OPINION —
THE THEME OF of the PGA Tour in some of its TV ads is: “These guys are good!”
Yes they are. But they are talking about big-name guys like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and others who we watch every weekend on courses we can only dream of playing.
Well, actually some aren’t really dreams. I have played Oakmont Country Club a few times and while the place reeks of tradition, it’s more like a nightmare than a dream when you battle the high rough, brutal sand traps and lightning quick greens.
But while the PGA Tour guys can certainly play, so can a lot of club pros around this country and right here in the western Pa. area we are blessed with some of the best.
For example, Tam O’Shanter Golf Course Director of Golf and co-owner John Kerins, has qualified to compete in the 24th Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship to be held Oct. 11-14 in Virginia.
That is no small feat when you consider the quality of players over 50 who are part of the large Tri-State PGA Section. Some have even played on the PGA Tour.
Kerins qualified by finishing tied for 6th in the recent Tri-State PGA Senior Championhip at New Castle Country Club, posting a two-round score of 78-70—148. He tied with John Aubrey of Dubs Dread.
The tourney was won by Joe Boros of Treesdale Country Club with 142, winning a playoff over Roy Vucinich of Allegheny County Club and Bob Ford of Oakmont. Berry Evans of Berry Hills C.C. was 4th at 144, while Jim Cichra of RMU Island Sports Golf Dome came in 5th at 145.
While Kerins and Aubrey tied for 6th, the 8th place and final qualifier was Scott Davis with 149.
Sharon’s Denny Dolci, pro at St. Jude Golf Club, finished 15th with 153. Former Greenville Country Club pro Bob Meyer also was in the hunt, tying for 12th.
Not only can these guys play, they are also great people. I’m had a chance to play in several pro-am tournaments sponsored by the Tri-State over the years and enjoyed the experience immensely. I’ve had an opportunity to play with several of these Tri-State pros and they are great guys.
Good luck to Kerins as he competes in the national event. But it was a bittersweet time recently for John. While he earned the spot in nationals, he and his wife Kim are hurting after the passing of the their long time beloved pet, Bailey.
Bailey was a fixture at the course at times. In one tournament, that little devildog ran out on the fairway, grabbed my golf ball and ran off. Many of us will miss that little dog, even though Bailey seemed to enjoy nipping my hand at times. (Must have been a Steeler fan like Kerins.)
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Lynn Saternow is sports editor of The Herald Herald
SPORTSVIEW: Kerins qualifies for Sr. Nationals; Tri-State pros are good
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Herald-Tamie junior tourney set Thursday-Friday
THEY SAY THAT “The best things in life are free.” Well, one of those “best things” is the annual Herald-Tam O’Shanter Junior Golf Championships every summer.
The event, which has been free to boys and girls in the Shenango Valley since it’s inception in 1949, will be held Thursday and Friday at Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in Hermitage.
It has been the premier youth tournament for decades and some of the top players ever to come out of this area have participated. But you don’t have to be a great young golfer to take part. It’s a wonderful opportunity for every youngster to get a free round of golf on a great course, which is in immaculate shape this season. -
Hickory lists 2013 scholar-athlete award winners
Hickory High Athletic Director Barb Dzuricsko recently announced that a total of 213 students (grades 9-12) earned Don McKay Scholar-Athlete awards.
To be eligible, students must maintain an A (93 percent or higher) grade-point-average through the academic year’s third 9-week grading period and compete in a PIAA-sponsored sport.
A total of 375 students competed in athletics this past year, Dzuricsko noted, meaning almost 57 percent qualified for the McKay Scholar-Athlete Award. Since the award’s inception, this is the highest total number of students to earn the honors, she reported. -
SCHOLASTIC NOTEBOOK: Hearns to continue golf career in college; Petty to be honored
RECENT HICKORY High alumna Rosy Hearns will continue her education and golf careers at the State University of New York-Albany. Hickory links coach Craig Antush said Hearns recently signed a letter-of-intent.
