PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Rick Schuller of Chester, Va., posted his second straight 6-under par 66 on Dec. 8, to win the third PGA Tournament Series event of the season and take the lead in the PGA's Professional Player of the Year point standings.
Schuller, 47, PGA director of instruction at Swaders Sports Park in Prince George, Va., turned in a 36-hole total of 12-under-par 132 on the Ryder Course at PGA Golf Club. It was good for a stroke victory over Mike San Filippo of Hobe Sound, Fla., the first-round leader at 63 who closed with 70 and 133. It was Schuller's third career PGA Tournament Series victory. He earned $4,050 from the $24,000 purse.
Schuller's win pushed him ahead of University of Illinois men's golf coach Mike Small of Champaign, Ill., the reigning PGA Professional National Champion and the PGA Professional Player of the Year in 2006-07. Small was the point leader entering the 2009 PGA Tournament Series, a week earlier.
Each PGA Tournament Series victory is worth 50 points and the overall money leader earns an additional 200 points. Only the top 10 in each tournament earn points. Schuller tied for ninth and tied for third in season's first two events. Small, playing in this first PGA Tournament Series event this year, tied for ninth.
"It's been a long-time goal of mine, to win this award," Schuller said. "I was second last year, the closest I've come."
Schuller also won the PGA Stroke Play and PGA Match Play Championships at PGA Golf Club earlier this year, as well as the Middle Atlantic PGA Championship and Section Player of the Year honors. He was his Section's qualifying medalist for the PGA Professional National Championship.
Quick starts pushed Schuller into the winner's circle at PGA Golf Club. He was 6-under-par after seven holes in the opening round, 5-under after six holes in the final round. He also birdied the 10th and 12th holes and bogeyed the 13th in the final round.
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PGA Tournament Series - Event No. 3
PGA Golf Club - Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Ryder Course (par-72, 7,000 yards)
Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., $4,050 66-66—132
Mike San Filippo, Hobe Sound, Fla., $2,650 63-70—133
Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., $1,420 70-64—134
Frank Bensel, Stamford, Conn., $1,420 69-65—134
Samuel Kang, Rockaway, N.J., $1,000 70-65—135
Michael Laudien, Stony Point, N.Y., $868.33 69-67—136
Joe Christianson, Scarsdale, N.Y., $868.33 67-69—136
Shannon Sykora, Davie, Fla., $868.33 66-70—136
Tim Straub, Huntersville, N.C., $697.50 69-68—137
Mike Small, Champaign, Ill., $697.50 68-69—137
Brian Cairns, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., $697.50 68-69—137
Brian Nosler, Vancouver, Wash., $697.50 68-69—137
John Guyton, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., $581.67 71-67—138
Peter Kampmann, Croton on Hudson, N.Y., $581.67 70-68—138
Jack Wawro, Breezy Point, Minn., $581.67 68-70—138
Dennis Winters, Bishopville, Md., $530 67-72—139
Gregory Pieczynski, Kingston, Pa., $465.56 71-69—140
Gary Rusnak, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., $465.56 70-70—140
Kyle Sanders, Carol Stream, Ill., $465.56 70-70—140
Chris Borgen, Eagan, Minn., $465.56 70-70—140
Christopher Toulson, Weston, Fla., $465.56 69-71—140
Chris Peterson, Farmington, Minn., $465.56 69-71—140
Mark Brown, Brookville, N.Y., $465.56 69-71—140
Tom Sipula, Port St. Lucie, Fla., $465.56 68-72—140
Craig Hocknull, Gilbert, Ariz., $465.56 67-73—140
Greg Bisconti, South Salem, N.Y., $200 72-69—141
Colby Wollitz, Owensboro, Ky., $200 72-69—141
Ryan Kalista, Old Greenwich, Conn., $200 71-70—141
Eric Barlow, Port St. Lucie, Fla., $200 71-70—141
Shaun Powers, Greenwich, Conn., $200 70-71—141
Vince Jewell, Euless, Texas, $200 69-72—141
Michael Brice, Tullahoma, Tenn., $200 67-74—141
Robert McClellan, Butler, Pa., $200 66-75—141
