ELMSFORD, N.Y. (April 13, 2010) – Former MGA President Paul Dillon was honored by the Met PGA at the 48th Annual Metropolitan PGA Educational Forum at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, N.Y. Dillon was the recipient of the Sam Snead Award for his countless contributions to the game of golf, the MGA, Westchester Golf Association and the Met PGA. More than 200 PGA professionals from the Met Section and special guests were in attendance.

 

The day celebrated all of the Met PGA award winners from 2009 and served as a kickoff for the Met PGA’s 2010 season. Preceding the three biggest awards was a panel discussion on the current state of the game with PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka, the USGA’s chief marketing officer Barry Hyde, and Stuart Levine, Chairman and CEO of Stuart Levine & Associates.

  

Dillon has a long history with the game of golf in the Met Area. As a past president of both the MGA and WGA, Dillon is one of the finest ambassadors of the game as well as an ardent supporter of both the MGA Foundation and WGA Caddie Scholarship Fund. An accomplished portrait artist, Dillon also serves as the head golf coach at Fordham University.

 

Following the Sam Snead Award presentation, Pine Hollow Country Club head professional Tom DeBellis was named Golf Professional of the Year. Greg Bisconti of Saint Andrew’s Golf Club was honored for his outstanding 2009 season with the Player of the Year Award. Bisconti was the low club professional at the 2009 PGA Championship and followed that performance with a victory at the Treiber Memorial.

  

Earlier in the morning, Westchester Country Club’s John Kennedy was honored for his contributions to PGA Education with the Horton Smith Award. Also honored were Michael Breed of Sunningdale, host of “The Golf Fix” on The Golf Channel, as the Met PGA Teacher of the Year; and Jim Smoot of Huntington Country Club won the Met PGA Junior Golf Leader Award.

 

Other award winners included Heath Wassem of Fenway (Bill Strausbaugh Award), Steve Haggerty of Laurel Links (Merchandiser of the Year – private clubs), and Eisenhower Park’s Bob Posillico and Doug Solow (Merchandisers of the Year – public clubs). Tom Henderson of the Round Hill Club won the Ely Callaway Award for the second year in a row, and Todd Bordonaro and Paul Giordano of Mosholu Park and The First Tee of Metropolitan New York won the President’s Plaque for their efforts in growing the game.

 

For more information on the award winners please visit the Met PGA Web site at www.met.pga.com.