Local team wins PGA Tour Saturday series pro-am at Buick Championship

Sussex County - The Buick Championship was not the only PGA Tour event being contested in Connecticut and J.J. Henry was not the only winner. The Sussex County-based team that recently qualified at a PGA Tour Saturday Series Pro-Am held at Ballyowen Golf Club traveled to Connecticut to compete in the Buick Championship Saturday Series and came home with the first place trophy. This PGA Tour event was hosted by the Wintonburry Hills Golf Course in Bloomfield, Conn. The tournament paired qualified amateur participants with PGA Tour professionals who missed the cut in the Buick Championship. The participating PGA Tour Professionals included Larry Mize, a winner of the Masters, Buick Open and over $7 million on Tour; Mark Brooks, winner of seven tour events including the PGA Championship and over $8 million; Dan Forsman a winner of five PGA Tour events including the Buick Open and over $8 million; Carlos Franco, winner of four PGA Tour events and over $7 million; Bill Glasson, winner of seven Tour events and over $6 million; Jeff Brehaut, winner of two Nationwide Tour events and over $3 million; Jay Williamson with tour earnings of over $3 million and relative newcomer to the PGA Tour, Australian James McLean. The Saturday Series Pro-Am is an 18-hole competition with PGA Tour Professionals teamed up with four amateur partners in a “total net birdies” point format. The PGA Tour Saturday Series, which has been part of the tour for eight years, has gained a reputation with the pros for being a fun, relaxing and enjoyable departure from regular tour competition with the tour pros always willing to share their golfing knowledge with their amateur teammates. Each tour pro plays nine holes with one group and then nine with another, so each amateur team can get the opportunity to play with two different PGA Tour pros. This year’s event was made up of 32 golfers on eight teams from three states. The New Jersey Regional Champion Team included Mike Vedral from Hamburg, Joe Stefanelli also of Hamburg, Dale Kelly from Vernon and Connecticut resident Douglas Juhasz. Based on consistent play and solid putting, the New Jersey team was able to capture the first-place trophy. The Saturday Pro-AM was created by PGA Tour veteran Gary Hallberg and has fast become a favorite of amateurs for several reasons. The tournament field is generally limited to a maximum of 88 amateurs and 22 PGA Tour pros to create a more intimate atmosphere and increase pace-of-play. PGA Tour players are involved in all of the day’s activities and the awards luncheon that follows golf. Proceeds from the Saturday Series Pro-Am benefit charities throughout North America. Hallberg Golf Productions, which owns the Saturday Series Pro-Am, has committed 25 percent of its profits to The First Tee, which is dedicated to making golf more accessible to children of all economic backgrounds. For more information, visit www.saturdayseries.com, and the Crystal Springs Golf Resort at www.crystalgolfresort.com.