FLOURTOWN, Pa. — For the second time in the last eight months, Ben Polland was unable to close the deal. This time he was closer, but this time the proceedings were both painful and tragic.
Last November, Polland played in the final group at the PGA Assistant Championship and shot 77. On Wednesday, in the final round of the 48th PGA Professional National Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club, the 24-year-old Polland, an assistant professional at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, N.Y., lost a five-stroke lead with six holes to play. By hitting a ball into the water and making a double bogey at the 72nd hole, he fell one stroke short of Matt Dobyns, who rolled in a 4-foot birdie putt at the last hole to win his second PPNC title.