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Scores
BUTLER, Pa. - Round one of the Pennsylvania Golf Association's (PAGA) 32nd Middle-Amateur is in the books from Butler Country Club, with a pair of players tied for the lead with three-under-par 67's: South Hills Country Club's Darin Kowalski and Oakmont Country Club's Andrew Friend.
Kowalski, who finished fifth in the event last year, has had plenty of success this summer (including the WPGA Mid-Am title last week and a runner-up in the WPGA Amateur) as well as multiple top-three finishes over the years at Butler Country Club. He birdied five holes on the day, including three straight on 15, 16, and 17, to close out an impressive Monday.
"I played solid," said Kowalski. "The beauty of this golf course is that you can't fake it around here. You have to hit good golf shots and you're rewarded if you do, and that happened today for me. I've played well here over the years because it's good for my game and it's not like your classic Western PA course where you can just driver and wedge it. You have to hit good shots and it plays to my strengths. I've been playing well the last couple of weeks and this has been circled on my calendar all year because of the reasons I just spoke about and my history here -- and there's obviously a lot of golf left but I hope to keep it up tomorrow."
Friend also birdied five holes (on No. 2, 8, 11, 13, and 16) with the only rough spots a pair of bogeys on 4 and 5.
"I thought I played well and kept the ball in the fairway which is what you have to do out here - definitely leave yourself below the hole most of the time," said Friend. "I had a couple of three-putts but that stemmed from being above the hole, where it is really not fun. The greens are really running fast and they're nice and firm. But overall it was a good round. I'll get a good night's sleep and get ready for tomorrow."
As is tradition in the PAGA Mid-Am, the leaders don't have much of a cushion from the rest of the field. Kowalski and Friend are a stroke ahead of a trio of players tied for third place in Cody Cox (PAGA Individual Member), Austin Lemieux (Allegheny Country Club), and Hayden Moffat (LuLu Country Club), who all shot a two-under-par 68.
The group still in the hunt at one-under tied for sixth place includes Brock Kovach (LedgeRock Golf Club), Kevin Koerbel (Longue Vue Club), Brendan Borst (Philadelphia Cricket Club), and Mitch Mercer (Oakmont Country Club.)
Tied for 10th place at even par lurks 2023 PAGA Mid-Am champion Zach Dilcher (LedgeRock Golf Club), Alexander Kim (Philadelphia Cricket Club), Nick Sorkin (Sewickley Heights Golf Club), and Brendan Shaughnessy (Southpointe Golf Club.)
Play continues with tomorrow's final round, with tee times beginning at 8:15 a.m. and the leaders scheduled to tee off at 1:18 p.m.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Butler Country Club for the hospitality shown during today's rounds. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.
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