2026 Sigel Match Play Day 1 Recap

CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) opened the first full week of July at the Country Club of Scranton with 36 holes of the 23rd R. Jay Sigel Amateur Match Play Championship. 16 seeds advanced to Tuesday's match play bracket, paced by Timothy Peters (Toftrees Golf Resort), a senior on the Penn State University golf team who ended the day 13-under-par (64-67-131). Peters, the fourth-place finisher in last year’s 2025 PAGA Amateur, birdied nine holes in his first round of the day and five in the second. 

The No. 2 seed on Tuesday will be Ben Cooley (Huntingdon Valley Country Club), earning the spot with a -8 day (66-70-136). 

Hunter Stetson (Aronimink Golf Club), the 2025 GAP Patterson Cup champion, claims the No. 3 seed and finished Monday at -7 (69-68-137) while Joshua Ryan (The 1912 Club) will be the No. 4 seed after a combined -6 (72-66-138) on Monday.

 Behind the top four players is another group of four who ended the day tied for fifth place at -4, led by Amani D’ambrosio (Longue Vue Club), who has plenty of experience as a Sigel finalist in 2025 and semifinalist in 2024. Also in that group were Seiji Sako (McCall Golf Club), John Keba (Steel Club), and Andrew Forjan (Royal Manchester Golf Links.) 

A playoff had to be contested between six players at -1 (143) for the final five spots in the bracket. Included in that group was Brock Kovach, the 2026 PAGA George Dressler Memorial Champion, who earned the No. 16 seed and will face off against top-seeded Peters in tomorrow’s match.

See below for a complete list of the Top 16 seeds advancing to the Match Play Bracket.

No. 1 Timothy Peters (Toftrees GC) vs. No. 16 Brock Kovach (LedgeRock GC)
No. 2 Ben Cooley (Huntingdon Valley CC) vs. No. 15 Austin Malley (Chartiers CC)
No. 3 Hunter Stetson (Aronimink GC) vs. No. 14 Scott Jordan (PAGA Indiv. Member)
No. 4 Joshua Ryan (The 1912 Club) vs. No. 13 Marco Nieto (Glenmaura National GC)
No. 5 Seiji Sako (McCall GC) vs. No. 12 Logan Wagner (Bent Creek CC)
No. 6 John Keba (Steel Club) vs. No. 11 David Mecca (CC of Scranton)

No. 7 Amani D’ambrosio (Longue Vue Club) vs. No. 10 Sam Pancoast (Radley Run CC)

No. 8 Andrew Forjan (Royal Manchester Golf Links) vs. No. 9 Nathan Piatt (Oakmont CC)

Complete results from Monday’s first and second rounds can be found here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12181842767793663686

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of the Country Club of Scranton for the hospitality shown during today's round. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.