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 1-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.
November 9, 2009
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.
November 6, 2009
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.
November 2, 2009
Three advance at PGA Tour school
All advance to the second stage in mid-November.
November 2, 2009
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.
October 26, 2009
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.
October 19, 2009
Smith, Schlachter, Renwick, repeat as Players of the Year
For the second straight year, Nathan Smith, Pittsburgh, Paul Schlachter, Bridgeville, and Easton Renwick, Punxsutawney, were named Amateur, Senior Amateur, and Junior Players of the Year by the Western Pennsylvani Golf Association. They were honored on October 14 during the Association’s Fall Players Dinner at Hill Crest Country Club in Lower Burrell.
Smith’s spectacular season was highlighted by winning the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship for the second time, being part of the winning USGA State Team Championship team along with Sean Knapp, Oakmont; and Mike Van Sickle,
Gibsonia; and being a member of the USA’s Walker Cup team. He also won the West Penn Amateur and Spring Invitational conducted by the WPGA, and the Jay Sigel Match Play and Pennsylvania Amateur run by the Pennsylvania Golf Association. In other competitions he recorded strong showings in the Sunnehanna Amateur, Southern Amateur, and Western Amateur.
Schlachter has been Senior Player of the Year for six straight seasons, 2004-09. In this season he won the West Penn Senior Amateur Amateur and the Jay Sigel Senior Match Play. He also qualified for match play in the USGA Senior Amateur. The retired teacher has been one of the highest ranked senior amateur golfers in the nation for several years.
October 15, 2009
Renwick named Junior Player of the Year
For the second year the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association has named Easton Renwick of Punxsutawney Junior Player of the Year. The award was presented at the Annual Fall Players Dinner last night at Hill Crest Country Club. Renwick also won the award in 2008.
Renwick defended his title in the C.R. Miller Match Play Invitational with a victory over Darren Simons of St. Marys on the 20th hole. He joins Justin Smith (1998, 1999), a standout on the 2002 University of Minnesota NCAA Championship team, as the only golfers to win two C.R. Miller titles. He also finished second in the Junior Championship, fifth in the PA Junior Championship, and qualified for the USGA Junior Amateur Championship held at Trump National Golf Club.
Garrett Browning of Coraopolis finished second on the Honor Roll. He qualified for the PGA Junior Championship by winning sectional qualifying, finished second in the Junior Championship, second in the Boys Championship, and was tied for fourth in sectional qualifying for the USGA Junior.
Third on the points list was Simons. He won a rain-delayed playoff over Browning and Renwick to win the Association’s Junior Championship and was runner-up in the C.R. Miller.
Corey Wagner of Glenshaw finished fourth. A semi-finalist in the C.R. Miller, he also finished tied for third in the PA Junior and seventh in the Junior Championship.
Completing the Honor Roll was Luke Miller of Venetia. He won the 13 and Under Divisions in both the Boys Championship and the PA Junior Championship.
Honorable mentions were awarded to a pair from Erie. Zachary Bird made the semi-finals of the C.R. Miller and was first alternate from sectional qualifying in the USGA Junior. Austin Romeo earned medalist honors in sectional qualifying for the USGA Junior and won the Amateur Championship conducted by the Erie District Golf Association.
Renwick, Browning, Simons, and Ryan Prokay of Grove City represented the Association on the Frank B. Fuhrer Team in the Williamson Cup Matches conducted at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
October 15, 2009
Wheatcroft passes Mills on Nationwide money list
With two tournaments left, Washington, PA, native Steve Wheatcroft is 36th on the Nationwide Tour Money list, with $138,290 in winnings. In 24 tournaments his best finish has been a third place. The former Indiana University standout has four more top tens, six top 25’s, and has made fourteen cuts. Jon Mills, Indiana, PA, is 50th with $118,240 in winnings. Like Wheatcroft, he has made fourteen cuts, with four top tens and ten top 25’s. A top college player at Kent State, Mills was ahead of Wheatcroft on the money list most of the season, but his strong play in the last few weeks has put him in the top forty.
Both will play in the Nationwide Tour Championship, October 19-22.
October 13, 2009
Smith wins second USGA Mid-Am Championship
In the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship final, Pittsburgh’s Nathan Smith got off to a fast start, five up after eight holes played at three under par, and played solid golf the rest of the way to beat Tim Spitz, Rochester, NY, 7&6, at Kiawah Island Club, South Carolina. It was Smith’s second Mid-Am title, the other in 2003 at Wilmington CC, Delaware.
Smith was also co-medalist, shooting 72-68–140, tying Mike McCoy, Des Moines.
Two other area players also qualified for match play. Sean Knapp reached the third round, and Arnold Cutrell, second round, where he lost to Knapp, 3&2. This is the first time the area has seen three players advance to the second round in the Mid-Amateur.
October 9, 2009
