84th George Dressler Championship Preview

Plentiful Dressler has plenty of closers

Every sport has its closers. Those guys who you can just count on when the game is on the line in all sports. Baseball’s Mariano Rivera, football’s Patrick Mahommes, and, in golf, Tiger Woods and, most recently, Rory McIlroy are among the best known. But, there are closers at every level and for proof you need look no further than the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s (PAGA) 2025 season-opening event which includes an abundance of players who have proven they can indeed close the deal.

In the field on April 28-29 for the 84^th George Dressler Memorial Championship, sponsored by DICK’S Sporting Goods, is a large set of players who have combined to close out wins in more than 80 past PAGA events.  In addition, many have also claimed Western Pennsylvania Golf Association (WPGA), Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) championships and have succeeded in various national events.

The best way to say it might be that the event certainly promises to be plentiful. The tournament field has plenty of serious contenders in all three divisions, plenty of past winners of various titles, plenty of additional experienced competitors and plenty of golf course to provide a significant test. One of the state’s top-rated courses, Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood, will be the playing field.

There are 12 past Dressler champions entered across the divisions who have combined for 20 titles in the event. Sean Knapp (Hannastown Golf Club) has six titles to his credit, four in the championship division and two senior wins, while Connoquenessing Country Club’s Rick Stimmel won the 2021 amateur crown and added senior titles in 2023 and 2024. Andy Tompos (Briarwood Golf Club) is the other multiple-time winner in the competition with senior championships in 2007 and 2008.

Tom Novic (Southpointe Golf Club), Bob Crnjarich ( Allegheny Country Club), Mike Owsik (Philadelphia Publinks), Don Donatoni (White Manor Country Club), Brian Rothaus (Five Ponds Golf Club), Greg Osborne (Overlook Golf Course), Mike Vassil (Country Club of Scranton) and Gary Daniels (Applebrook Golf Club) all hold past Dressler titles.

Champions in the 36-hole affair will be crowned in the Championship, Senior and Super Senior divisions. The Championship and Senior events are contested from the same tee set so senior players are eligible for overall championship title. The total field will consist of 111 players.

In this 2025 version, four of the top six senior finishers a year ago return, the top four super senior place winners are back along with multiple players of the year honorees.  Knapp won six straight player-of-the-year honors from 2017-22, while Stimmel won the 2023 and 2024 awards. Rothaus wrapped up the 2022, 23 and 24 super senior yearly top award and Donatoni was the winner in 2017 and 2019.

One of the longest-running events on Pa. Golf’s schedule, the Dressler originated as the Pennsylvania Public Links (re: Publinx) Championship in 1935. It was under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Public Golfers Association and was one of the few 72-hole championships in the country serving as a qualifier for the United States Open Championship.

Plenty of other past champions dot the tee sheet for this Dressler Championship from many of the PAGA competitions including match play, middle amateur, four-ball and others. So, the question remains in this plentiful field….who will be this year’s closers?