Central Catholic’s Meyers leads weather-delayed WPIAL Class AAA boys golf championships

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 | 8:21 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

Play was halted five times during the WPIAL Class AAA boys golf championships Tuesday at Oakmont Country Club.

The first four delays were because of lightning. The final time was because of darkness at 6:58 p.m.

There are two groups yet to finish, leaving plenty of excitement and anticipation for Wednesday.

The final group, which includes Latrobe senior Brady Pevarnik and Franklin Regional senior Palmer Jackson, has some work to do.

That’s because Jimmy Meyers birdied the final two holes to finish with an even-par 71. The Central Catholic senior is the leader in the clubhouse.

Meyers said knowing what Pevarnik and Jackson are capable of will cause him a restless night.

“I’m not celebrating yet,” Meyers said. “I’m anticipating a nerve-wracking night. There are great players out there, so I had to fight hard.

“I bogeyed 15 after the rain delay and then made two 10-foot putts for birdie. It was a good way to finish.”

The final two groups will return to the course to finish their round at 8 a.m. Wednesday. If there is a tie, the WPIAL golf committee said playoff holes would occur on another day.

Meyers, who calls Oakmont his home course, said knowledge of the course helped. He said his start wasn’t great, but he hung in and battled throughout the start-and-stop round. A three-time WPIAL placewinner, he tied for second in 2016.

Pevarnik and Jackson have three holes remaining. Pevarnik, who began his round with two birdies, is second at 2-over, and Jackson, who eagled No. 9, is 3-over and in third place. Jackson was hurt by a triple-bogey 7 on No. 10.

“I really didn’t putt well,” Pevarnik said. “My round was actually pretty boring. I know what I have to do Wednesday, and hopefully, I’ll come back.”

Pevarnik lost in a playoff in 2017, finished 10th in 2016 and was third in 2015.

All the golfers said the weather delays affected play.

“My back tightened up,” Pevarnik said. “You hit a shot and then wait an hour. It was tough.”

Jackson said he left a lot of shots on the course because he missed some makeable birdie putts.

“Go 3-under, that’s my goal,” Jackson said. “I just have to come out and do it. Brady and I are going to give it a shot. The delays affected everyone. Some guys played through it, and others didn’t.”

Jackson also is a three-time placewinner. His best finish was third in 2017.

The other golfers still on the course are Central Catholic senior Neal Shipley and Pine-Richland junior Donnie Professori. Shipley is in fourth place at 4-over, and Professori is tied for 11th at 11-over.

Fox Chapel’s Gregor Meyer (77), Scott Bitar (78) and Aidan Oehrle (79) are in the clubhouse in fifth through seventh place, respectively.

Penn-Trafford’s Alex Turowski and Pine-Richland’s Cade Zolkos are tied for eighth place after shooing 80. South Fayette’s Luke Lestini is 10th (81).

The top 14 golfers advance to the PIAA Class AAA West Regional on Oct. 15 at Tom’s Run Golf Course in Blairsville.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Penn-Trafford, Pine-Richland, South Fayette