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A field of 144
players, 77 amateurs and 67 professionals, will play in the 2008
West Penn Open sponsored by PNC Bank, at Butler Country Club,
with the first round on Monday, June 30. The field will be cut
to 50 players and ties for the second round.
Defending
champion, Dan Thompson, Johnstown, an assistant at Indiana CC,
will compete, as well as amateur Sean Knapp, Oakmont, whom
Thompson, beat in a playoff at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s
Mystic Rock Course last year.
Twelve other
past champions are scheduled to compete: John Aber, Sewickley,
’99; John Aubrey, Butler, ’96; Jim Cichra, Pittsburgh, ’95; (a)
Arnold Cutrell, Greensburg, ’90; Bob Ford, Oakmont, ’79, Bob
Friend, Oakmont, ’06; Brent Johnson, Weirton, WV, ’00; (a), John
Jones, Lower Burrell, ’94; John Rech, McMurray, ’76; Chuck
Scally, Jr., Moon Township, ’88; Rick Stimmel, Wexford, ’02; and
five time champion Roy Vucinich, Moon Township.
In addition to
Knapp, the winner of the 2007 and 2008 West Penn Amateur,
Pittsburgh’s Nathan Smith, is also in the field. Knapp and
Smith have both won the Frank Fuhrer Invitational, so they have
beaten professional fields. Both are seeking their first West
Penn Open title.
Butler Country
Club will be a par-70 just under 6700 yards.
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