Wheatcroft, Mediate in PGA Tour school finals

Steve Wheatcroft, a Washington, PA, native, will compete in the PGA Tour School Qualifying Finals, December 2-7, at Bear Lakes GC, West Palm Beach, Florida. He has already secured a PGA Tour card for 2010, so he’s playing to move up the rankings. A strong performance will result in his playing in more early season PGA Tour events.

Rocco Mediate, a Greensburg, PA, native, and runner-up in the 2008 US Open, will be playing to continue his career on the PGA Tour in 2010 without having to use exemptions. He finished 145th on this year’s money list with $484,757, resulting in his being exempt from the first two stages of qualifying. Mediate. 46, is among a handful of area players to record multiple victories on the PGA Tour during his long career. His five wins–1991 Doral; 1999 and 2002, Greensboro; 2000–Buick and Phoenix. Mediate is 44th in career earnings on the PGA Tour.

Nathan Smith named to USGA International Team

Nathan Smith has received another team assignment from the USGA.  The 2003 and 2009 USGA Mid-Amateur champion played on this year’s winning Walker Cup team and the Pennsylvania squad that won the USGA’s State Team title in September along with Sean Knapp and Mike Van Sickle.

Smith will represent the USA with fellow Walker Cupper Peter Uihlein in the Copa de las Americas competition at Buenos Aires GC, Argentina, January 6-9.  The announement was made recently by the USGA’s International Team Selection Committee.

Mills, MacWhinnie, advance to PGA Tour finals

Six golfers with Western Pennsylvania connections played in the PGA Tour Qualifying School’s Second Stage, with two advancing, November 18-21.

Jon Mills, Indiana, shot 67-71-70-71–279, at Southern Hills Plantation Club, Brooksville, Florida.  He tied for 14th, making the cut by two strokes.

Bobby MacWhinnie, Upper St. Clair, who now lives in Charlotte, NC, recorded 68-72-72-68–280 at Calloway Gardens GC, Pine Mountain, GA.  His 280 was “right on the number.”

Both players advance to the Finals, December 2-7, at Bear Lakes GC, in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Mills secured PGA Tour privileges in 2006 and 2008, both times from the Nationwide Tour’s money list the previous season.  This is Mac Whinnie’s first attempt in the finals.

Brendan Todd, Atlanta, who learned to play at Rolling Hills, 67-74-71-71–283, at Calloway Gardens, t-30.  He played the PGA Tour in 2009.

Grant Sturgeon, Oakmont–74-72-69-69–284, at Calloway Gardens, t-32.

Justin Smith, Franklin–73-75-69-74–291, at Hombre GC, Panama City Beach, Florida, t-53.

Mike Van Sickle, Wexford–73-73-70-73–289 at Calloway Gardens, t-65.

USGA Executive Committee member’s home club is Bedford Springs

In the 2010 USGA’s Nominating Committee Report, Christopher Liedel, Vienna, Virginia, has been nominated to his second year on the Executive Committee. The election will take place on February 6, at The Carolina Hotel, Pinehurst, North Carolina. Liedel lists Bedford Springs Resort’s Old Course, Bedford, Pennsylvania, as his home club.  Liedel is Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of the National Geographic Society. According to the Old Course staff, Liedel occasionally drives the two-plus hours from suburban Washington, DC, to play the course.

Liedel is the first person with area connections to serve on the USGA Executive Committee since Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, who served 1994-2000.

Browning wins Pennsylvania high school title

West Allegheny’s Garrett Browning held his first round lead and won the PIAA Boys High School Golf Championship, closing with a 4-over 75 and a one stroke victory over Greg Jarmas of Lower Merion at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York, PA. Browning finished the championship at 2-over par 144.

The victory capped an impressive year for Browning. He qualified for the PGA Junior Championship, finished runner-up in the WPGA Boys and Junior Championships, and represented the Association in the Williamson Cup Matches where he led the WPGA team.

Bo Lustig, Belle Vernon, finished T-3 with scores of 73-73–146.

