NORTHEAST REPRESENTED WELL AT INAUGURAL PGA MCGLADREY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP WITH NEW ENGLAND PGA TAKING HONORS & NENY PGA TAKING 3RD PLACE FINISH AT PINEHURST

For more information, and full details go to www.PGA.com/teamchampionship

PINEHURST, N.C. - PGA Golf Professional John Simmons chased a dream in the mid-1990s to play competitive golf. When the time came where he decided that he was tired of eating and sleeping out of a car to make a living, Simmons found he could make an impact the lives of others as a golf club professional and yet still find some opportunities to compete.

The 41-year-old PGA director of golf at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., achieved the best of both worlds Wednesday, guiding three young amateur partners to the title in the inaugural PGA McGladrey Team Championship at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort.

Representing the New England PGA Section, the foursome overcame a disappointing end to its final round front nine on Pinehurst Course No. 6, then caught fire on the back nine, capped by two sterling final-hole par-saving efforts for a 13-under-par 129 and a three-stroke victory.

One of those highlight reel pars was Simmons 180-yard approach from a fairway bunker with a 5-iron to within 20-feet of the cup on his teams final hole.

Newport National Golf Club finished the 54-hole championship with a 39-under-par 391 total. Windsor (Calif.) Golf Club, representing the Northern California PGA Section, was runner-up at 394, and Massena Golf and Country Club of Massena, N.Y., the Northeastern New York Section Champion, was third at 396. Massena Golf and Country Club, from the smallest PGA Section by membership, ended play in a big way with a championship-best 126 total.

Simmons pocketed a first-place check of $16,000 from a combined professional and amateur purse of $200,000. Amateur team members earned merchandise certificates.

We each had a chance to hit something under the gun and thats what I think helped us win, said Simmons, who played on the Hooters and former Ben Hogan Tours until 1996. This thing started off first-class, and I hope that Im a part of it for a long, long time. I think everybody back home at our club understood what a big deal this is. Any time youre a national champion its something special.

The first grassroots nationwide best-ball championship sanctioned by The PGA of America featured 41 PGA Section teams representing 32 states.

The National Championships recurring theme and RSM McGladreys slogan, With a team anything is possible, was never more on display than this week at Pinehurst.

The championship format featured the best two scores of the foursome with 50 percent handicap used for the amateur partners - made the competition come to life.

Simmons foursome is a reflection of the next generation of golfers.

The amateur trio featured Andrew Farrea, 24, an assistant high school hockey coach and University of Mississippi graduate student; brother Jamie Farrea, 20, a junior at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., and Tod Camara, 17, who was missing classes at Portsmouth (R.I.) High School and who had played golf full-time for the first time this season. Camara also had recovered from a bout with mononucleosis two weeks before arriving at Pinehurst.

I have a good excuse now for missing class and facing what catching up I have to do, laughed Camara. This was a great experience in all ways.

For Simmons, his sense that he had found the right mix of players to form a team back at the Local Championship level was vindicated on an overcast, humid day.

I knew what their ability was, but in a national spotlight its a different thing, said Simmons. You never know how anybody is going to respond to the pressure, but I knew the ability was there, the proper shots and the handicaps. I thought we had a shot. To be honest, I thought it fell on my shoulders. I had to play good golf and make some birdies to make the team play well. Luckily enough, I poked my head in there a couple of times and did it.

Newport National Golf Club opened the final round with a one-stroke edge of Windsor (Calif.) Golf Club, having posted identical scores of 131 the first two days at Pinehurst No. 8 and No. 2.

But, the final day opened with a struggle to find the fairway on the first four holes on the 6,537-yard Pinehurst No. 6 layout.

Andrew Farrea saved his team with key par-saving efforts in that stretch. But, a missed two-foot birdie by Andrew on the eighth hole and Simmons missing an eight-foot birdie putt could have spelled disaster.

Things went south in a hurry and I fell apart on the ninth hole, said Andrew. John took me aside on the first tee, our 10th hole, and reminded me that if we can pull together the next nine holes, play the nine holes of our lives, were going to win this thing.

The next hole Jamie makes a great up and down for par from a bunker to save par, and I parred and we looked at each other and thought we can do this.

I think we went 5-under-par the next few holes and John hitting a 5-iron from the bunker on the last hole was an incredible shot, said Jamie. Those were the kind of things that carried us.

We all contributed, but it was a great team effort in all ways, said Camara.

Windsor Golf Club PGA Head Professional Jason Schmuhl saw a 4-under-par 67 on his own ball fall short after a disastrous closing stretch of three consecutive bogeys for he and his teammates.

