JOHNSTOWN — Anna and Will Wears have spent much of their lives around the game of golf.
On Monday, the brother and sister duo made a golf memory they will be able to share forever.
Anna and Will Wears shot a 5-under score of 65, claiming the gross division title at the Inaugural WPGA Mixed Championship at Sunnehanna Country Club.
“It was beautiful. It was super fun,” said Anna. “It was awesome to be out here with my brother and everybody else.”
The siblings grew up in Latrobe and at Latrobe Country Club, with Anna now residing in Pittsburgh. Golf has been a longtime part of the Wears family, as the siblings are the grandchildren of golf legend Arnold Palmer.
“Golf definitely runs in the family,” said Will. “We’re third or fourth generation golfers. We’re just trying to keep putting our name out there.”
Despite growing up around the game together, Monday marked the first tournament the siblings could recall playing together as a team.
“I think this is our first tournament, and we hadn’t really found something like this,” said Will. “So we were really pleased that West Penn had this event. We’ve both played the events for a long time, and this was something we were both really looking forward to.”
The Wears siblings recorded five birdies without a bogey, keeping their scorecard clean throughout the round.
“We putted well,” said Will. “We stayed below the hole. We made no bogeys.”
Anna credited good decisions and tempo, while Will pointed to the pair’s patience throughout the round.
“We just kind of kept it clean and kept the ball in front of us,” said Will. “We were both in every hole.”
Four teams finished tied for second at 3-under. Matthew Bullington and Kourtney Mortimer, Brady Moran and Katrin Wolfe, Ryan Ferry and Lauren DeArment, and Carter Hassenplug and Josephine Corey each shot 67.
In the net division, Rachel and Anthony Malky shot 8-under, winning by two strokes over Wes and Darla Smith. David and Elaine Gordon and Vicki and Larry Smith each finished at 5-under.
The Mixed Championship is the newest addition to the WPGA schedule and featured teams consisting of one male and one female golfer competing over 18 holes.
For any media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