Hearns’ Hickory career concluded as one of the finest on the links — male or female — in Mercer County annals. -
Bowlers compete in Senior Games
The bowling portion of the annual Mercer County Senior Games was held Wednesday at Grove City Bowlodrome. That followed horseshoes and shuffleboard competitions earlier in the week.
Following is the rest of the schedule: -
COLLEGIATE NOTEBOOK: Ex-Hickory great Richards has great spring track season
FORMER HICKORY HIGH standout Morgan Richards enjoyed a successful spring season for the University of North Carolina-Charlotte track & field team. The female 49ters won the Atlantic 10 Conference outdoor track & field team title.
“Morgan kept her stride as she transitioned into the outdoor season, running top times in several events among (Atlantic 10) freshmen and on Charlotte’s all-time top 10 lists,” assistant coch Edwin T. Schlichter wrote in a recent e-mail to The Herald. “Morgan finished just one spot (9th) out of scoring at the 2013 A-10 Championships in the 3000-meter steeplechase, despite this being her first year ever attempting the event, and running 11:02.22 which was 2nd among all freshmen in the A-10 and 5th all-time for UNC-Charlotte.” -
SPORTVIEW: Hickory tri-athletes deserve special recognition
EVERY YEAR we receive a photo from the Hermitage School District of a group of student-athletes that I am thrilled to receive and run in the paper.
The photo is of Hickory High School “tri-athletes,” boys and girls who participate in sports during each of the fall, winter and spring seasons. But there is more to it than that. Each of these athletes also must maintain an 85 percent B average during the first three 9-week grading periods of the year. -
TIDBITS: Scurpas make college choices; Matthews, Norris, Bonner part of great Clarion recruiting class; Lewis earns national medal
SHARPSVILLE HIGH volleyball standouts Kristen and Paige Scurpa, who are cousins, will continue their education and athletic careers at California University of Pa. and Penn State-Behrend, respectively.
The duo, both of whom were named to the All-State team in Class A by the Pa. Volleyball Coaches Association, led the Blue Darlings to the District 10 title game in November. Sharpsville, Region 1 champs the past 4 years, suffered a 3-1 loss to Cochranton in that match and finished the season 16-4. -
Sharpsville falls in D-10 title game
SLIPPERY ROCK — Monday was a pretty good day for Saegertown High School.
Just mere hours after the Lady Panthers won the District 10 Class A softball championship, the Saegertown baseball team (19-2) captured its third straight D-10 Class AA title with a convincing 10-3 victory over Sharpsville (15-6) at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
“We knew going into the game that Saegertown’s a pretty good team and they’ve been a pretty good team for the past few years,” Blue Devils coach Mike Sikorski said. “I think they’ve been in the District 10 Championship the past four years. They’re a solid team, a very good team. They’re very patient at the plate and when they get their pitches, they hit them.” -
STATE TRACK NOTEBOOK: WM seniors leave legacy of greatness
WEST MIDDLESEX High always has had a proud athletic heritage, and this past weekend’s PIAA Class AA Track & Field championship will only add lustre to that legacy.
According to available archives at The Herald, only the 1954 boys’ basketball team and Coach Bob Morris’ boys’ cross country team from earlier this decade previously had won commonwealth crowns. -
Allen wins 4 gold medals to lead WM to PIAA team title
SHIPPENSBURG — Clay Allen said he had to explode out of the starting blocks for his 100-meter dash showdown with Hickory’s DeShawn Coleman. But Allen — all afternoon — was getting the jump on his competitors during the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships.
By approximately 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Shippensburg University, Allen annexed 4 gold medals — 100- and 200-meter dashes, long jump, and as part of the sprint-relay. The workload West Middlesex High’s senior exhibited enabled the Big Reds to record the Class AA commonwealth crown. - More Sports Headlines
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Herald-Tamie junior tourney set Thursday-Friday