Ryan Prokay, Grove City, finished T-6 at 147 (74-73), while Elk Catholic’s Darren Simons finished T-30 at 153 (79-74), and WPGA Junior Player of the Year Easton Renick, Punxsutawney, finished T-35 at 156 (77-79). All three teamed with Browning to represent the WPGA in the Williamson Cup Matches at Oak Hill Country Club.

Greater Latrobe’s Ben Gjebre (75-73), Austin Romeo (77-71) of Erie McDowell, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Spencer Mellon (71-77) and Corey Wagner (72-76) all finished T-9 at 148.

In the team competition Ben Gjebre and Sam Cline led Greater Latrobe to a seven-stroke victory over Erie Cathedral Prep. Greater Latrobe shot 299-310–609.

Sutherland records collegiate win

Nathan Sutherland, Wyomissing, PA, whose family belongs to Oakmont, won the Bearcat Invitational hosted by the University of Cincinnati, last month, October 12-14. He shot 74-69-67–210, to win the individual title, leading his Miami University (OH) team to a four-stroke victory. Sutherland, who made All-Conference last season for Miami as a sophomore in the Mid-American (MAC), recorded his first college victory at the Bearcat. For this, he was
named the MAC’s Golfer of the Month.

On last season’s WPGA Honor Roll, Sutherland recorded top five finishes in both the West Penn Amateur and West Penn Open.

South Hills continues Scholarship Fund support

By using an “opt out” solicitation, South Hills Country Club continues as the WPGA’s Scholarship Fund’s top supporter. The club recently sent a check of $8835 to the Fund, a very significant portion of total donations during 2009. In these difficult economic times, the club maintains a high level of support to the WPGA Scholarship Fund, as well as the Evans Scholars Foundation for caddies based in Golf, Illinois, north of Chicago.

Three advance at PGA Tour school

Three area players all competed in the First Stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Georgia, October 27-30. They all advanced.

Mike VanSickle, Wexfprd–69-70-72-73–282, tied sixth

Justin Smith, Franklin–69-70-72-73–284–tied 13rh

Bobby MacWhinnie, Pittsburgh–68-73-68-77–286–tied 20th, right on the number

All advance to the second stage in mid-November.

Wheatcroft gains PGA Tour Card for 2010

Washington, PA, native Steve Wheatcroft, 31, the 2004 West Penn Open champion, shot 69-69-65-72–275, tied for 3rd place, in the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island Club, near Charleston, SC. Heading into the Nationwide’s final event, Wheatcroft was 31st on the money list. This showing moved him to 20th, with $213,165, and a PGA Tour card for 2010. It will be Wheatcroft’s second PGA Tour season, the other in 2007. Wheatcroft started slowly but played excellent golf from late July on to return to the PGA Tour.

Jon Mills, Indiana, 31, shot 73-74-70-73–290, tying for 50th place in the sixty player field. Mills has $121,765, good for 54th on the money list. He played the PGA Tour in 2005 and 2007, the Nationwide Tour in 2004, 2006, 2008 and this year. He will try to regain his PGA Tour card through the qualifying schools.

Justin Smith, Steve Wheatcroft, record top finishes on Nationwide Tour

On the 72nd hole at the Nationwide Tour’s Miccouskee Championship in Miami, Sunday, October 18, Justin Smith, Franklin, the 2009 Pennsylvania Open champion, was tied for the lead at nine under par with Chad Collins. Collins holed a long birdie putt while Smith bogeyed from a tough lie behind the green, giving Collins the win and Smith a tie for third. Smith shot 66-67-71-72–276, equaling a t-3 by Washington’s Steve Wheatcroft earlier this season. Wheatcroft tied for 9th with 68-69-70-72–279, while Indiana’s Jon Mills shot 71-70–141 to miss the cut by one stroke.

Smith needed a win to be in the Tour Championship this week and have full status on the Nationwide Tour next year. His total winnings are $79514, 75th on the money list. Mills is 53rd with winnings just over $118K while Wheatcroft moved to 31st with $155K in earnings. The Nationwide Tour Championship’s field will be sixty players, October 22-25 at the Daniel Island Club, Charleston, South Carolina. Wheatcroft and Mills are in the starting field, and the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour’s money list will receive PGA Tour cards for 2010. Both players are guaranteed full status on
the Nationwide Tour for 2010.