SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Sixty-one years ago, Steve Schneiter's grandfather first made an impact in the PGA Championship.
The late George Schneiter Sr. reached the semifinals of the 1944 PGA Championship during the former match play era, before falling 2 and 1 to eventual Champion Bob Hamilton. George also appeared in 10 other Championships through 1963.
So, it was on a steamy August week at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., that Steve Schneiter, a 41-year-old PGA Assistant Professional from Sandy, Utah, left his imprint on the season's final major for 2005.
Schneiter capped a solid final round of even-par 70, by firing a 6-iron 205 yards within three feet of the flagstick on the par-5 18th hole, then sinking an eagle putt for a 72-hole total of 6-over-par 286. That boosted him to Low PGA Club Professional honors in the 87th PGA Championship, the best performance among 25 fellow PGA Professionals in a 156-player field.
For his work, Schneiter was presented with a crystal bowl by PGA of America President Roger Warren in a Sunday ceremony, Aug. 14, at the PGA Championship Media Center.
"It is a real honor to be recognized like this," said Schneiter, an assistant professional at his family's Schneiter's Pebblebrook Golf Links in Sandy, Utah. "I feel good about my week, and it was a fun week. It was probably the most comfortable I've felt in the PGA Championship. I've now played in eight of them."
Schneiter, who had missed the cut in his previous seven appearances, was the steadiest among four PGA Club Professionals who earned a weekend stay in the Championship.
Joining Schneiter in the weekend's final 36 holes were Ron Philo Jr., of Amelia Island, Fla., who tied for 66th at 289; reigning PGA Club Professional Champion Mike Small, of Savoy, Ill., who despite a second-round 68, struggled to 76th place at 295; and Darrell Kestner, of Glen Cove, N.Y., who was 78th at 299.
Philo and his caddie, sister Laura Diaz, an LPGA star, were the focal point of media attention throughout the week.
"My objective was to break 288," said Philo, who made his first cut in six PGA appearances. "This is a Par 72 for the members, so it would be a Par 72 for me, if I was a Club Professional here playing. Breaking 288 would be like breaking par. But, I got close. I burned a lot of adrenaline on Thursday and Friday afternoon in the heat and, you know, I am trying to play really, really hard. Saturday morning I was bone tired."
Small was the first reigning PGA Club Professional Champion to make the cut since the late Larry Gilbert in 1982.
"It's positive I made the cut -- it's positive I finished, because I didn't hit it that good," said Small, the University of Illinois men's coach. "But, to gut it out and shoot 73 today (Sunday), I didn't make a birdie on the weekend, which is frustrating. I [will] use this experience in my coaching all the time. We play tournament golf every week. I've learned from the good things. I've learned from the bad things."
Kestner's consolation was in having made the cut in both the Senior PGA Championship and PGA Championship during the same year. Kestner was preceded in that feat by Tom Wargo, who won the 1993 Senior PGA Championship, and tied for 31st in the PGA Championship at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.
"Not making excuses, but it was hard," said Kestner, 51, of the oppressive heat during Championship week at Baltusrol. "It was hard on me, hard to keep concentration and hard to keep your swing under control. What do I take away from the week? Just making the cut in both PGAs, the Senior and this one. And, I have a lot of respect for Baltusrol and this Championship."
If there was a steadying influence for Schneiter, it was his caddie, Wes McLaughlin of Orlando, Fla. McLaughlin has hauled Schneiter's bag in three PGA Championships and four PGA Club Professional Championships over a nine-year, 30-event period. McLaughlin missed the 1995 CPC, when Schneiter won his lone national title.
"He gets a little excited, and I just try to calm him down," said McLaughlin. "He's got the game, no doubt about that."
Schneiter is one of three generations of PGA Professionals, as his grandfather, George Sr., was a PGA Tournament Manager for the former Tournament Players Division, a forerunner of the PGA Tour. Father, George Jr., is a PGA Life Member and owner of Schneiter's Pebblebrook Golf Links in Sandy, Utah. He competed in one Championship, back in 1967, at Columbine Country Club, in Denver. In addition, Steve's brother Gary, 47, is a PGA Head Professional at the family-owned facility.
"It's an honor to think that my granddad and my dad kind of led the way," said Steve Schneiter. "And I've kind of followed in their footsteps."
How 25 PGA Professionals Fared in the 87th PGA Championship
(79 players made the 36-hole cut of 4-over-par 144)
T-40 Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah, $22,300 72-72-72-70-286
T-66 Ron Philo Jr., Amelia Island, Fla., $12,750 71-73-73-72-289
76 Mike Small, Savoy, Ill., $11,900 74-68-80-73-295
78 Darrell Kestner, Glen Cove, N.Y., $11,700 72-70-78-79-299
Did Not Make 36-Hole Cut
Jeff Yurkiewicz, Mesa, Ariz. 72-73-145
Rob Moss, Broadview Heights, Ohio 74-72-146
Chip Johnson, N. Scituate, Mass. 72-74-146
Brett Melton, Monee, Ill. 72-75-147
Travis Long, Henderson, Nev. 76-71-147
Jeff Coston, Blaine, Wash. 74-74-148
Tim Fleming, Oklahoma City, Okla. 74-74-148
Dave Tentis, Woodbury, Minn. 77-72-149
Tim Thelen, Richmond, Texas 77-73-150
Mark Mielke, E. Norwich, N.Y. 77-73-150
Bob Ford, Oakmont, Pa. 75-75-150
Chris Wiemers, Omaha, Neb. 74-77-151
Alan Morin, Royal Palm Beach, Fla. 76-75-151
Scott Spence, Shorewood, Minn. 79-74-153
Chris Starkjohann, Encinitas, Calif. 78-75-153
Don Berry, Brooklyn Park, Minn. 76-78-154
Kelly Mitchum, Southern Pines, N.C. 78-80-158
Rich Steinmetz, Perkiomenville, Pa. 81-77-158
Jeff Martin, Warwick, R.I. 80-78-158
Craig Thomas, Oceanside, N.Y. 80-79-159
Tim Weinhart, Buford, Ga. 78-81-159
