PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (February 14, 2007) - Tom Sipula of Edgewood CC in River Vale, N.J., defeated John O’Leary of Chantilly, Va., 2 and 1 to capture the 44th TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Match Play Championship on February 11. Sipula notched five birdies in the final match played over the Dye Course at The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie.

The momentum in the match swung back and forth with neither player gaining a lead of more than one hole. It was only with a win at the 12th hole that Sipula was able to take a two-up lead on O’Leary. After a loss at the 13th, Sipula won the 14th hole to regain his two-hole advantage. Both Sipula and O’Leary went bogey, par at the 15th and 16th holes, respectively. The players conceded birdie fours at the 17th when Sipula knocked his third shot to within a foot of the hole to clinch the championship.

The Match Play title marks Sipula’s second victory at the PGA Winter Championships, his first coming at the 2003 PGA Stroke Play Championship. With this victory Sipula earned the $5,000 first prize. Sipula, who finished fourth in this year’s New Jersey PGA Player of the Year race, also continues a run of impressive match play titles. He has won the 1997 and 1999 Illinois PGA Section titles and the 2002-2003 New Jersey PGA Section titles.

There were a host of other Met Area professionals in the field including Sam Kang of Fiddler’s Elbow CC, who lost to O’Leary 3 and 1 in the semifinals. Two-time Met Open champion Bobby Heins of Old Oaks CC and Colin Amaral if Silver Spring CC both made the round of 16.

For more information please visit the PGA of America Web site at www.pga.comor contact Bob Nielsen of the MGA at (914) 347-4653.