WPGA - Smith, Schlachter named Players of the Year

Nathan Smith won his third Player of the Year honors since 2003, heading the 2007 WPGA Honor Roll with 826 points, one of the highest totals since the system began in 1994. Smith, whose hails from Brookville, resides in Pittsburgh and is a member at Wildwood GC. He is the most recent area golfer to win a USGA Championship with the 2003 USGA Mid-Amateur title. This season, he performed well in all kinds of competitions, being the first golfer to win in one season, the WPGA’s Tournament of Champions, Mid-Amateur and Amateur. He was runner-up in the Pennsylvania Amateur and reached the third round in the USGA Mid-Am, losing on the home hole to Tim Mickleson, San Diego, Tim’s brother.

Finishing second is ten-time Player of the Year, Sean Knapp. Rounding out the Honor Roll are Mike VanSickle, Gibsonia; Arnold Cutrell, Greensburg, 2006 Player of the Year; Robert Rohanna, Waynesburg; David Brown, St. Clair; Frank Fairman, Punxsutawney; William Miller, Venetia, multiple Junior Player of the Year; Adam Hofmann, Pittsburgh; and Artie Fink, Jr., Altoona.

Receiving Honorable Mentions are Ron Coleman, Erie; Ron DeNunzio, Greensburg; Jon Smarelli, New Castle; and Tim Moynihan, Murrysville.

Paul Schlachter, one of the highest ranked senior amateurs in the country, won his fourth straight Senior Player of the Year title, one short of Bill Baloh, Herminie’s, record of five years, 1999-2003. Schlachter opened with several winter wins, and played very well the rest of the season with runner-up showings in both the Pennsylvania Senior Amateur and West Penn Senior Amateur. Rounding out the top five were John Benson, Punxsutawney, winner of the Pennsylvania Senior Match Play; Don Erickson, DuBois, winner of the WPGA Senior Amateur; Bob Allshouse, Greensburg; and Joe Cordaro, Pittsburgh.

For a complete listing of the Honor Roll, please visit the Honor Roll Center.