190.55
3. Mike Small, Savoy, Ill. Illinois - 933.5
4. Roy Biancalana, Huntley, Ill. Illinois - 883
5. Don Yrene, Scottsdale, Ariz. Southwest - 860.09
6. Jeff Coston, Blaine, Wash. Pacific Northwest - 852
7. Tim Fleming, Oklahoma City, Okla. South Central - 846
8. Craig Thomas, Lawrence, N.Y. Metropolitan - 785
9. Dave Tentis, Woodbury, Minn. Minnesota - 779.5
10. Frank Bensel, Greenwich, Conn. Metropolitan - 777.16
11. Don Berry, Maple Grove, Minn. Minnesota - 771
12. Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah Utah - 725.6
13. Mike Schuchart, Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska - 675
13. Perry Arthur, Plano, Texas Northern Texas - 629
14. Bob Ford, Oakmont, Pa. Tri-State - 618.5
15. Tim Weinhart, Buford, Ga. Georgia - 610
16. Tim Thelen, Richardson, Texas Southern Texas - 597
17. Kevin Savage, Syracuse, N.Y. Central New York - 580.5
18. Bruce Smith, Lewisville, Texas Northern Texas - 564.5
19. J.C. Anderson, Carrollton, Texas Northern Texas - 533.5
20. Kelly Mitchum, Southern Pines, N.C.Carolinas - 531

Player/Residence PGA Section/Points

1. Darrell Kestner, Glen Cove, N.Y. Metropolitan - 1,268.6
2. Bob Ford, Oakmont, Pa. Tri-State - 1,203
3. Perry Arthur, Plano, Texas Northern Texas - 797.5
4. Jim White, Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska - 787.5
5. Mike San Filippo, Hobe Sound, Fla. South Florida - 611.3
6. Jay Overton, Palm Harbor, Fla. North Florida 517.07
7. Bob Ralston, Little Rock, Ark. South Central - 479.25
8. Pete Oakley, Lincoln, Del. Philadelphia - 474.29
9. Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. Tri-State - 463.94
10. Ed Whitman, Tenafly, N.J. New Jersey - 439.7
11. Michael Zinni, Mankato, Minn. Minnesota - 390
12. John Aubrey, Butler, Pa. Tri-State - 384
13. Paul Parajeckas, Woburn, Mass. New England - 336
14. Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio Northern Ohio - 326
15. Bob Mann, Westerville, Ohio Southern Ohio - 289.7
16. Buddy Harston, Lexington, Ky. Kentucky - 278.78
17. Tony Saraceno, Cortland, N.Y. Central New York - 254.8
18. Michael Harrigan, Arlington Heights, Ill. Illinois - 251.5
19. Jeff Thomsen, Boise, Idaho Rocky Mountain - 247
20. Bob Ackerman, W. Bloomfield, Mich. Michigan - 222

('DiggThis’) submit to reddit