2025 PA Open Day 3 Recap

Scores

HAVERTOWN, Pa. – Reigning Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) Player of the Year Patrick Sheehan (Talamore Country Club), co-leader of the 109^th PAGA Open after round two, held on with a four-under-par 66 in the final round to outduel Anthony Sebastianelli (Rolling Green GC) for the title. After shooting an even-par 70 in the first round, Sheehan went 10-under the next two days at Llanerch Country Club to win by two strokes.

He had an ideal start to his final round, with birdies on holes No. 1 and 2, but Sebastianelli eagled No. 5 to knot things up yet again. Things got interesting for Sheehan on the par-three 8^th, with a 40-foot par putt uphill to deal with.

“You don’t really expect to make those,” said Sheehan. “You just expect to get it pretty close. But when it was going up I thought maybe it had a pretty good chance and to see it drop in was great. Anthony made a putt as well, and that’s just golf when you’re playing in a twosome. One guy makes a long putt for par, then the other guy makes a nice par putt.”

Sheehan also had to battle on 9 but sank a 12-foot slider to keep his streak of pars alive.

“Making those two putts gave me some confidence in my putter and proved I could do it under the gun,” said Sheehan. “To make those par putts was just huge. I hit some great shots to start the back nine but couldn’t capitalize. I was just trying to make a birdie and get some momentum back.”

Sheehan finally broke a 10-hole par streak on the 13^th hole with a birdie.  Two bogeys from Sebastianelli on 13 and 14 put Sheehan up by a stroke, and another birdie on 16 pushed his lead to two strokes—but he eventually had to clutch out two more pars on 17 and 18 to secure the victory.

“I was really happy to make a putt on 17 to have a two-shot lead going into the last hole,” recalled Sheehan. “Anthony was hitting it really well but he had an impossible shot on 18 and when he didn’t make it, it kind of freed me up a little bit. I still had to execute a good chip, thought I hit a better one, but that’s just Llanerch – balls just roll away.”

Sheehan, who is in his first year as a professional, competes in the PGA Tour Americas, but found the space in his schedule to compete in this year’s Open.

“Getting another PA major feels great,” said Sheehan. “After winning the Amateur and the Sigel last year, I really wanted to win this.  I think I’ve only played in one other Open. So when I saw I had an opening on my calendar I was really happy about that. The guys in Philly and around the state are pretty damn good, so any time you can win out here says something about your game and it’s a big confidence boost going into my last five events.”

Tied for third place in this year’s Open at six-under-par for the week was Riley Wheeldon (Aronimink Golf Club) and defending champion Jake Sollon (Valley Brook Country Club). Wheeldon’s 66 in the final round matched Sheehan for the lowest round of the day. Braden Shattuck (Rolling Green Golf Club) claimed sole possession of fifth place with a five-under-par 205 for the week.

J.F. Aber (Allegheny Country Club) and Calen Sanderson (Jericho National Golf Club) tied for sixth place at four-under, while Jake Haberstumpf (LedgeRock Golf Club) and Mike Van Sickle (Sewickley Heights GC) tied for eighth at two-under.

Next up on the PAGA schedule are four Middle-Amateur qualifiers, beginning with a pair on Tuesday, August 19 at Philmont Country Club and Southpointe Golf Club. Fox Hill Country Club will host a qualifier on Wednesday, August 20, while the final qualifier takes place on Thursday, August 21 at Colonial Golf & Tennis Club.

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Llanerch Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.