An amateur has won the Tri-State Section PGA Open title for the fifth consecutive year.
Canonsburg native and Central Catholic graduate Rocco Salvitti edged amateur Darin Kowalski on the first playoff hole Tuesday at Southpointe Golf Club.
Salvitti and Kowalski, the 2025 champion, each finished at 4-under par 140. Kowalski is from Bethel Park.
Salvitti just finished his junior season at Notre Dame. He also won the 2025 Pennsylvania Amateur.
Amateur Austin Lemieux, son of former Penguins great Mario Lemieux, was third at 3-under 141.
The low professional was Lucas Cromeenes at 2-under 142, while Justin Collins, Talon Kriebel, amateur Tommy Nettles and amateur Nathan Platt tied for fourth.
Cromeenes is the head golf professional at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.Va. He earned the top prize for the pros of $10,000.
Turowski wins WPGA Spring Stroke Play title
The Jack Benson Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Spring Stroke Play Championship, features an impressive list of names.
Past champions include Neal Shipley, Nathan Smith, Sean Knapp and Rick Stimmel.
Add Harrison City native and Hannastown Golf Club member Nick Turowski to the list.
The West Virginia University sophomore finished the two-round event at 7-under 133, which included a 5-under 65 in the first round Monday at Hannastown.
Turowski looked at the names on the trophy and was amazed.
“Wow,” Turowski said. “There are a lot of good ones on here.”
It was Turowski’s fifth win in WPGA competition in his young career.
He also won the 2024 West Penn Juniors Championship, 2024 Junior Player of the Year, 2021 WPGA Boys (under-15) Championship and the 2018 and 2019 Boys (under-13) Championship.
“Really happy to be back home and playing a local tournament schedule,” Turowski said. “Always fun to see everyone from home again and compete at amazing golf courses in Western Pennsylvania.
“The goal for the day was just to limit the mistakes and try to do everything in my power to avoid bogeys. I played smart and conservative overall and let the birdies come to me.”
Turowski was paired with one of his best friends, Noan Schilling.
“We kept it light and had fun the entire day from start to finish,” Turowski said. “I did not look at the leaderboard the entire day and that was a big reason I stayed in it mentality.”
Turowski played well in his last round at WVU this season. He shot a bogey-free, 5-under par 67 to finish 18th at the NCAA Marana Regional at The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Ariz., on May 20.
Turowski’s round is the second lowest recorded by a Mountaineer in an NCAA event. His four-round total was 6-under 214.
Placing second was Matthew Mattoli of the Pittsburgh Field Club at 4-under 136, while tying for third at 2-over 142 were Jack Sacriponte of Hannastown, Amani Dambrosio of Longue Vue, Ravi Desai of Diamond Run Golf Club and Griffin Hansberry of Nemacolin Country Club.
Tying for seventh at 3-over 143 were Brian Fajt of Hannastown and Hunter Donahue of Lone Pine Country Club. Sam Wotus of Pittsburgh was ninth and Shilling finished tenth at 5-over.