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With Sectional
Qualifying Rounds completed, five amateurs from Western
Pennsylvania, all with previous USGA championship experience,
will compete in the USGA Amateur Championship at Pinehurst
Resort & Country Club, Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina,
August 18-24. Four of them are currently the top four players
on the WPGA Honor Roll: Nathan Smith, Sean Knapp, Mike
VanSickle, and Robert Rohanna. These four, plus Keith
Stauffer, Bradford, is one of the strongest groups of players
the area has sent to the Amateur at one time.
The qualifiers:
Sean Knapp,
Oakmont—qualified at Harrisburg, Knapp has qualified for
numerous Amateurs, with his best showings a quarter-final n 1998
at Oak Hill, and the third round at Newport in 1995, where he
lost to Tiger Woods. A qualifier for numerous Mid-Amateurs, he
was medalist and quarter-finalist in 1989 and quarterfinalist in
1998.
Robert Rohanna,
Waynesburg—the Penn State standout who advanced from the PSU
Blue Course Sectional has qualified for the Amateur Public Links
and Amateur the past two years. He was a quarter-finalist in
the ’07 APL, and reached the second round this year. His
college season was highlighted by two wins and a second place
finish in the Regional at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course.
Nathan Smith.
Pittsburgh—the 2003 USGA Mid-Amateur champion qualified at
Wildwood; also qualified for the Junior Amateur. Smith reached
the second round in the 2005 Amateur at Merion and the round of
sixteen in the 2006 and 2007 Mid-Amateurs. He was the only
player in the 2006 Mid-Amateur at Forest Highlands GC,
Flagstaff, AZ, who played in the 1996 Junior Amateur at the same
course.
Keith
Stauffer, Bradford—the second qualifier from Penn State Blue,
Stauffer, 44, also qualified for the 1986 Amateur at Shoal
Creek. A graduate of IUP, he roomed with Knapp. His brothers
Kirk and Kent and both golf professionals with strong playing
records in their respective Sections.
Mike VanSickle,
Wexford—a Sectional Qualifier at Wildwood, this is his first
appearance in the Amateur. He has also qualified for the Junior
Amateur. His outstanding summer includes the 2008 Pennsylvania
Amateur title, runner-up in the Southern Amateur, and top ten
finishes in the Northeastern Amateur and Porter Cup.
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