Mill Creek CC’s Benzel qualifies for PGA Championship
Published 11:20 pm Sunday, June 22, 2008
Mill Creek County Club head pro Ryan Benzel birdied five of the first six holes on Sunday and finished with a 5-under-par 67 for a four-day total of 7-under 281 to tie for fourth place at the PGA Professional National Championship in Greensboro, Ga.
With his finish, Benzel snagged one of 20 places in the PGA Championship, Aug. 7-10, at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.
It will be Benzel’s second straight appearance at the PGA Championship. A year ago, he made the cut and finished 71st at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
“Obviously, I’m excited,” said Benzel, speaking by telephone from Atlanta on Sunday night. “It’s pretty cool to compete in a major. And as a PGA profesisonal, qualifying for the PGA Championship is the ulitmate. It’s the highest you can get.
“I’m just glad that Mill Creek Country Club’s membership has been very supportive,” he added. “They want me to continue my competitive career as well as being their head professional.
“I’m sure I’ll have a whole country club full of fans come August.”
Benzel earned $25,375 for Sunday’s fourth-place finish.
