Cutrell overcomes shaky start to capture title at Westmoreland County Senior Amateur

It was another close finish to the Westmoreland County Golf Association’s Senior Championship on Wednesday at Latrobe Country Club.

Arnie Cutrell had a three-shot lead over 2023 champion Sean Knapp heading into the nine-hole third round and was clinging to a one-shot lead as they made their way to the final hole.

Cutrell was able to stave off Knapp and win his fourth Westmoreland County Senior Amateur Championship.

“It was tight and down to the wire,” Cutrell said. “It’s never a true tournament until Sean makes his run. I was fortunate enough to make par, and Sean bogeyed on the last hole. It felt good to get the win.”

Cutrell’s shot at a fourth title looked in doubt as he got off to a bad start on the morning’s first 18 holes.

Even after he two-putt for a birdie on the par-5 third, Cutrell was 6-over-par after the first eight holes and was looking for that next birdie to bring himself back.

“Sometimes you can let the bad play get the best of you,” he said. “But I refused to let that happen, and I hung in there.”

Cutrell birdied the par-5 14th and the par-4 17th.

“Those birdies got me back on track for the rest of the day,” Cutrell said. “Brought me down from 6-over on the first nine to 3-over at the end of the morning.”

Through the first 18, Cutrell led the Senior Division and all golfers on the day with a 3-over 75. Knapp was close behind at the start of the final nine holes with a 78.

Knapp birdied the third hole and the par-4 16th.

On the afternoon nine, Cutrell shot a 1-over 37, and Knapp shot an even 36.

Overall, Cutrell finished the tournament with a 4-over 112, and Knapp finished two shots back.

Kevin McCarthy won the Super Senior Division on a tiebreaker. He and John Jones finished the tournament at 7-over with a score of 115.

McCarthy was declared the winner after shooting better on the third nine with a 1-over 37, besting Jones’ 2-over 38.

Jones held a one-stroke lead after the first 18 holes, posting a 77 to McCarthy’s 78.

There is normally a Legend Division for golfers 75 and older, but with only one player eligible for that division this year, the Association chose to award a Legend “crystal” to the low scoring golfer age 70 and up.

The award went to Bob Allhouse.

It was a close tournament overall, as the top five finishers were separated by five strokes.

McCarthy finished third and Jones fourth. Allhouse was fifth with a score of 117, Joe Cordaro placed sixth (118), David Higinbotham and Joe Corsi finished with a score of 119 and the same tiebreaker was used. Higinbotham, therefore, finished seventh and Corsi eighth. Jeff Newsome finished ninth (121), and Mike Engler was 10th (122).