Sean Winters finishes 29th at PGA tournament

Published 9:13 pm Thursday, July 1, 2010

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – Three-time PGA Professional National Champion Mike Small of Champaign, Ill., the head men’s golf coach at the University of Illinois, will lead a group of 20 PGA Professionals to the 92nd PGA Championship, Aug. 9-15, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.

Small, 44, will be competing in his sixth PGA Championship. He captured a record-tying third title with a final-round 1-over-par 73 for an 8-under-par 278 total, Wednesday in the 43rd PGA Professional National Championship at French Lick Resort.

Former Dowagiac standout Sean Winters also competed in the tournament, held this week.

Winters finished tied for 29th place after shooting a four-day total of 293.

Winters shot an opening round 70, while he finished with a 72.

Winters, 39, is currently the assistant pro at Bloomfield Hils Country Club.

The following PGA Professionals will join Small in the 92nd PGA Championship: Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Ga., representing River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga.; Mark Sheftic of Blue Bell, Pa., representing Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.; Danny Balin of Greenwich, Conn., representing  Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich, Conn.; Troy Pare of Wauregan, Conn., representing Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I.; David Hutsell of Baltimore, Md., representing The Elkridge Club in Baltimore, Md.; Chip Sullivan of Troutville, Va., representing Hanging Rock Golf Club in Salem, Va.; Mitch Lowe of San Francisco, Calif., representing  Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, Calif.; Stu Ingraham of Harrisburg, Pa., representing M Golf Range & Learning Center in Newtown Square, Pa.;  Keith Ohr of Louisville, Ky., representing Wildwood Country Club in Louisville, Ky.; Scott Hebert of Traverse City, Mich., representing Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Mich.; Rob Moss of Broadview Heights, Ohio, representing Pepper Pike Club in Pepper Pike, Ohio; Tim Thelen of College Station, Texas, representing The Falls Golf and Country Club in New Ulm, Texas; Ryan Benzel of Bothell, Wash., representing Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip, Wash., Jason Schmuhl of Windsor, Calif., representing Windsor (Calif.) Golf Club; Robert McClellan of Butler, Pa., representing Butler (Pa.) Country Club; Rob Labritz of Pound Ridge, N.Y., representing GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, N.Y., Kyle Flinton of Oklahoma City, Okla., representing Quail Creek Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bruce Smith of Frisco, Texas, representing Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas; and Rich Steinmetz of Gilbertsville, Pa., representing Spring Ford Country Club in Royersford, Pa.

The 43rd PGA Professional National Championship was presented by Titleist, FootJoy; and Club Car, and featured a total purse of $550,000.

The PGA Professional National Championship and Section Championships featured a total purse of more than $1.5 million. The PGA Tour is a Supporting Sponsor of PGA of America member championships and Golf Channel is the exclusive media partner of the PGA Professional National Championship.