Nathan Smith won the Spring Invitational at Williams CC, Weirton, WV, shooting a record 68-66—134. He also won by nine strokes over Rob Voltz, another record.   

Nathan Smith and Sean Knapp set a new scoring standard in the Fred Brand Foursomes at Longue Vue on May 7, firing 66-67—133, a new record by nine strokes. Their victory margin was twelve.   

WPGA officials served as the Rules Committee for the Big Ten Championships, played at Penn State University’s Blue Course, May 1-3.  Joining the chairman, Executive Director Jeff Rivard, were Championship Director Dave Finney, Johnstown; former WPGA Presidents, Richard Falchetti, Kittanning and John McMurdy, Indiana; Executive Committee member Dave Kuhar, Ebensburg; Bill Price, III, Johnstown; and former USGA intern, Corey Reighard, now employed by the Golf Association of Philadelphia.   

Rivard and the Kiktas, Jan and Fayann, Uniontown, officiated at the Women’s NCAA Division I national championships, played at Caves Valley GC, Owings Mills, Maryland, just north of Baltimore. Jay, 2005 WPGA President, and Fayann, past president of the Women’s GA of Western Pennsylvania, officiate often at collegiate competitions.  They are both USGA committee members—Jan, Senior Amateur Championship and Fayann, Senior Women’s Championship.   

Rivard, a Michigan State University graduate, was joined by two fellow Spartans on the Rules Committee, the MSU women’s team who finished eleventh in a field of 24 teams, plus Caves Valley Golf Superintendent Steve Glossinger, another MSU graduate. Several of Glossinger’s crew are also Spartan alumni.  The group photo sent back to East Lansing contained fifteen people.   

Caves Valley has hosted the Men’s NCAA Division I, and two USGA Championships, Mid-Amateur and Senior Open, in its brief history.   

Mike VanSickle, Gibsonia, who recently graduated from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was recently named the winner of the NCAA’s Byron Nelson Award, for outstanding overall excellence in golf, academics, and campus activities. He won eleven collegiate tournaments in his career, five in his senior year, and was the Big East’s Player of the Year.   

Doug Mehall, St. Francis, won the Presidents Conference individual title, with a 72-70—142 at Oak Tree GC, West Middlesex, PA.  . 

Jon Popeck, Maryland, was named first team All-Conference in the Atlantic Coast Conference.   

Jared Schmader, Clarion, won three tournaments. 

Gavin Smith, Indiana, PA, won the NCAA Division II individual title, the first area collegiate golfer since Waynesburg’s Mike Adamson won the 1995 Division III title when he played for Methodist College.   

James R. Boughner, McKeesport, was recently appointed to the USGA Junior Championship Committee.  A member at Youghiogheny, he is a member of the WPGA Executive Committee, and he chairs the Association’s Championship Committee.

This liaison program has been a vital communications tool for the Association and its Member Clubs.   

Club Rep Day at Diamond Run on April 20 drew a group of more than 30 clubs and nearly seventy golfers, most who were undeterred by wind and rain for the afternoon round.  The morning meeting was very well attended. 

Although the WPGA experience a loss in investments, operations in 2008 performed in the black.  The Scholarship Fund’s investment portfolio experienced a drop of nearly $180,000, but donations nearly paid for scholarships.   

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