MORAN CAPTURES 46th PGA TENNESSEE PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
KNOXVILLE – Scott Moran of Knoxville, TN, winner of the Tennessee Section PGA Professional Championship, Aug. 18-20 at Holston Hills Country Club will lead six Section PGA Professionals to compete in the 48th PGA Professional National Championship, June 21-24, 2015, at The Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Moran turned in a winning total of 9-under-par (and a playoff victory) to capture the Tennessee PGA Professional Champion title.
Loren Personett of Mt. Juliet, TN was runner-up, also finishing at 9-under-par, but came up short in the playoff. They are joined by Audie Johnson (Mt. Juliet, TN), Johan Kok (Brentwood, TN), Henrik Simonsen (Ooltewah, TN), and Glenn Hudson (La Follette, TN). Moran and Personett provided lots of excitement after eagling and birdying (respectively) hole #17 to even their low scores of 9-under-par. Both made par on hole #18 to force a playoff, which was held on #18. Moran drained a 6foot uphill birdie putt to claim the championship. Henrik Simonson (Ooltewah, TN) birdied his last 5 holes, just enough for him to earn a qualifying spot. Audie Johnson has had an unforgettable year, qualifying for all 3 National Championships.
Returning for a second time to the Philadelphia PGA Section, the PGA Professional National Championship brings together a field of 312 contestants representing The PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections. In 2015, the National Championship field will compete at The Philadelphia Cricket Club, located 20 minutes northwest of downtown Philadelphia, Pa. The renowned club will utilize the historic Wissahickon Course (formerly Flourtown), built by A.W. Tillinghast in 1922, and the Militia Hill Course, a 2002 design by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. The par-70, 7,119-yard Wissahickon Course will host the Championship’s final 36 holes, and is a past member of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” by Golf Digest, while the par-72, 7,199-yard Militia Hill Course is a regular “Top 25” Golf Digest selection in Pennsylvania.
The PGA Professional National Championship, carrying a $550,000 total purse this year, is broadcast (all four rounds) by GOLF CHANNEL. Following 36 holes of play, the field will be trimmed to the low 90 scorers and ties, and following 54 holes of play, the field will be trimmed to the low 70 scorers and ties.
The low 20 scorers in 2015 will earn berths into the 97th PGA Championship, Aug. 13-16, 2015, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.
In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the PGA Professional National Championship winner also receives an exemption into the next 10 PGA Professional National Championships and exemptions into six PGA Tour events over a 12-month period.