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Justin Riegel, the director of golf at Philmont Country Club near Philadelphia, died Wednesday at work in a storm-related accident.
A line of dangerous weather moved through the Philadelphia area mid-day Wednesday. Riegel, 38, was moving golf carts out of the rain and into a shed when a tree collapsed there, taking the life of a PGA of America member who was greatly admired and respected in the area.
Riegel grew up in the area and graduated in 2004 from the professional golf management program at Penn State University. He worked as an assistant pro at several Philadelphia area golf clubs before assuming the role of head professional at French Creek Golf Club. He became the head pro at Philmont in March 2019, and in January became director of golf there.
Riegel also involved himself deeply with the Philadelphia PGA Section – where in 2015 he had been honored as Assistant Golf Professional of the Year – and served on various committees and as chair of the Philadelphia Assistants Organization.
Geoff Surrette, executive director of the Philadelphia PGA Section, called Riegel “a person that everybody liked.”
“He was professional and friendly,” Surrette told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “If you knew Justin, you were his friend. He was a great golf professional. He was very involved with the section and with other golf professionals, just a really good person.”
Tina Thatcher, a golf industry mainstay in the area, knew Riegel since his days at French Creek.
“He was one of those guys that, if you met him, you felt like you had known him forever,” she said. “He was the kind of person who, if someone was in need, be the first to say, ‘What do we do? How can I help?’ ”
Riegel was weeks from becoming a father for the first time. Brian Kienke, a close friend from the section who is now the head professional at Cohasset Golf Club in Massachusetts, established a GoFundMe page to support Riegel’s partner and their son. Click here to make a contribution to this fund.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Staff and Wire Reports