York’s Parks Price wins the $100,000 first prize in a playoff at the Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic
The Country Club of York teaching professional had the longest birdie putt in the three-man playoff, but drained the 25-footer to defeat Zac Oakley of Bidermann and Brett Walker of Sunnybrook
In a three-man playoff for the $100,000 first prize in Tuesday’s Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic at Sunnybrook Golf Club, Parks Price watched his fellow participants hit their approach shots closer to the hole than he did.
Advantage Price.
A teaching professional at Country Club of York, Price rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, then stood by as Zac Oakley of Bidermann and Brett Walker of Sunnybrook missed shorter attempts, to claim the largest winning check of any tournament in the 41 PGA of America sections.
“The hole is still there, but it certainly gets a little smaller [for the others], I’m sure,” said Price, 36, from Taylorsville, N.C. “The blood pressure starts to kick in a little bit there. Luckily I was furthest away and you get to putt first so there’s an advantage there. Hopefully it would work out.”
Price, Oakley and Walker all finished regulation tied at 4-under-par 68 in the 18-hole tournament. Price’s round was fueled by four birdies on his back nine. Oakley carded seven birdies and stood at 5-under at one point before a bogey at No. 6, his 15th hole.
Walker, who won the Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship last week, was 3-under going up the 410-yard 18th when rolled in a 45-footer for a birdie that added one more to the playoff.
In the playoff, which also was on No. 18, Oakley’s 20-foot birdie putt came up just short. Walker faced a 12-footer to keep the playoff going, but his putt slid to the left. In finishing in a second-place tie, each player won $3,175.
Price hit an 8-iron approach to the green from 155 yards out.
“Actually, I hit a better tee ball than I did in regulation, so it was nice to have one less club in my hand,” he said. “I had the same putt from earlier so that made it nice. I just had to hit that putt. It was not as fast as you think even though it is breaking away, but it was just a good putt, plus seeing it before helped.”
Price called making 100-grand in one day “unbelievable. I don’t think it’s really set in yet, maybe later.”
As for what he’ll do with the money, Price didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve got a wedding to pay for in April so this pretty much takes care of that,” he said.