Two Western Pennsylvanians are playing in this week’s 126th U.S. Open.
A pair of professionals, Neal Shipley and Jake Sollon, qualified for the national championship at Shinnecock Hills in New York.
Shipley, who is appearing in his second U.S. Open, is back after punching his ticket with an 8-under performance at the two-round Final Qualifying in Springfield, Ohio.
The Pittsburgh native appeared in the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst in 2024, but failed to reach the championship a year ago at Oakmont Country Club, his home course. This is Shipley’s third major championship appearance, having played in the 2024 Masters, but is his first as a professional.
Sollon, meanwhile, is getting his first taste of a PGA Tour event. The Peters Township High School grad has played on the PGA TOUR Americas and has one Korn Ferry appearance in 2026. He finished fourth last month in Americas’ Kia Open, contested in Ecuador.
Sollon’s first practice round, held Monday, was alongside two past U.S. Open champions in Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Sollon and Shipley played their practice round Wednesday together.
Salvitti plays in British Am
It’s rare that a Western Pennsylvanian appears in the British Amateur Championship, but such was the case for Rocco Salvitti this week.
The Notre Dame rising senior competed in The R&A’s national championship at Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire alongside 278 other amateur hopefuls.
The Amateur Championship, as it is known by the R&A, has been won by a handful of legendary players, including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.
Salvitti, one of 44 Americans to compete in England, shot an opening round score of 77, followed by a second round mark of 72 in stroke play, but did not make it through to match play.
Sunnehanna welcomes top amateurs, handful of West Penn natives
The prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur Championship is being contested this week in Johnstown and features several locals in the field.
The tournament, now in its 85th year, has been a springboard for some of the game’s greatest players during their amateur years.
The last two WPGA Amateur champions are competing this week in Carson Kittsley and David Fuhrer II. This year’s WPGA Spring Stroke Play champion, Nick Turowski, is in the field alongside another college standout in Hunter Swidzinski.
High schooler Michael Quallich, along with Kittsley, received an exemption to the Sunnehanna Am due to their top positions atop the Team Pennsylvania leaderboard.
Sunnehanna Country Club member Derek Hayes will compete, as well as 125th U.S. Open qualifier Matt Vogt, a Cranberry native who now lives in Indianapolis.
The Sunnehanna Amateur has featured many of golf’s top players over the years. Past champions include Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Lucas Glover, Scott Verplank, Ben Crenshaw and several more notable accomplished future pros.
The likes of Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and many more have competed in the Elite Amateur Series championship at Sunnehanna.
The WPGA provides rules and operations support for the Sunnehanna Amateur Championship each year.
Swidzinski has impressive two weeks
Hunter Swidzinski is on quite the run of late.
The rising college junior, two weeks ago, broke the scoring record at his home course of Olde Stonewall, posting a mark of 62 from the back tees.
Swidzinski, whose father, Sean, is the Head Golf Professional at Olde Stonewall, then was tied with Nick Turowski for the 36-hole lead following the opening day of the 126th WPGA Amateur Championship last week at The Kahkwa Club in Erie.
The Butler High School grad finished tied for 11th overall, following a difficult final round.
However, Swidzinski recovered nicely just days later, posting a 5-under scoring in Sunnehanna Amateur Qualifying, taking the top spot and clinching a position in the championship.
Swidzinski, who has played the last two seasons at Longwood University, did all this while going through the transfer portal process. On June 15, he made his collegiate pick, committing to CAA power UNC Wilmington, which is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Championships this year.
Rodgers wins National Coach of the Year… again
Carnegie Mellon golf coach Dan Rodgers received more honors this week.
Rodgers, who leads both the Tartans men’s and women’s program, was named the NCAA Division III Jackie Steinmann Women's Golf Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
It’s the third time in his career that he has received the honor, doing so in 2020 and 2024, as well.
Rodgers led the Carnegie Mellon women’s golf team to a sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA championships this year, finishing as national runner-ups.
The Tartans won two tournaments this season and placed in the top three in all ten tournaments in which they competed.
Rodgers was also named the 2023 National Men’s Coach of the Year and, this season, led the Carnegie Mellon women's staff to University Athletic Association Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2026 unveiled
Three prominent figures in Western Pennsylvania golf history will be honored this fall, as they take their place in the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.
Bob Friend, Ted Grassi, Sr. and Vince Zachetti were all voted into the Hall of Fame earlier this month.
Friend, a former professional who played on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour, picked up two professional wins, and played in four U.S. Open Championships and one PGA Championship. He was a standout player at LSU, winning an SEC Championship. In addition to his collegiate and national achievements, Friend won the 1984 and 1985 WPGA Amateur Championship, as well as the 2006 WPGA Open title. The Oakmont member won the 1985 Pennsylvania Amateur and the 1986 Northeast Amateur.
Grassi, Sr., was a key figure in the growth of golf in the Erie area. He oversaw the construction of Downing Municipal Golf Course, which hosted the 1969 Public Links Championship. He served as Golf Professional until 1981 and was twice awarded the Western New York PGA Section’s Golf Professional of the Year Award. He was a member of the PGA of America Rules Committee and officiated numerous Ryder Cup Matches and PGA Championships. He created the Greater Erie Charity Golf Classic and raises over $1 million for charity in 28 years.
Zachetti is a decorated player who continues to rack up wins today. The Hannastown Golf Club member has won three WPGA Amateur Championships, doing so in a four-year stretch from 1991-1994. He took the 1989 Pennsylvania Amateur and the 1997 WPGA Spring Stroke Play Championship. He has won numerous state and regional competitions in addition and has been influential in the growth and success of golfers in the Greensburg area, particularly at Hannastown.
The three new inductees will take their place in the Hall of Fame during the Hall of Fame and Champions Dinner on November 12 at Oakmont Country Club.
