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Mark Sheftic wins rain-shortened Lehigh Valley Open

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BETHLEHEM TWP. — When a heavy rain shower unloaded Tuesday afternoon at 1:45 p.m., the water-logged Northampton Country Club was flooded.
With the course deemed unplayable, the 11th annual Lehigh Valley Open was shortened to an 18-hole event, with scores reverting back to the Monday, July 23 opening round results.
Mark Shetic, the director of instruction at Merion Golf Club, was declared the winner. The 43 year-old Hanover, PA native shot 6-under-par 66 to earn a two shot victory in the event, conducted by the Philadelphia Section PGA in conjunction with the Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley.
For his efforts, Sheftic won $2,800 out of the $16,700 tournament purse. Sheftic, the 2012 Pennsylvania Open winner, has now captured over 20 sectional titles in his career.
Three regional golfers tied for second place at 4-under-par 68: Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort head teaching professional Brian Bergstol, and amateurs Carlos Fullerton of Lower Macungie Township and Jim Maru of Allentown. Overall, 88 golfers competed.
As the low amateur golfers among the 26 amateur player contingent, Maru and Fullerton each earned an exemption into the 2019 Lehigh Valley Open.
Amateur golfer Adam Sutovich, a two-time Brookside Country Club champion, tied for fifth place at 3-under-par 69 along with Brookside Country Club head pro Dave Fields, Don DeAngelis of Center Square Golf Club, Mike Tobiason of Deerfield Golf Club, Dave Pagett of Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, and Steve Swartz of Out Door Country Club.
Tuesday’s play was uninterrupted from the 8:30 a.m. start until the final two scheduled groups were delayed starting at 1:30 p.m. and 1:40 p.m. Play was stopped at 1:15 p.m. for a heavy shower, then the decisive storm came a half hour later.
“I was really looking forward to playing with Brian and Carlos,” said Sheftic, who played golf at Coker College. “They are two great guys to play with. It would have been fun. I was surprised we got as many holes as we did yesterday.”
The runner-up in the tournament last year to then-amateur Cole Miller, Sheftic was very complimentary of Miller’s play.
“The kid shot 13-under-par,” Sheftic said. “It’s not tough to lose. You have to take your hats off to Cole.”

NOTES: Bergstol is a former Bangor Area High School (2003) and Moravian College (2007) golf standout. …Bergstol, a 33-year-old Bangor resident, is currently sixth in the section player standings. …Bergstol has won three career Philadelphia Section PGA tournament titles: the 2017 Burlington Classic Pro-Am at Burlington Country Club, the National Car Rental Philadelphia Assistant Professional Championship at Torresdale in 2017; and the 2018 PAO Cedarbrook Classic. …Bergstol has worked at Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort for the past 11 years; five years as an assistant golf professional, and as the head teaching professional for the past six years. …Bergstol qualified for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. …Bergstol, the 2006 and 2007 Lehigh Valley Player of the Year, advanced in local U.S. Open qualifying in 2008, 2012, and 2015. ..,Fullerton finished 22nd in the 2017 Pennsylvania Open, and fourth in the 2018 Lehigh valley Medal Play Championship. …Fullerton, a 22-year-old graduate student in accounting at Penn State, is a Brookside Country Club and former Emmaus golfer (2014). …Maru, a 22-year-old Allentown resident, played golf at Moravian College (2016). …Maru won the 2016 Bethlehem Golf Club Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and the 2017 Allentown City Amateur Stroke Play title. …Dave Fields, 40, won the 1995 District 11 title while a senior at Parkland.

