2024 Art Wall Round 1 Recap

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Centre Hills Country Club presented quite a challenge in the first round of the Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) 20^th Art Wall Jr. Memorial Championship, with only two players able to shoot even par. Both Rich Owsik (Rolling Green Golf Club) and Dan Brown (Manada Golf Club) finished with 71’s on Monday and currently lead the Overall standings by three strokes. 

Owsik, who also leads the Championship Division (ages 40-54), birdied the first hole of the day and battled the rest of the way, with bogeys on holes No. 8 and 13 before getting a second birdie on 16 to get back to even. Owsik looks to take the top spot this year after finishing as runner-up in 2023 and has a three-stroke advantage over three golfers tied for second place at 74 (+3): John Murphy (Scotch Valley CC), Clay Davidson (West Shore CC), and Eric Williams (Glenmaura National GC). Davidson (runner-up in 2022 and 2018) and Williams (winner in 2021) have both found plenty of success in the Art Wall over the years. Defending Overall champion Colin Sanderson is currently tied for 8^th place with a 76 (+5).

 Brown is atop the Senior Division leaderboard (ages 55-64) and also has had some success in the tournament over the years, winning the Overall title in 2017 and finishing as runner-up in the Senior Division in 2022. He sprinted out on the front nine, with birdies on 1, 5, 7, and 8 to go four-under. He ran into a bit of trouble after that, bogeying nine, 10, 13, 14, and 18 (as well as a birdie on 12) to complete his day.

 Brown sits three strokes ahead of former Senior Division winner Bob Beck (Lehigh CC), who shot a three-under-par 74 on Monday. Another former champ, John Olszewski (Wyoming Valley CC), is in third place with a 75 (+4). Steven Steighner (Kittanning CC) is also still in reach after his 76 (+5), as are three more players tied for fifth: Todd Vonderheid (Saucon Valley CC), Ronan Culligan (Saucon Valley CC), and William Smith (LedgeRock GC). 

The Super-Senior Division (ages 65+) should have plenty of final round drama, with four players tied for first place after shooting four-over 75’s. Defending champion and reigning PAGA Super Senior Player of the Year Brian Rothaus (Five Ponds GC) is one of that quartet, as is Michael Capotis (Kahkwa Club), who won the Senior Division in 2018 and was Super-Senior runner-up in 2023. The other two frontrunners include Vincent Scarpetta (Nittany CC) and James Gavaghan (Commonwealth National GC). 

Play continues on Tuesday with the final round of the two-day Championship, with tee times beginning at 8 a.m.

 The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Centre Hills Country Club for the hospitality shown during today’s rounds. Additional thanks, as always, go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.