5 things to watch at the PIAA regional golf tournament

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, October 14, 2019 | 10:29 PM

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The PIAA Class AAA and AA West Regional Golf Championship will take place Tuesday at the Chestnut Ridge Resort’s Tom’s Run Golf Course in Blairsville.

There are 48 golfers from the WPIAL competing against golfers from five other PIAA districts for spots in the state tournament Oct. 21-22 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

The action begins at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Will Skyler rebound?

Riverside senior Skyler Fox saw his shot at being a four-time WPIAL Class AA champion denied when Sewickley Academy senior J.F. Aber won the title at Allegheny Country Club. Fox looks for a strong finish to his senior season as he attempts to win his first PIAA title.

Bitar honored

Fox Chapel senior Scott Bitar captured the WPIAL Class AAA individual championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club last month, becoming the third Fox Chapel golfer to do so since 2014.

He was recently named to the AJGA Scholastic Junior All-American team, the only golfer from the state. Bitar has a 4.48 GPA and is a national honor society member. Now he hopes to qualify for a shot at the PIAA title.

GCC trio

The Greensburg Central Catholic girls are the returning PIAA Class AA team champions. Three girls from the team hope to keep their individual titles alive. They are sophomore twins Ella and Meghan Zambruno and junior Angelika Dewicki. The Zambruno twins finished second and third to Quaker Valley freshman Eva Bulger at WPIALs.

A second chance

Fox Chapel’s Nina Busch had a putt on the first playoff hole against North Allegheny senior Isabella Walter to win the Class AAA title. She missed. On the second playoff, Walter, who missed a clinching putt on No. 18 to win in regulation, didn’t miss her chance to finish Busch. She drained 15-foot par putt on the second playoff hole for the win. Now Busch is looking for a bounceback effort.

WPIAL champions have struggled

Historically, WPIAL champions have struggled to advance the state tournament at Tom’s Run. Many have failed to qualify or barely qualified. Bitar, Aber, Walter and Bulger could find it difficult.

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.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Greensburg C.C., North Allegheny, Quaker Valley, Riverside, Sewickley Academy