|
 |
Association News
Jeff Rivard, Executive Director (contact) |
Nathan
Smith finishes 3RD in Sunnehanna Amateur
With 67-68 on the weekend, Nathan Smith, Pittsburgh, finished 3rd
in the prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur Championship, played June
5-8 at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown. He was tied for 22nd
after the second round, moving up nearly twenty places over the
weekend. This was Smith’s second consecutive strong finish in
the Sunnehanna as the Brookville native tied for 5th
in 2007. Smith’s rounds were 73-70-67-68—278, as he finished
six strokes behind Ricky Fowler, Murietta, CA, who won his
second straight title.
Other area
players
Mike VanSickle, Wexford—75-68-72-71—286, t-21
Sean Knapp, Oakmont—78-72-67-74—291, t-35
Sean Brannan, Hollidaysburg—70-76-78-74—298, t-55
Gregor Orlando, Erie—80-74-70-75—299, 58th
Adam Hofmann, Pittsburgh—77-70-74-82—303, 62nd
John Zack, Cresson—82-77-71-77—307. t64
The starting
field was 69 players. |
Amateur
site featured in Sports Illustrated
Bedford Springs Resort, site of the West Penn Amateur, was
covered extensively in a May article in Sports Illustrated as
one of the country’s finest and most historic golf resorts.
|
State
titles taken by area amateurs
Arnold Cutrell, Greensburg, won the Jay Sigel Match Play
Championship, and Paul Schlachter, Bridgeville, won the Senior
Division of the Jay Sigel. Both championships were played at
Stonewall GC, in Elverson, May 12-14.
Schlachter
and Joe Cordaro, Nevillewood, won the Senior Better Ball at
Toftrees Resort, in State College, June 2-3. They shot
64-66—130 defeating another area team, John Benson,
Punxsutawney, and Don Erickson, III, by four strokes.
All three
competitions were conducted by the Pennsylvania Golf
Association. |
Groft
begins internship
USGA intern Harvin Groft, State College, began his duties with
the Association on June 2, after completing his golf career at
Penn State during the NCAA Championships played at Purdue
University, May 28-31. He is using the internship as his final
course at PSU, and will graduate after completing his course
work in August. |
|
 |
Championships
David Finney, Championship Director (contact)
Blog:
33-7 |
|
Weather
bothers championships
The wet spring has affected the Association’s championship
schedule.
The
Tournament of Champions, scheduled for Nemacolin Woodlands
Resort’s Mystic Rock Course on April 28, was postponed and
played on June 2 with William Miller, Venetia, winning his fifth
different WPGA competition to accompany his titles in the 2004
Boys, 2005 C.R. Miller Match Play, Junior, 2003-05, and the 2006
Amateur. Miller carded 70-70—140, defeating Erie’s Ron Coleman
by two strokes.
The USGA Open
Local, scheduled on May 12 at Chestnut Ridge Resort’s Toms Run
Course, was postponed two days, and finally completed on May 14.
Amateurs Nathan Smith, Oakmont and Mike VanSickle, Wexford,
secured the two qualifying spots. Weather was fine on May 13,
but the course was still too wet. USGA Qualifying Rounds are a
bit more complicated in that the Local Rule for “lift, clean,
and place” cannot be used. Thus the course has to be dry enough
to play the ball as it lies.
The
Interstate Challenge Match with Northern Ohio Golf Association
at Totteridge was shortened from two rounds to one due to rain
and wet conditions on May 20. |
Open
Championship draws 150 entries
The West Penn Open at Butler, June 30-July 1, has a full or
nearly full field with 150 entries, but qualifying rounds will
not be necessary. The Committee has yet to determine the
starting field which will be decided the week of June 16.
Former champions entered are—Dan Thompson, ’07; Bob Friend, ’06;
Roy Vucinich, five—’77, 78, ’86. ’93, ’05; Rick Stimmel, ’02;
Brent
Johnson, ’00; John Aber, ’99; Jim Cichra, ’95; Arnold Cutrell,
’90; Chuck Scally, Jr., ’88, and Bob Ford, ’79. |
|
 |
Handicapping
Terry Teasdale, Handicap Director
(contact)
Blog -
Handicapping Corner |
|
Course Rating
The Association's Course Rating Program has begun and USGA
Course Ratings and Slope Ratings have been released to five
facilities--Edgewood Country Club (Red Tee only), Rolling Hills
Country Club, St. Clair Country Club, St. Jude Golf Club, and
Seven Oaks Country Club. Please
click here for an update of completed ratings. We will be
busy and expect to rate approximately 35 clubs this year. The
WPGA will be taking over rating activities for the Erie District
Golf Association and plan to rate 5 clubs starting next month. |
Handicapping
With the publication of the USGA Handicap System 2008-2011 we
started a new cycle for Handicap Certification and Club
Licensing. All golf clubs wishing to use the USGA Handicap
System must again have a representative of the club take the
Certification program and successfully pass a quiz, and the club
must also submit a Club Licensing application to the
Association. The representative can attend a seminar conducted
by the WPGA or the USGA, or take the course online at the
USGA's website. We conducted three seminars this spring and
will conduct an additional four in the fall. |
|
 |
Membership Development &
Services
Jeff Rivard, Executive Director (contact) |
|
New Member
Clubs
Welcome to the following Member Clubs who have joined the
Association this year—Duck Hollow, Uniontown; Pine Acres,
Bradford; Pittsburgh Golfers Tour; Pittsburgh National,
Gibsonia. |
|