Becomes 11th player in Championship history to win in first appearance
SANTA ANA PUEBLO, New Mexico – Braden Shattuck became a PGA Member on May 3, 2022. Exactly one year later, he added another special title to his name: PGA Professional Champion.
The PGA Director of Instruction at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., shot a steady 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday to finish at 9-under-par 279 and win the 2023 PGA Professional Championship by one shot.
Shattuck is the 11th player in the Championship’s history, and first since 2016, to win in his first appearance. He is also the second champion from the Philadelphia PGA Section (Ed Dougherty – 1985).
“It feels incredible,” said Shattuck. “I couldn’t imagine being here right now. This is my first PGA Professional Championship so I didn’t really know what to expect. It means the world, though. I can’t believe it.”
Matt Cahill (4-under-par 68) and Michael Block (3-under-par 69) finished T-2 at 8-under-par 280. Kenny Pigman (3-under-par 69), Gabe Reynolds (1-under-par 71) and John Somers (1-over-par 73) tied for fourth at 6-under 282.
The low 20 scorers earned exemptions into the 2023 PGA Championship and a position on the 2023 Corebridge Financial PGA Team, May 15-21, at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
Shattuck entered the day tied for the lead with Somers, but quickly made a strong start with a birdie on the par-5, 550-yard 1st hole. Following five consecutive pars, he posted his lone bogey of the day at the par-4, 486-yard 7th. After pars on holes 8 through 11, he collected birdies at the par-5, 552-yard 12th and par-5, 647-yard 16th holes.
The 28-year-old holed two critical putts down the stretch, including a downhill 20-footer for birdie on 16 and a 10-footer for par on 18. Back-to-back pars on the 17th and 18th holes clinched the one-shot victory.
Shattuck admitted to peeking at the scoreboard throughout Wednesday’s finale.
“I would take a look just to make sure nobody was getting away from me and I didn’t have to change up the game plan,” said Shattuck. “I like to play a little bit more on the conservative side. I was able to stick to that conservative game plan and not deviate, which was nice.”
Cahill, PGA Head Golf Professional at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., caught fire after ending his first nine in Tuesday’s third round with a triple bogey and bogey. The 31-year-old was 8 under par over his final 27 holes.
“You know, through nine holes yesterday I was struggling,” said Cahill. “I just said ‘Let’s just play 27 really solid holes.’ I had a caddie and a family behind me that were just rooting me on. Let’s just play 27 really good holes, and dang it, 8 under the last 27 is pretty good.”
Block, PGA Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., relied on past experience from his eight previous PGA Professional Championships as he posted rounds of 71-71-69-69.
“It’s fun to be in this position now and be comfortable with it,” said Block. “That really makes it a lot easier for me coming down the stretch to be able to succeed rather than deflate and lose it and not be able to get in that top 20. I’m excited to go to the PGA Championship and represent the PGA.”
Russell Grove, Head Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Jeremy Wells, PGA Director of Player Development at Cypress Lake Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida, both recorded 6-under-par 66s on Wednesday to match the third-lowest fourth-round score in Championship history.