Schmuhl was playing alongside amateurs James Sutherland and brothers Eamon and Erin Sharkey, a 33-year-old, who lost his left index finger in an accident during his sophomore year in college, and who participated in the 1991 U.S. Junior Amateur with Tiger Woods.

At the end we really did something stupid on the par-3 seventh, our 16th hole, said Schmuhl. I chipped up about three feet away, and Eamon and Erin Sharkey were both on the green about 20 feet from the hole. They said, Why dont you putt out?. So, I did, not thinking, and didnt mark it. I missed. Then, they both three-putted and we were 2-over after that one hole.

It was the jitters; up to that point we were relaxed. After that one hole, I felt like an idiot and it affected their putts. Overall, I think it was a great format where as a net team, you could have two 1-handipcappers and an 18 handicapper, for example, and compete against everyone else.

The PGA McGladrey Team Championship is a result of the new partnership between The PGA of America and RSM McGladrey, the official accounting, tax and business consulting firm of The PGA of America. RSM McGladrey is the fifth largest accounting, tax and business consulting firm in the country when considered with McGladrey & Pullen LLP (a partner-owned CPA firm).

The National Championship feature the host PGA Golf Professional and three amateur partners who use two best net balls of each hole, again with each amateur receiving 50 percent of their USGA index handicap.

About RSM McGladrey

RSM McGladrey is a leading professional services firm providing accounting, tax and business consulting. McGladrey & Pullen LLP (a U.S.-based partner-owned CPA firm) delivers audit and attest services. RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen operate in an alternative practice structure. Though separate and independent legal entities, they can work together to serve clients business needs. Together, the companies rank as the fifth largest U.S. provider of accounting, tax and business consulting services (source: Public Accounting Report), with nearly 8,000 professionals and associates in more than 120 offices nationwide. RSM McGladrey Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen LLP are member firms of RSM International, an affiliation of independent accounting and consulting firms. RSM McGladrey is the official accounting, tax and business consulting firm of The PGA of America.

About The PGA of America

The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.

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See Final Round Scores Below

1 New England - Newport National Golf Club - John Simmons, PGA, Andrew Farrea, Tod Camara, Jamie Farrea 131-131-129--391-$16000

2 N. California - Windsor Golf Club - Jason Schmuhl, PGA, James Sunderland, Eamon Sharkey, Erin Sharkey 132-131-131--394-$11000

3 Northeastern NY - Massena Golf and Country Club - Thomas Siddon, PGA, Scott Power, Mike Cook, Owen Peters 134-136-126--396-$8000

4 Carolinas - River Falls Plantation GC - Terry Johnson, PGA, Matthew Ellenburg, Rocky Howard, Randy Cisson 129-141-128--398-$7000

5 South Central - Dornick Hills Golf & CC - C. Stephen Ramsey, PGA, John Thurber, Brent Thurber, Gerod Black 131-134-135--400-$6000

6 Illinois - Mistwood Golf Club - Andy Krajewski, PGA, Eddie Boliaux, Bob McAllister, Andy Mickelson 133-134-135--402-$5500

7 Central NY - Kanon Valley Country Club - Trey Walewski, PGA, Joe Stagnitti, Graeme Anderson, Al Mundo 136-133-134--403-$5200

8 Indiana - Blackthorn Golf Club - Rick Reid, PGA, Aaron Kobb, Brock Zeeb, Jon Berger 135-138-131--404-$4900

T9 Michigan - Manistee National Golf & Resort - Ian Ziska, PGA, Ned Lamontagne, Mark Majewski, Doug McKay 138-134-133--405-$4450

T9 Midwest - Sycamore Ridge Golf Course - Jeffrey Sheppard, PGA, Dennis Keglovits, Zach Holden, Tim King 134-133-138--405-$4450

11 Philadelphia - Spring Ford Country Club - Rich Steinmetz, PGA, John Brennan, Jim Dellaguardia, Fred Luck 135-140-131--406-$4100

T12 North Florida - Renaissance Vinoy Resort - Randy Mosley, PGA, Clark R. Mason, Skip Carr, Dan Stone 139-137-132--408-$3850

T12 Utah - Glen Eagle at Syracuse - Jared Shears, PGA, Jeff Chambers, Jeff Adams, Jay Cashmore 132-136-140--408-$3850

T14 S. California - Strawberry Farms - Andrew Crowe, PGA, Richard Marion, Salvador Arredondo, Steve Peters 140-137-134--411-$3600

