2024 PA Amateur Preview

DEFENDING CHAMPION GREGOR MEYER HIGHLIGHTS FIELD AT 111th PENNSYLVANIA AMATEUR 

Pittsburgh’s Gregor Meyer, a two-time Big South Conference first-team selection at High Point University, is the defending champion for the 111th Pennsylvania Amateur Championship, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, to be contested July 29-31 at historic Huntingdon Valley Country Club near Philadelphia. 

In 2023, Meyer, who plays out of Hannastown Country Club, shot 9-under-par 204 at Pittsburgh Field Club to take the title by three strokes over William Pabst of Elmhurst C.C. and Tanner Grezgorczyk of Long Vue Club.

“Winning at the Pittsburgh Field Club was one of my more special moments,” said Meyer, who played at High Point from 2021-24. “It’s where I grew up learning how to play golf and where my dad grew up playing golf. We have had a long history there and it was even sweeter to win the state amateur at a place I love. My best memory was walking up to the 18th green and seeing all my friends and family. I was so happy to see my dad.”

The championship of 124 players will be contested over three rounds at Huntingdon Valley’s Flynn and Toomey nines. Designed by legendary William Flynn and built by his engineer Howard Toomey, Huntingdon Valley will serve as the host of the Pennsylvania Amateur for the tenth time in 2024.

 “I am excited to defend my title,” said Meyer, who has yet to play Huntingdon Valley C.C. “I love to compete no matter the circumstances. There have been a lot of good players in Pennsylvania. It’s exciting to see Huntingdon Valley and am excited for the challenge it will present.” 

“The Pennsylvania Amateur is the one event that all the top amateurs in Pennsylvania have an opportunity to qualify for and compete in,” said Jason Barkley, the Association’s Executive Director. “Every player has an opportunity to gain entry through a qualifying event and players are not limited, based on the region of the state where they reside, or membership in a particular club. Additionally, the field of players get to compete on the best courses in the state, which adds to the quality of the competition. We are annually blessed that members of clubs like Huntingdon Valley allow us to stage our championship on their course. Beginning this year, the USGA will also award an exemption to the U.S. Amateur to the winner of the Pennsylvania Amateur.” 

Huntingdon Valley will be represented in the championship by nine of its members. HVCC member Andrew Mason has twice been the Pennsylvania Amateur champion, winning in 2011 and 2012. Mason is again in the field along with HVCC members Andy Butler (seventh in 2023), Timothy Chilleri, Ben Cooley, Luke Fazio, brothers Brian and Patrick Isztwan, Stewart Rickenbach and Sean Ryan. The club was also the championship host in its inaugural year in 1909, 1937 and 1984. 

Conducted by the Pennsylvania Golf Association, the Pennsylvania Amateur has been won by very recognizable names such as Masters Champion Art Wall (two times before he turned professional) five-time USGA champion Jay Sigel (11 times) and U.S. Amateur runner-up and USA Walker Cup player and captain Buddy Marucci (four times). 

Among the other best finishers of 2023 to return are Ricky Calve of the Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association, who tied for fifth, and four others --  2020 Pennsylvania Amateur champion Michael Brown, Jr. of LuLu C.C., Patrick Sheehan of Talamore C.C., Jimmy Meyers of Oakmont C.C., and Tyler Stahle of Philadelphia Cricket Club – who tied for eighth. 

Sheehan, a recent graduate of Penn State, won the 2024 R. Jay Sigel Match Play Championship at Sunnehanna C.C. earlier this month. He scored a 4 and 3 victory over Peyton Messina of Williamsport C.C. in the final. Sheehan was the co-runner-up at the Pennsylvania Amateur in 2021. Messina is in the field of this year’s championship as well.

 Austin Barbin, whose family owns Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, has two recent significant victories – the Maryland Amateur and the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship at Whitemarsh Valley C.C. Barbin defeated Aaron Fricke (also in this year’s field), 9 and 7, in the final match of the Philly Amateur.

 Neil Shipley, who was the runner-up at the 2023 U.S. Amateur and just turned professional, was the low amateur at the 2024 Masters and U.S. Open Championship. The former Ohio State player won the 2022 Pennsylvania Amateur at St. Clair C.C. Two players from this year’s championship, Rij Patel of the Country Club of York and Nathan Piatt of Oakmont C.C. were the co-runners-up to Shipley in 2022. Piatt also won the West Penn Golf Association Amateur in June.

 Jon Rusk, general manager at Lulu Country Club who won the Philadelphia Open in mid-July, is also in the field.

 The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Huntingdon Valley Country Club for the hosting this championship, with additional thanks going to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.

Pete Kowalski