LATROBE — Nick Turowski was just a young boy when Western Pennsylvania’s preeminent golf icon, Arnold Palmer, passed away in 2016.
Nearly a decade after Palmer’s death however, Turowski and those who play the sport that Palmer helped put on the map are still annually paying tribute to the man affectionally known as ‘The King.’
Fueled by strong performances from players of various ages, the WPGA amateur players defeated the Tri-State PGA professionals 8.0-6.0 to win its fourth straight Palmer Cup on Thursday at Latrobe Country Club.
“When I got the call that I was on the team, I was immediately in contact with my head coach and assistant coach, asking how I can make this work,” said Turowski, a junior at West Virginia who has built a solid collegiate resume so far. “This is my third year in college and the last two years, because of travel, I wasn’t able to play.
“I remember the first time I played in this. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I was really sad I wasn’t able to play the last two years. I have so many great memories from this tournament.”
Turowski earned his third win in a WPGA event this season. He claimed the WPGA Spring Stroke Play in May and picked up a win alongside his brother, Alex, in the WPGA Brothers Tournament two months later.
On Thursday, with Alex serving as his caddie, Turowski picked up a full point in a victory over former Mountaineer Easton Renwick, whose bogey on the final hole failed to match Turowski’s par.
“It was very good golf,” Turowski said of the match. “It was definitely a ball-striking competition between us… It was cool when the pairings came out. Our head coach at West Virginia put me and Easton in a group chat. It was like we could see which era of West Virginia golf is good.”
The competition was shortened after a line of storms canceled the Four-Ball matches in the morning, the first time that the competition was unable to be completed in full in its 31-year history.
But sunshine soaked the soggy grounds of Latrobe Country Club in the afternoon, as warm temperatures filled the air during the 14 individual matches.
The WPGA earned full points via victories by Turowski, Austin Lemieux (over Justin Moose, 5 & 4), Darin Kowalski (over Justin Collins, 1 up), Matt Mattioli (over Devin Gee, 2 up), Jon Pratkanis (over Steve Hopley, 3 & 1) and Bill Rosemeyer (over Jim Cichra, 3 & 2).
The Tri-State professionals picked up wins by Kevin Shields (over Scott Jordan, 4 & 3), Shawn McCall (over Rick Stimmel, 1 up), Brett Carman (over Ted Grassi, 3 & 2) and Joe Boros (over Bob Crnjarich, 5 & 3).
Four matches ended in ties, as Carson Kittsley and Lucas Cromeenes, Amani D’Ambrosio and Talon Kriebel, Kevin Fajt and Zach Street, and Erik Bertrand and Eddie Perrino finished all square.
The win brought the all-time series to 19-10-2 in favor of the Tri-State PGA. But the amateurs are now 9-3-1 in the last 13 contests.
“Amateur golf in the WPGA is damn good,” said Turowski. “I’m not even going to start listing the great amateurs, because I’ll forget someone.
“But I’ve played in college events against (premier young players) Preston Stout and Jackson Koivun and I come back here and see guys like Mattioli, (D’Ambrosio) and Kevin Fajt. If these guys played in college events now, they would kick all of these college guys’ butts. The level of competition is very high.”
Ultimately, the Palmer Cup is an exhibition event between the WPGA and Tri-State. While the competition is fierce, the Palmer Cup’s purpose is far greater than the final results on the course.
It’s designed to celebrate and honor the life of Arnold Palmer, and that was highlighted by former Oakmont Country Club head professional Bob Ford, who spoke to the players following dinner, sharing memories of his long-time friend.
“Growing up, I remember hearing those stories about the Palmer Cup and stories about Arnold Palmer,” said Turowski who, like Palmer, is a Westmoreland County native. “Truly, the fact that I’m playing in this, I can’t believe it. It’s a dream come true to represent the WPGA and be a part of a team like this.
“Other organizations don’t have this. This is extremely special… It was an amazing day and I don’t ever want to miss this again.”
For media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
