The Senior Players Championship is one of five major events on the Champions Tour, and joins the US Senior Open, the Senior British Open, the Senior PGA and the Tradition.

Fred Couples won the Senior Players last year at Westchester Country Club in New York.

The PNC West Penn Open Championship will also be played at Fox Chapel in 2012. The dates are July 9-10.

Todd played Rolling Hills CC, McMurray, as a junior golfer. His family then moved to Charlotte, NC, when he was in junior high. His game continued to develop, and he was a collegiate standout at the University of Georgia. Todd was a key player on Georgia’s 2005 NCAA Division 1 championship team. His professional career has been difficult at times as he missed all thirteen cuts in Nationwide Tour events in 2010, but he played considerably better this year. Todd’s total winnings on the Nationwide Tour are just over $350,000.

Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, totaled 435 for six rounds, eleven strokes short of securing a PGA Tour card. He will have privileges on the Nationwide Tour in 2012.

Cameron Peterson, Grove City, passed away on November 1 at age 23. In high school he was an outstanding golfer and swimmer. He competed in many WPGA junior championships, other area competitions, and a national junior schedule. In 2006 he won the Hudson Junior Invitational in Ohio, a nationally prominent competition, plus many other junior tournaments. After graduating from Grove City HS in 2007, Peterson attended Florida Southern in Lakeland, where Greensburg’s Rocco Mediate first made his mark. Peterson was there for two years on a golf scholarship.He then transferred to the University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated last spring with a degree in molecular biology and chemistry. He was scheduled to attend medical school next Fall.

Ann Buck, MD, McKeesport, died on November 21 at age 81. She was a highly respected radiologist and a fine golfer, winning the women’s club championship at Youghiogheny CC twice.  Her obituary describes her as “dynamic and incredibly organized.” She was educated at McKeesport HS, Bucknell University, and medical school at what is now Drexel University near Philadelpia. Her medical practice was the twelfth in the nation certified in mammography. Dr. Buck was also on the staff at Magee Women’s Hospital and a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Her late husband, Rudy, was also a physician, as are her son and daughter. She was very involved in junior and women’s golf, serving as President of both the Women’s Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania, 1976-77, and Pennsylvania State Women’s Golf Association, 1980-82.  Dr. Buck also was a member of the USGA’s Women’s Committee, 1984-89.

Saunders, Orlando, FL, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, shot 68-67-70-75–280, tied 9th, at Southern Hills Plantation, Brooksville, FL, while Todd, Atlanta, recorded 64-72-70-67–273, tied 4th, at Plantation Reserve GC and Club, Plantation, FL. Todd played golf at Rolling Hills, McMurray, as a junior before his family moved, first to Charlotte, NC, then to Atlanta. He played college golf at Georgia.

The other seven did not advance. Jon Mills, Indiana, finished t-31, three strokes from the cut line, at Southern Hills Plantation. He will likely play a full schedule on the Nationwide Tour next year as he was 85th on their 2011 money list.  Four players were at Hombre GC, Panama City, FL, Nathan Sutherland, Oakmont, was t-42, Jason Scrivener, Pittsburgh, t-50; David Lutterus, Pittsburgh,was t-60, and Wexford’s Ray Beaufils withdrew after three rounds.

Rob McClellan, Butler, the 2011 West Penn Open and Tri-State PGA Section champion, played at Redstone GC, Humble, TX, where he shot 76-72-73-82-303, t-61.

Washington, PA, native Steve Wheatcroft, will play on the PGA Tour in 2012 after finishing 20th on the Nationwide Tour money list this season.

The revision was approved by the Association’s Championship Committee at its Fall meeting. The committee determined having a format similar to the West Penn Amateur would result in a more competitive championship, and that qualifying for most of the players is a better way to identify the starting field. Several Opens have produced overbooked fields with waiting lists. Every contestant who is not exempt will be accepted into a qualifying round. Details will be available on the entry form, to be ready in winter, 2012. Next year’s PNC West Penn Open is scheduled for Fox Chapel Golf Club.

Other players with local roots on the Nationwide Tour include Jon Mills, Indiana, who was 71st on the money list with $83,048, and Brendon Todd with $60,035 and 84th on the money list. Todd played as a youngster at Rolling Hills, McMurray, until his familty moved to Charlotte, NC.

Mills and Todd are scheduled to compete in the upcoming PGA Tour Qualifying Schools Second Stage.

Redstone GC, Humble, TX–Rob McClellan, Butler

Southern Hills Plantation GC, Brooksville, FL–Jon Mills, Indiana; Sam Saunders, Orlando, FL, Arnold Palmer’s grandson

Plantation Reserve GC, Plantation, FL–Brendon Todd, Atlanta, who learned to play as a youngster at Rolling Hills

Hombre GC, Panama City, FL–Ray Beaufils, Wexford; David Lutterus, Wexford, Jason Scrivener, Pittsburgh; Nathan Sutherland, Wyomissing

Bear Creek GC, Murietta, CA–Michael Sim, Wexford

The odds of qualifying for the finals are about 4/1 for these players. The following are also in the second stage–Woody Austin, Rich Beem, Notah Begay, Alex Cejka, David Duval, Jason Gore, Todd Hamilton, Nolan Henke, Lee Janzen, Skip Kendall, Jeff Maggert, Len Mattiace, Bob May, Sean Micheel, Frank Lickliter, Jeff Quinney, Duffy Waldorf, and Boo Weekly.

Several have won major championships and/or have played on Ryder Cup teams in the last decade.

Nathan Sutherland, Wyomissing, PA, who plays at Oakmont, moved thru his pre-qualifying rounds at Moores Hill GC, Auburn, AL, with 75-72-70–217, tied for 31st.  In the first stage at the PGA Wanamaker Course, Port St. Lucie, FL, he recorded 70-69-73-67–279, to move on.

Jason Scrivener, Pittsburgh, PA, advanced at Oak Valley GC, Beaumont, CA, with 66-77-72-72–287, t-15.

Ray Beaufils, Wexford, was right on the number, t-19, with 70-74-75-72–291 at the Auburn University GC, AL.

Sam Saunders, Orlando, FL, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, was medalist at the St. John’s Club, St. Augustine, FL, with 66-71-66-68–271.

Jon Mills, Indiana, 71st on the Nationwide Tour money list, with just under $84,000, was exempt from the first stage of qualifying school.

Other results all from the first stage

Mike Adamson, Hobe Sound, FL, formerly of Waynesburg, missed qualifying for the second stage at PGA Wanamaker with 71-70-69-73-283, after advancing in pre-qualifying at Lake Jovita GC, Dade City, FL.

Bobby MacWhinnie, Pittsburgh, shot 77-79-75-76–307 at Kinderlou Forest GC, Valdosta, GA.

C.G. Mercatoris, Brookville, advanced thru pre-qualifying at Moores Hill GC, Auburn, AL, with 74-73-72–219, then failed to advance at St. John’s Club with 74-79-73-71–297.

Robert Rohanna, Waynesburg, advanced thr pre-qualifying at Lake Jovita, with 72-72-71–215, then failed to advance at Auburn University with 74-79-69-73–295.

Kevin Shields, the 2010 PNC West Penn Open champion, came up short at Irish Creek GC, Kannapolis, NC, with 77-71-72-69–289.

Justin Smith, St. Paul, MN, formerly of Franklin, PA, recorded 74-71-72-73–290, t-35, at Kinderlou Forest GC, Valdosta, GA,.

Mike VanSickle, Wexford, recorded 78-65-73-73-289 at Kinderlou Forest GC,  Valdosta, GA, t-31.