2026 Senior Four-ball Day 1 Recap

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The first round of the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s (PAGA) 34^th Men’s and 6^th Women’s Senior Four-Ball Championship wrapped up on Monday afternoon at Toftrees Golf Resolt.

In the Men’s Senior Division (55-64), the Spring Ford Country Club duo of Brian Fisher and Jeff Wuerstle combined for a -6 (66) and lead those standings by just a stroke heading into tomorrow’s final round. The pair birdied holes No. 5, 8, 13, 14, 16, and 18.

"We talked about our round afterwards and it was somewhat stress-free," said Wuerstle. "It was just two guys with some good looks at birdies and it made it a lot less stressful.”

"I just want to sleep because we got up early today and I'm tired," said Fisher. "But Jeff played phenomenally and we were able to do things like make some birdies when the other partner got into trouble. So it was real good ham-and-egg.”

"That's what partner golf is all about," added Wuerstle.

Sitting in second place are the 2025 runners-up in the event, Jason Barkley and Bill Davis (Moselem Springs Golf Club, Aronimink Golf Club), who finished Monday’s first round at -5 (67) after birdies on 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 17.

“We started off great with my partner chipping in for birdie on 1 and then hitting it to a tap in on 2, so it really got us going,” said Davis. “I think we made 7 birdies between us and unfortunately a couple bogeys but we also had a great pairing today with Rob (Stoops) and Bob (Crnjarich) and just had a great day on a fun golf course.”

Stoops (Butler Country Club) and Crnjarich (Allegheny Country Club) are the defending champions of this event and sit tied for third place in 2026 with a -4 (68) along with the Elkview Country Club pair of Ken Bolcavage and John Pash.

Over in the Men’s Super Senior Division (65+),  Michael Vassil and Byron Whitman (Berkshire Country Club, The Country Club of Scranton) have opened up a two-stroke lead on the field with a -5 (67). Vassil was the champion of the event back in 2023.

“Solid round today with all pars and five birdies,” said Vassil. “Some kick-ins on par threes and made a couple 10-footers. 

A trio of teams are tied for second place at -3 (69) and include 2024 champions JR Cattoni and Ben Cook (Williamsport CC, Bucknell GC), Andy McCormick and Steve Odell (Rolling Green GC, Squires GC), and Carlisle Country Club’s Mike Farlling and Ed Short.

The Women’s Senior Four-Ball competition finds Honeybrook Golf Club’s Lisa Day and Allison Long, last year’s runner-ups, ahead by five strokes after shooting an impressive -3 (69) in the first round. The pair birdied holes No. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 17.

“Today started out very wet and rainy,” said Long. “We were two-over after five holes and then it turned around on 7 when Lisa knocked it in from the bunker for birdie.”

“We carried that momentum for four straight birdies in a row,” said Day. “Then we zigged and zagged, Allison birdied 17, and we both parred 18. Tomorrow we’ll try to go out with all barrels loaded, just like I did earlier in June at the other Four Ball Championship. We’ll play aggressive like we’ve been playing and we do play well as a team.”

“We partner together a lot and have pretty similar games,” said Long. “Lisa hits it farther than me but we know each other’s games, what clubs to hit, and can help each other a lot around the greens. So it works out very well.”

The teams chasing Day and Long are Lawrence Park GC’s Gail Heubel and Steph Urban at +2 (74) and Stephenie Harris and Monica Anne Pedano (Spring Ford CC, Huntingdon Valley CC) at +4 (76).

Play continues in all three divisions with the final round on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Complete results from the first round can be found here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12394194287540088815

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Toftrees Golf Resort for the hospitality shown during today’s rounds. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.