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Royersford, Pa. (June 25, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional John Pillar of the Country Club at Woodloch Springs in Hawley, Pa., battled the record-breaking heat to successfully defended his title and capture the 2025 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship at Spring Ford Country Club. Pillar previously won this championship in 2019, 2020, and 2024.
The championship is supported by Golf Channel, Ohana Farm, and the PGA Tour.
Pillar entered the final round with a two-stroke lead, and completed his title defense with rounds of 68-70–138 to finish at 6-under-par, four strokes ahead of Brian Kelly of Titleist Fit Crew.
Heat index of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Pillar battled back on his final nine with five birdies, including three straight to finish, and a lone bogey, after starting his final round 2-over through seven holes.
“I’m proud of the fact that I finished strong,” Pillar said after being presented the trophy. “It’s very emotional to win this championship again; it’s my fourth victory in six years. I don’t take it lightly, because the [Philadelphia PGA] Section has a lot of great players.”
When asked about how he stayed focused in the extreme heat, Pillar said that players have to find shade.
“I learned that a long time ago from a caddie at Aronimink Golf Club…he said to get in the shade whenever you can, because it’s 15 degrees cooler than in the sun. I drank a ton of water, Gatorade, and a Pedialyte, but in the end, you have to take your time and not rush. The heat will identify your mental mistakes more so than the physical mistakes.”
Pillar went on to thank Spring Ford Country Club for hosting, the Country Club at Woodloch Springs for giving him the opportunity to compete, his wife Eileen, his kids, TaylorMade, Nike, and the Philadelphia PGA Section staff.
Pillar will lead six other Philadelphia PGA Members to compete in the 2025 Senior PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on October 23-26, including: Brian Kelly; Stephan Swartz, Carlisle Country Club; Dave McNabb, Applebrook Golf Club; Frank Bensel, Galloway National Golf Club; Rich Steinmetz, Spring Ford Country Club; and Terry Hertzog, Bent Creek Country Club. The top 35 finishers in the 2025 Senior PGA Professional Championship will earn a spot in the 2026 Senior PGA Professional Championship, scheduled to be played on April 16-19, at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. Alternates include: Mark Sehtic, Sunnybrook Golf Club; John Cooper, Green Valley Country Club; Hugo Mazzalupi, Radnor Golf Foundation; Brendon Post, University of Delaware; and Kevin Edwards, Olde Homestead Golf Club.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Bill Sautter, PGA, took the top prize in the Super Senior Division, finishing at 4-over-par and one stroke ahead of Harvey Williams, Glen Oak Country Club.
The 2025 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championship is supported by Golf Channel, Ohana Farm LLC, and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, Spring Ford Country Club, its membership, management, staff, and host PGA of America Golf Professionals, as the event would not have been possible without their support.
West Chester, Pa. (August 19, 2025) — The road to the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club is well underway with PGA of America Golf Professional Braden Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., capturing the 104th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship at Concord Country Club.
He finished with rounds of 66-67-69–202, 11-under-par, to better Riley Wheeldon of Aronimink Golf Club by two strokes. This is Shattuck’s first Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship victory, having finished in second place each of the last three years.
“It feels great to finally win this championship,” Shattuck said following the conclusion of play. “This was the first time I actually got out ahead after two rounds, which helped a lot.”
Shattuck said that the course has a very familiar feel to him, having worked at Concord in 2019; he said being comfortable on the course helped during the competition.
Shattuck was not only battling the field, but rain for the early portion of the final round, wind, and unseasonably cool temperatures throughout the championship. At one point during the final round, Shattuck led by six strokes, but kept a level head and stuck to his game plan. He made five birdies and three bogeys in his last round.
While this championship proved to be elusive for Shattuck until this year, he is no stranger to the winner’s circle. In addition to earning the Section’s Rolex / Haverford Trust Company Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year title each of the last three years (and is currently leading this year’s race), he won the PGA Professional Championship in 2023, and earned Low Club Professional honors at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, as part of the Corebridge Financial Team of PGA Members.
One-hundred-forty-two of the Philadelphia PGA Section’s best players are competing for the William B. Packer Trophy and a berth into the 2026 PGA Professional Championship, April 23-25, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon. From there, PGA Members from the 41 PGA Sections will compete to join the Corebridge Financial Team and earn a berth into the 2026 PGA Championship on May 11-17, at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It is the first PGA Championship held in the Philadelphia PGA Section since 1962, where Aronimink also played host.
Shattuck (already exempt from his 2023 victory) will lead 12 fellow Philadelphia PGA Members to the 2026 PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon, April 23-25: Riley Wheeldon, Aronimink Golf Club (2); Zac Oakley, Bidermann Golf Club (3); Will Scarborough, the Peninsula & and Country Club (T4); Zach Barbin, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club (T4); Tony Perla, Huntingdon Valley Country Club (T6); Brett Walker, Chester Valley Golf Club (T6); Chris Krueger, Kings Creek Country Club (T6); Trevor Bensel, LuLu Country Club (T9); Sam Ambrose, Chester Valley Golf Club (T9); Frank Bensel, Galloway National Golf Club (T11); Joanna Coe, Merion Golf Club (T11); and Brian Bergstol (exempt from his T3 finish in this year’s championship). Alternates are as follows: Dave Quinn, Laurel Creek Country Club; Danny Lewis, Trout National; Dave Pagett, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club; Tom Michaels, Berkshire County Club; and Michael Little, Clubhouse 54.
The 104th PGA Professional Championship is presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex, and is supported by Gallagher, Golf Channel, the PGA Tour, Titleist / FootJoy, Callaway, Nike, Ship Sticks, TaylorMade, Visit Delco, and StrackaLine. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA of America Golf Professionals thank our partners, host Concord Country Club, its membership, management, and staff, as the event would not have been possible without their support. –Matt Frey, PGA
