BASKING RIDGE, NJ

After Round 1 of the Dunning Head Pro Championship, Rylee Plitz, Head Golf Professional at Eagle Ridge GC led the field by 2 shots at -2. With 18 holes left, 13 contenders were within 6 shots of the lead. After getting off to a quick start with 2 birdies in 4 holes, Grant Sturgeon, Arcola's Head Golf Professional, was making a charge. With most of the field falling back a few shots, Sturgeon found himself ahead of the pack. 

Making the turn at -3 for the Championship, Sturgeon dropped 2 quick shots with back-to-back bogeys on the Par 3 11th and the Par 4 12th dropping him back to -1 for the Championship but bounced back with a birdie on the Par 5 13th. Turning his card after Fillian and Kang, Sturgeon found himself in a 3-way playoff with the defending Champion, Pat Fillian and the 2019 Head Pro Champion, Sam Kang. 

After randomly drawing the order for play, Fillian led off with Kang following and then Sturgeon. The 3 all made par on the Par 5 18th and then proceeded to play the Par 4 10th. After Kang found the fescue right of the fairway, Sturgeon and Fillian had to make par to eliminate Kang. After Fillian stuck his chip shot from off the front of the green to a few feet and made par, the floor was open for Sturgeon. After his chip shot rolled past the hole by 4 feet, Sturgeon had to make the putt coming back. Surveying the green, he lined up the putt and dropped it to force a 3rd playoff hole.

Fillian led off and blew his tee shot into the right trees opening the door for Sturgeon. Sturgeon answered the call and piped one down the left side of the fairway. Fillian attempted to chip one back into the fairway but the ball did not get through the tree line leaving a tough up and down for the Defending Champ. After Sturgeon laid up on the Par 5, he had a tough knock down under a tree to get to the green. Fillian hit his 4th shot on the green to 20 feet opening the door for Sturgeon once again. Sturgeon hit his 3rd shot over the green leaving himself a fairly straight forward chip shot for his 4th. Just missing his putt on the low side, Fillian made a bogey-6. Sturgeon had a 30 foot chip between him and a Head Pro Title. After he left his chip shot sort of the hole, Sturgeon had a down-hill slider to win the 2021 Dunning Head Pro Championship. Surveying the green, Sturgeon eyed the putt up and down, lined it up and dropped it to become a Head Pro Champion for the first time. Congratulations Grant!