11th annual Lehigh Valley Open
Northampton Country Club
First Round Scores
1. Mark Sheftic, Merion GC 32-34-66 -6
2. Carlos Fullerton (a) 36-32-68 -4
2. Brian Bergstol, Shawnee Inn and GR 35-33-68 -4
2. Jim Maru (a) 33-35-68 -4
5. Adam Sutovich (a) 36-33-69 -3
5. Don DeAngelis, Center Square GC 34-35-69 -3
5. Mike Tobiason, Deerfield GC 36-33-69 -3
5. Dave Pagett, Whitemarsh Valley CC 38-31-69 -3
5. Steve Swartz, Out Door CC 34-35-69 -3
5. Dave Fields, Brookside CC 34-35-69 -3
11. Brett Melton, Radley Run CC 38-32-70 -2
11. John Appleget, The Shore Club 36-34-70 -2
13. Rich Steinmetz, Spring Ford CC 37-34-71 -1
13. Michael Little, Lookaway GC 36-35-71 -1
13. Scott Chisholm, Rolling Green GC 35-36-71 -1
13. John Pillar, CC at Woodloch Springs 36-35-71 -1
13. Alex Knoll, Bethlehem GC 34-37-71 -1
18. Andrew Turner, Sunnybrook GC 36-36-72 E
18. George Forster, Radnor Valley CC 36-36-72 E
18. Kevin Rossi (a) 39-33-72 E
18. Dustin Wallis, Dustin Wallis 37-35-72 E
18. Michael Caldwell, Bidermann GC 36-36-72 E
18. Ross Brown, Fox Hill CC 38-34-72 E
18. Pat Butkus, Tavistock CC 36-36-72 E
25. Matt Episcopo, Pine Valley GC 36-37-73 +1
25. John Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club 37-36-73 +1
25. Cody Cox (a) 37-36-73 +1
25. Mark Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club 36-37-73 +1
25. Trevor Bensel, Overbrook GC 38-35-73 +1
25. Zac Oakley, Waynesborough CC 35-38-73 +1
31. Eric Kennedy, Overbrook GC 39-35-74 +2
32. Kevin Scherr (a) 38-37-75 +3
32. Michael Wheeler, Whitford CC 36-39-75 +3
32. Andy Fisher, Frosty Valley CC 39-36-75 +3
32. Gary Hardin, Northampton CC 37-38-75 +3
32. Jeff Fick, Chapel Hill GC 37-38-75 +3
32. John Olszewski (a) 39-36-75 +3
38. Riley Hogan (a) 36-40-76 +4
38. Chad Hess (a) 38-38-76 +4
38. Jim Booros, Southmoore GC 40-36-76 +4
38. Ashley Grier, Overbrook GC 36-40-76 +4
38. Drew Warner (a) 38-38-76 +4
38. Rich Thon (a) 39-37-76 +4
38. Dave Roberts, Cedarbrook CC 39-37-76 +4
38. Jordan Barker (a) 40-36-76 +4
38. Joe Coulson (a) 40-36-76 +4
38. Bill Walker, Riverton CC 39-37-76 +4
38. Dustin McCormick, Glen Brook GC 38-38-76 +4
38. Zach Juhasz (a) 37-39-76 +4
50. Blake Reifsnyder (a) 41-36-77 +5
50. Robin McCool (a) 39-38-77 +5
50. Kevin Nicholson, White Manor CC 40-37-77 +5
50. Cory Schmidt (a) 38-39-77 +5
50. Jason Calhoun, U of Penn 40-37-77 +5
50. Andy Watters, Talamore Country Club 39-38-77 +5
50. Jakob Gerney, Trump National GC- Philly 41-36-77 +5
57. Steve Kiefner, Northampton CC 40-38-78 +6
57. Jim Muschlitz, Southmoore GC 41-37-78 +6
57. Michael Ferguson, Philadelphia Cricket Club 42-36-78 +6
57. John Allen, Huntingdon Valley CC 38-40-78 +6
57. Don Allan, Burlington CC 39-39-78 +6
57. Mike Furey, Mahoning Valley CC 38-40-78 +6
57. Jason Matuczinski (a) 42-36-78 +6
64. Mike Wood, Saucon Valley CC 42-37-79 +7
64. Eric Figueroa, McCall Golf & CC 41-38-79 +7
64. J R Delich, Applebrook GC 42-37-79 +7
64. Kevin Edwards, Olde Homestead GC 39-40-79 +7
64. Vincent Kabaso, Ramblewood Country Club 44-35-79 +7
64. Bill Smith, Mahoning Valley CC 42-37-79 +7
64. Ross Seaman, Manufacturers GCC 40-39-79 +7
71. Andrew Pierson, Camden County GA 41-39-80 +8
71. William Mirams (a) 40-40-80 +8
73. Tony Shields, ACE Club 39-42-81 +9
73. Rick Flesher, Applebrook GC 39-42-81 +9
73. Mike Casella (a) 41-40-81 +9
76. Anthony Napoletano, GolfTEC-Malvern 39-43-82 +10
76. Michael Ashcraft (a) 41-41-82 +10
76. Joe Doughty, Saucon Valley CC 40-42-82 +10
76. James Boburka (a) 39-43-82 +10
80. Chris Wegner, Lehigh CC 40-43-83 +11
80. Justin Tresslar (a) 41-42-83 +11
80. Samantha Fritzinger (a) 42-41-83 +11
80. Ryan McLean, Saucon Valley CC 44-39-83 +11
84. Joe Ambrose, Great Bear GC 44-41-85 +13
85. Gary Strausser, Riverview CC 46-40-86 +14
86. Josh Zelinsky (a) 43-45-88 +16
86. Jeff Breiner, CC of Harrisburg 45-43-88 +16
88. Ben Tetzlaff (a) 49-42-91

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