Sandra Changkija Leads After Second Round of 2025 Assistant PGA Professional Championship

Sandra Changkija is halfway home to making more history.

Changkija made three consecutive birdies Friday to shoot 2-under 70 and take a one-shot lead after the second round of the 2025 Assistant PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club. She is trying to become the first woman to win in the event’s 49-year history.

“That would be pretty awesome,” said Changkija, who teaches at Lake Nona and is a member of the North Florida PGA Section. “I’ve won a tournament with the guys at the Section level, but not one like this.”

The 36-year-old Changkija, one of two women in the 132-player field, has been winning golf tournaments for most of her adult life. She won 16 events while playing at Nova Southeastern University, becoming the only golfer to earn four consecutive Player of the Year honors (2008-11). She joined the LPGA Tour the following year and played there for eight seasons.

She retired from the LPGA Tour and went into teaching, but continued to excel on the golf course. She won three consecutive PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championships (2021-23), earning spots in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Changkija was 1-over through 13 holes Friday when she made her trio of birdies, starting at the par-5 fifth on the Dye Course, to reach 6-under 138. She leads by one over first-round leader Adam Fisher (72), Michael Balcar (67), Evan Wartgow (68) and Dalton Bartlett (69).

“I thought the course played a little bit more difficult, just because of the wind direction, than yesterday,” said Changkija, who had never played the Dye Course in competition until this week.

Balcar also made three consecutive birdies late in his round to cap off his 67, the low round of the day. He won a PGA Tournament Series event last year at PGA Golf Club, on the Dye, and he said that gave him confidence this week.

“Pete Dye’s got some nice, small greens and some bunkers in your way,” said Balcar, who works at Brandywine Country Club and is a member of the Northern Ohio Section. “You need to have conservative targets with aggressive swings.”

Fisher had two bogeys late on the front nine to make the turn at one-over 37, but played bogey free on the back to remain in contention after his 72.

“I didn't hit the ball quite as good (today), but definitely happy with everything overall,” said Fisher, an Assistant PGA Professional at North Ridge Country Club and a member of the Carolinas Section. “You’re going to miss greens out here, but you have to miss them in the right spot. You can’t short-side yourself here.”

Wartgow also made the birdie hat trick – three in a row – to highlight his 68. Zach Barbin of the Philadelphia Section had a 70 and is alone in sixth. Barbin was 2-over through his first eight holes, but played the rest of the round in 4-under. He credited an unusual move to flip the momentum.

“I know this sounds ridiculous, but I tied my shoe tighter on the right foot,” Barbin said. “I know it sounds crazy, but that’s what I did. I was struggling with my balance and it seemed like a nice reset.”

Josh Wiegandt (69) of the Northern California PGA Section and Zac Oakley (71) of the Philadelphia Section are tied for seventh.

Dylan Moncus of the Tennessee PGA Section made a hole-in-one on the 169-yard sixth hole with a 7-iron. It was his first in competition.

The 36-hole cut came at 9-over 153, with 71 players moving on to play the weekend. The 72-hole event runs through Sunday. The winner earns $17,800 and a spot in next year’s PGA Professional Championship, if eligible, and the top four advance to next year’s Assistant PGA Professional Championship.