Reaching match play at a USGA national championship is a significant accomplishment for any golfer. Western Pennsylvania, over the last two weeks, has had two players do just that.
Nico Ward, a rising junior at West Allegheny High School, posted an impressive 2-over score during stroke play at the 78th U.S. Junior Championship at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa.
The mark, which tied for 29th overall, put Ward into match play, where he won his Round of 64 tilt in comeback fashion.
After trailing by two holes through seven, Ward won the next six holes, putting away Cody Weaver of Gilman, Iowa 3 & 2.
Ward fell to Vanderbilt commit Tyler Mawhinney in the Round of 32.
A week after Ward’s run to match play, Western Pennsylvania saw a similar performance in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina.
One of three representatives from Western Pennsylvania, Mya Morgan shot 2-over to make match play. In the Round of 64, Morgan fell to Ashburn, Virginia native Keya Naik, 4 & 3.
A week later, Morgan claimed her first WPGA championship, becoming the youngest winner ever in the WPGA Women’s Amateur Championship.
Fellow members of Team Pennsylvania, Alyssa Zhang shot 4-over in U.S. Girls’ Junior stroke play and Ellie Benson shot 11-over, as each missed the cut.
Three locals reach U.S. Amateur
Western Pennsylvania will have some nice representation at the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship this week.
Three players will make the drive across Pennsylvania to Merion Golf Club for the top championship for amateur golfers in the country.
By way of his victory in the Indiana Amateur Championship, Cranberry native Matt Vogt will compete this week outside of Philadelphia, just over a year after he competed in the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Also in the U.S. Amateur field will be Robert Morris rising redshirt junior Chuck Tragesser, who shot 4-under at Llanerech Country Club in Havertown, Pennsylvania in Final Qualifying. The Murrysville native’s performance was just a stroke off of co-medalist honors, but more than enough to secure a spot in the U.S. Amateur.
Matt Mattioli of Pittsburgh shot 1-under at his U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying in Columbus, Ohio, as the Miami (Ohio) graduate punched a ticket to the championship, as well.
Several others narrowly missed out on qualifying, including Rick Stimmel, a decorated senior player, and West Virginia University rising junior Nick Turowski, who each shot even par at the Columbus qualifier.
Junior PGA Championships
The 2026 Junior PGA Championship was held last week in Frisco, Texas and several local players represented the region at one of the premier national events for boys and girls junior players.
On the boys side, Michael Quallich made the first cut, but not the second and shot a tournament total of 3-over, the best showing among local in the boys tournament. North East native Josiah Swan, Pittsburgh native Bailey Donahue and Greensburg’s Luke Sikora missed the cut.
On the girls side, Allison Park’s Alyssa Zhang made both cuts, shooting 11-over for the week and tying for 31st overall .
Venetia’s Ellie Benson and Sewickley’s Addison Davis missed the cut on the girls’ side.
Two Western Pennsylvanians land collegiate coaching jobs
A pair of local players have recently moved into the coaching ranks.
Carter Hassenplug, a 2025 graduate of Allegheny College, will take over the head coaching job at his alma mater following the retirement of Jeff Groff, who coached at Allegheny for 41 years.
“I firmly believe the Allegheny golf program is in great hands with Carter,” Groff said in a press release. “He has put his heart and soul into this program as a player and coach for the last five years. He doesn’t take shortcuts and shows up every day with renewed enthusiasm. He fully understands the long and storied tradition of Allegheny golf and is excited to take it to new heights.”
Hassenplug, a strong player from North East, Pennsylvania, is a former three-time PAC MVP who served as a volunteer coach under Groff last season. He will lead both the men’s and women’s programs at Allegheny.
A little further south, and another Tragesser is beginning her career in coaching.
Carolina Tragesser, a Franklin Regional High School and Longwood University alum, recently joined the Charleston Southern men’s and women’s golf programs as an assistant coach.
Before getting started in South Carolina, Tragesser caddied for her brother, Chuck, at his successful U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying round.
Another Division I golf program coming to region
Just three years after the Pittsburgh region welcomed a Division I women’s golf program, another will be making a comeback.
Robert Morris announced last month its intentions to restart its women’s golf program, which returns following a hiatus since 2014.
Steve Shingledecker, Robert Morris’ Director of Golf, will lead both the men’s and women’s programs, which compete in the Horizon League.
In 2024, Duquesne added women’s golf to its athletic department, and currently features four players from Western Pennsylvania on its roster.
Williamson Cup Team announced
The WPGA on Sunday announced its team for next week’s 62nd Williamson Cup in New Jersey.
The Williamson Cup is a 36-hole competition that brings together many of the top boys junior golfers from the Northeast and Canada for a college-style event in which players represent their local golf association.
The WPGA's Frank B. Fuhrer Jr. Team will consist of Ravi Desai of Diamond Run Golf Club, Bailey Donahue of Green Oaks Country Club and Oakmont Country Club, Michael Quallich of South Hills Country Club and Camden Reyes of Chartiers Country Club.
Quallich is appearing on his second straight Williamson Cup team after having helped Team WPGA to a fifth place finish last year in Laval, Quebec. Quallich finished in the top ten in last year's individual standings.
The Williamson Cup will be held at The Knickerbocker Club in Tenafly, New Jersey August 10-11.
Manciu receives prestigious USGA-AJGA Leadership Award
Canonsburg native Henry Manciu was recently named a recipient of the 2026 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award.
Manciu received the award due in part to his work during the holidays, when he dresses up as the Grinch and visits children in their homes, playing golf-related games while raising money for pediatric health and junior golf opportunities.
You can read more about the award here.
For media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
