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Local pro Josh Rackley five shots off lead at PGA Professional National Championship

Josh Rackley earned much recognition within the Philadelphia Section PGA a month ago after winning the Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic on the second playoff hole and walking off with a check for a cool $100,000.

Josh Rackley earned much recognition within the Philadelphia Section PGA a month ago after winning the Haverford Philadelphia PGA Classic on the second playoff hole and walking off with a check for a cool $100,000.

Rackley, 25, an assistant pro at Gulph Mills Golf Club, can work on a national profile this week at the PGA Professional National Championship. He began to do that Sunday with an opening-round 1-over-par 73 at the Militia Hill course of the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the best showing in relation to par of the 13 section members in the field.

Rackley is five shots behind the quintet of first-round leaders – Kyle Voska of Littleton, Colo.; Ben Polland of Manhasset, N.Y.; Shane Zywiec of Seward, Neb.; Austin Peters of Simi Valley, Calif.; and Shawn Warren of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Each of them shot 4-under-par 68 at Militia Hill, considered an easier course than the more renowned Wissahickon layout at the Cricket Club.

Rackley, who is tied for 35th, said he wasn't that concerned about going lower at Militia Hill before he plays the Wissahickon course in Monday's second round.

"I'm the complete opposite," the former North Carolina State player said. "I'm not a huge fan of Militia Hill and I was hoping to shoot around par and then try to go low at Wissahickon. I was satisfied with the way I played, and it was good to finish with a couple of birdies."

Rackley did not have a birdie on his card for the first 15 holes and stood at 3-over for his round before carding back-to-back birdies. He sank a 15-footer for the first on the 16th hole and then drained a 4-foot putt at the par-5 17th where he reached a greenside bunker in two.

Playing in his first PNC, Rackley called it "an honor."

"I was a little more nervous than I usually am on the first tee," he said. "I was probably more nervous with my second shot. I got sod all over it and it ended up short of the green. But I'm having a lot of fun."

Stu Ingraham, playing in his 24th PNC, was even par through 15 holes at Militia Hill but bogeyed 16 and double-bogeyed 18 to finish at 75.

Robby Bruns, an assistant pro at Merion, also shot a 73, 3-over par at Wissahickon. Philadelphia Section PGA president John Pillar, head pro at Woodloch Springs in upstate Pennsylvania, matched that number on the same course aided by a late pair of birdies.

Among the leaders, Voska maybe had the best chance to take the outright lead but bogeyed his 18th. Both Polland and Zywiec posted an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys during their rounds.