Golf notebook: A third Peters Township grad advances to U.S. Open sectional
A third Peters Township graduate has qualified for the U.S. Open Sectional on June 7.
Connor Schmidt joined Jimmy Ellis and Jake Sollon on the list of golfers hoping to qualify for the 121st U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Schmidt, a senior at Drexel, earned his berth at the Country Club of York U.S. Open Local qualifier by shooting a 3-under-par 67.
The Peters Township trio advance for a 36-hole qualifier. There are seven locations for the qualifiers.
Others to qualify were Carnegie Mellon teammates Jason Li and Benjamin Huber and Upper St. Clair’s Louis Olsakovsky.
Knapp takes 3rd
Oakmont’s Sean Knapp shot a 4-over 144 to place third in the inaugural Pennsylvania Senior Open on May 10 at Lehigh Country Club.
John Pillar Sr., director of golf at Woodloch Springs Resort, ran away with the title by shooting a 3-under 137. Amateur Oscar Mestre of Overbrook Golf Club was second with a 141.
Pittsburgh’s Jim Cichra tied for eighth (147).
Free youth tourney
The Latrobe Elks will host the Tom Mailey Memorial Junior Golf Tournament on June 7 at Latrobe Elks Golf Course.
The tournament is free and open to all youth golfers (boy or girl) ages 18 and younger.
Players will play an 18-hole round in three different divisions: senior (17-18), junior (14-16) and 13-under.
Players also will receive range balls, green fees, and a snack after 9 holes.
The tournament starts at 9 a.m. Golfers may register for the tournament by calling the Elks Pro Shop at 724.539.1582.
The tournament honors the late Tom Mailey, who won the Elks’ Yough Tournament, which was named the Pepsi-Cola Jaycees Junior Tournament in 1957.
Mailey was a 1958 graduate of Latrobe and 1962 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was killed in an automobile accident in 1964.
In 1968, the Latrobe Elks and the Latrobe Jaycees established the youth tournament and renamed it in his memory.
Abdallah wins
Franklin Regional’s Zach Abdallah didn’t let inclement weather, which included rain, sleet and snow, stop him from winning the Isaly’s Seven Springs Mountain Resort event May 8.
Abdallah shot a 5-over 76 to edge Franklin Regional teammate Michael Wareham (78).
Greensburg’s Ben Ritenour finished third with an 82, Leetsdale’s Kyle Rice fired an 83 and Mt. Pleasant’s Ben Zimmerman had an 84.
Cranberry Township’s Dante Rossetti grabbed the 15-16 division with a 13-over 84.
Bridgeville’s Tim Eisnor and Pittsburgh’s Christopher Hoffman tied for second with an 84, but Rossetti won a scorecard playoff.
The 13-14 division winner was Sewickley’s Ethan Dai.
Erie’s Natalie Brosig captured the girls 16-18 division with a 77. Greensburg Central Catholic’s Angelika Dewicki and Aspinwall’s Gracie Rygelski tied for second with a 91.
Venetia’s Ellie Benson claimed the girls 11-15 division with an 87.
This week’s events
• The Tri-State PGA Section Isaly’s Junior Tournament is Sunday at Oakbrook Golf Course in Stoystown.
• The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association’s 67th Annual Fred Brand Foursome and 26th Semple Brothers Foursome Championships, a 36-hole event, will be Monday at Longue Vue Golf Club.
• The Tri-State PGA Section Pro-Pro Championship will be Monday at Diamond Run Golf Club.
• The Tri-State PGA Section Grove City Pro-3 Am is Friday at Grove City Country Club.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
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