Neal Shipley might not be having the season he had hoped in his first year on the PGA Tour.
But the Central Catholic graduate can only hope a good showing at the U.S. Open on June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will kick-start his season.
He shot an 8-under-par 132 and tied Orem, Utah’s, Zac Blair for medalist honors at Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio, on Monday.
Shipley shot a 3-under 67 during the first 18 holes and followed with a 5-under 65 in the second round.
Shipley made a name for himself in 2024 when he was the first player since Victor Hovland in 2019 to be low amateur in both the Masters and the U.S. Open.
He was paired with Tiger Woods in the final round at the Masters. The U.S. Open was played at Pinehurst No. 2.
Peters Township graduate Jake Sollon also earned a ticket to the Open on Monday.
Sollon placed fourth at Woodmont Country Club North Course in Rockville, Md.
He shot a 5-under 137 and needed a playoff to edge out Bryan Lee.
Other district players coming up short in the attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open included:
Austin Lemieux, son of Mario, Lemieux; West Allegheny junior Nico Ward; Pittsburgh’s Mike Van Sickle; Sewickley’s Jason Li; Pittsburgh’s Amani D’Ambrosio; Pittsburgh’s Rick Stimmel; Glenshaw’s Tanner Grzegorczyk; and Mt. Pleasant’s Talon Kriebel.
Lemieux completed Palm Beach Garden, Fla.; Grzegorczyk was in Purchase, N.Y.; Van Sickle, Li, D’Ambrosio, Stimmel and Kriebel completed at Woodmont; and Ward was in Springfield.
Ward shot a 5-over 145. He teed off between Tony Finau and Brandt Snedeker.
The 16-year-old recorded six birdies during his two rounds. He qualified at Weymouth Country Club in Medina, Ohio.
126th WPGA Amateur
Penn-Trafford graduate Nick Turowski, a sophomore at West Virginia, and Butler graduate and Longwood University junior Hunter Swidzinski headed to the final round of the 126th Annual West Penn Amateur tied for the lead.
They shot a 1-over 141 on Monday at the Kahkwa Club in Erie.
Swidzinski was the leader after the first round at 2-under 68, and Turowski shot a 1-under 69.
They hold a two-shot lead on Montour’s Connor Bennick and Oakmont’s Caron Kittsley. Each is 3-over. Darin Kowalski, Nemacolin’s Colton Lusk and returning champion David Fuhrer II are at 5-over.
WCGA
Greensburg natives and brothers Kevin and Brian Fajt won the annual Westmoreland County Golf Association’s Better Ball event Saturday at Greensburg Country Club.
The Fajts shot a 6-under 64 to edge the Turowski brothers — Nick and Alex — of Harrison City. The Turowskis shot a 4-under 66.
The father/son duos of Ryan and son Luke Sikora and Arnold and son Arnie Curtrell tied for third at 3-under 67.
Finishing fifth were the DeNunzio brothers, Ron and David. They ended up at 1-under 69.
A total of 14 teams competed.
The annual Junior Amateur is scheduled for June 24 at Latrobe Country Club.
Latrobe Elks Golf Club
The Elks held their 2026 Member/Guest event recently.
Here are the results:
First place gross: Dan Thomas and Chris Musiak, 66; second place: Bo Ruffner and Jay Bleehash, 67; and third place: Jonathan Lender and Brett Marabito, 68.
First place net: Mike Moximchalk and Adam Redinger, 58; second place: Bo Ruffner and Jay Bleehash, 63; and third place: Ed Worek and Nick Corcetti, 63 (tiebreaker).
Closest to pin No. 10: Worm McNaughnah
Long putt No. 18: Dan Antonacci