T14 Southern Ohio - Maketewah Country Club - David Bahr, PGA, David Conover, Mark Faessler, Mike Morrissey 131-145-135--411-$3600

T14 Wisconsin - Brown Deer Golf Course - Scott Evans, PGA, Dave Foley, Tim Reynolds, Mike White 135-140-136--411-$3600

T17 Connecticut - Brownson Country Club - Ron Dellostritto, PGA, Dan Winschel, Larry French, Jim Callahan 138-140-135--413-$3350

T17 Southwest - Pointe GC at Lookout Mtn - Jeffrey Raymond, PGA, Danny Jean, Joseph Brazil, Rich Cruz 136-136-141--413-$3350

T19 Colorado - Fox Hill Country Club - Barry Jennings, PGA, Jeff Capaldi, Tim Kassel, Blaine Jensen 137-139-138--414-$3100

T19 Metropolitan - Philip J Rotella Mem. Golf Crs. - Michael Laudien, PGA, Charles Jones, Jr., Bryan Hassett, Bob Miller 137-134-143--414-$3100

T19 Sun Country - Desert Lakes Golf Course - Grant Dalpes, PGA, Michael Bunt, Kenneth Bunt, Steven Bunt 138-137-139--414-$3100

T22 Iowa - Brown Deer Golf Course - Sean McCarty, PGA, Josh Schamberger, Matt Adam, Jay Strunk 137-143-135--415-$2925

T22 South Florida - Arrowhead Golf Course - Mike Dopslaff, PGA, Jason Stuart, John Tucker, Jess Dinesen 142-131-142--415-$2925

T24 Middle Atlantic - Members Club at Four Streams - Michael Rymer, PGA, Jon Heisler, Ted Schumacher, Jerry Pope 138-141-138--417-$2825

T24 Tri-State - Ligonier Country Club - John Klinchock, PGA, Ken McCracken, Dave Strauser, Mike Cunningham 137-142-138--417-$2825

26 Western NY - Transit Valley Country Club - Timothy Fries, PGA, Dennis Belote, Scott Belote, Keith Belote 138-138-142--418-$2750

T27 Dixie - Chance Lake Country Club - Neil Thompson, PGA, Tim Holton, Byron Holloway, David Adams 140-139-140--419-$2675

T27 Pacific NW - Inglewood Golf Club - Mike Gove, PGA, Koji Suzuki, Dean Barnett, James Ragsdale 141-142-136--419-$2675

29 New Jersey - North Jersey Country Club - Christopher Dachisen, PGA, Mike Dellotorre, Kevin Harrington, Nick Lombardi 141-136-143--420-$2600

30 Northern Ohio - Red Tail Golf Club - David Snacki, PGA, Rick Maxwell, David Ptacek, Tom Pratt 147-133-141--421-$2550

T31 Nebraska - Beatrice Country Club - Bradley Neunaber, PGA, Paul Garnett, Mike Pavelka, Bert Villafane 143-138-141--422-$2450

T31 Southern Texas - Twin Creeks Country Club - Jason Capps, PGA, Trey O'Connell, Jerry Johns, Dennis Hobbs 143-137-142--422-$2450

T33 Aloha - Makena Golf Club - Kirk Nelson, PGA, Mike Morris, Jay Wisthoff, Rick Smith 135-141-147--423-$2400

T33Tennessee - Country Hills Golf Course - James Paschal, PGA, Wayne Rankhorn, Terry Price, Don Polk 140-144-139--423-$2400

35 Georgia - Athens Country Club - Joseph DeVaney, PGA, Bill Lyons, John Hurteau, Ken Weekley 138-148-138--424-$2300

36 Rocky Mountain - Lander Golf & Country Club - Michael Johnson, PGA, Jerry Hammack, Max Del Real, Jake Letman 145-141-141--427-$2250

37 Minnesota - Medina Golf & Country Club - Jeffrey Drimel, PGA, Ted Root, Dave Adams, Jeff Nat 139-148-142--429-$2200

38 Gateway - Sunset Hills Country Club - Jon DePreist, PGA, Tom Noascono, Jay Blanquart, James Deach 146-143-142--431-$2150

T39 Kentucky - Hurstbourne Country Club - Steven Shafer, PGA, Glenn Nelson, Don Wirtzberger, Casey Nelson 143-149-142--434-$2075

T39 Northern Texas - Four Seasons Resort & Club - Kevin Golding, PGA, Stan Roberts, Brian Hahn, Jeff Fisher 143-146-145--434-$2075