Stafford, Va. – Rick Schuller, Head PGA Professional at Swaders Sports Park in Prince George, Va., is the 2013 Middle Atlantic PGA Senior Player of the Year. This is Schuller’s first Senior Player of the Year title as he became eligible last December after turning 50. He adds this award to his four, regular division MAPGA Player of the Year titles – 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2009.
Schuller started the 2013 season with the ALSCO Match Play and Senior Match Play Championships. He finished 24th in the regular match play and tied for third in the senior match play; giving him a point total of 167 for the two events. His primary competitor for Player of the Year became Tim Lewis, PGA Instructor at Kempsville Greens in Virginia Beach, Va., who earned a total of 255 points for these first two events.
Lagging behind Lewis halfway through the season, Schuller began to gain ground with a strong finish at the State Open of Virginia in July. The next main event for both Schuller and Lewis was the Middle Atlantic PGA Professional Championship, a 54-hole tournament held at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va. The two were tied after round one, but rounds two and three went to Schuller who shot 69-71 to finish in a tie for sixth and earn 434 points to Lewis’ 161 points. This moved Schuller 240 points ahead of Lewis going into the fall tournament season.
Four more Player of the Year points events remained for Schuller and Lewis and one of the four was the Senior Open of Virginia of which Lewis was the defending champion. Never letting that faze him, Schuller set out to make his inaugural senior year the best and won both the Senior Open of Virginia as well as the senior division of the MAPGA Players Cup. These two wins solidified his first place position in the points race and he ended the season 106 points ahead of Lewis.
“To have come out on top in my first year as a senior brings great pride to me and my family,” states Schuller on his success. He credits a healthy lifestyle change for his top performance after recovering from a second shoulder surgery, a ruptured calf muscle and two herniated discs. “Many thanks go out to the Swaders Sports Park family and to fellow PGA Professionals who have helped me this past year, especially, Frank Ferguson, PGA Head Professional at Washington Golf & Country Club.”
Following such a successful year, Schuller entered Champions Tour qualifying school (Q-School). Playing his first stage in Texas, Schuller finished third out of 47 to secure his spot in the final stage. He traveled to Scottsdale, Az. to play four more rounds at TPC Scottsdale and finished T-46, missing one of the conditionally-exempt spots by 11 strokes.
About the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America
The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a part of The PGA since 1925, the MAPGA consists of over 1,100 members and apprentices in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Together, the MAPGA golf professionals, volunteers and staff support the mission of The PGA to promote enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to the game’s growth by providing services to PGA Professionals and the golf industry.
Contact:
Stephanie Jennings, PGA
sjennings@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 116
