Pennsylvania Well Represented for USGA State Team
2009 USGA State Team Champions
Galloway, NJ; The 10th playing of the USGA State Team Championship will be held at Galloway National Golf Club this week. Team Pennsylvania will be well represented and looks to be as strong as the 2009 Championship team.
Nathan Smith, Pittsburgh, PA, is coming off of an historic week at the USGA Middle-Amateur Championship. He became the first ever player to win a 4th Mid-Am title, and hist 3rd such title in four years (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012). Smith finished in a tie for 5th place at this year's Pennsylvania Amateur Championship. Smith also qualified for US Open Sectionals and competed in the US Amateur.
Sean Knapp, Oakmont, PA, is currently in the lead for the 2012 W.C. Fownes Player of the Year race. He compiled points in 6 events (including USGA events). Knapp won the George Dressler Amateur Public Links for the 3rd time in four years. He followed that up with medalist honors at the Sigel Match Play and advanced to the semifinals. Knapp finished tied for 5th place at the Amateur Championship and tied for medalist honors at the Open Championship. Knapp was then ousted in the USGA Middle-Amateur by Nathan Smith in the round of 16. Needless to say, Sean Knapp has had a great campaign in 2012 and looks to keep it going this week.
Andrew Mason rounds out the 2012 team. Mason completed back-to-back Pennsylvania Amateur Championship titles (2011 & 2012). He also won the Better-Ball Championship and competed in the USGA Amateur Championship. Mason replaces Michael Van Sickle from the 2009 Championship Team. The experience that comes with Knapp and Smith, mixed with the young blood of Mason, combine to make an exciting week at Galloway.
Follow along on the USGA's website HERE.
The team tees off at 12:27pm on Wednesday, September 19th and at 7:37am on Thursday, September 20th. The pairings for the final round will be based on the team score, best 2 scores of 3 per day.