WPIAL notebook: Golf adds 36-hole format for individual championships

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, January 20, 2022 | 12:18 AM

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To win a WPIAL golf title next season, players must make the cut and play two good rounds.

The WPIAL board on Tuesday approved a new 36-hole format for the boys and girls individual championships next fall. All WPIAL qualifiers will play an 18-hole opening round, and then the top 36 players and ties advance to an 18-hole championship round a week later at a different course.

However, scores from the two rounds are cumulative, meaning the WPIAL champion will be the player who cards the lowest score over all 36 holes.

The change was recommended by the WPIAL golf committee.

“It’s an opportunity for kids to participate in a championship type of event,” said WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman, noting that the PIAA also is returning to 36 holes.

The two-round format also keeps the WPIAL championship field to a manageable size.

A year ago, the WPIAL added a semifinal round for the Class 3A boys tournament at Willowbrook Country Club in Apollo, which helped to reduce a 72-player field to 36 before the final round. However, last year’s scores weren’t cumulative; everyone started the final round tied.

The success of that two-round tournament last fall gave the WPIAL confidence to expand the format to both Class 3A and 2A, as well as for boys and girls.

“That went well,” Scheuneman said. “Everybody playing the same course was kind of one of those unknowns. Can you get that many kids out? Using front and back tees and keeping pace of play up, they were able to do that. So, with that under their belt, we have some confidence moving forward that we can do this for everybody.”

In contrast, there was no semifinal in Class 2A boys last season, and the WPIAL ended up with 70 golfers in the championship round.

Scheuneman said there won’t be a cut between the first round and championship if there are 36 or fewer players in the field. A year ago, the Class 3A girls tournament had 36 golfers and Class 2A had only 18 girls.

The WPIAL also plans to publish a list of future sites for championship rounds, much like the U.S. Open. That will allow teams to schedule practice rounds there in advance, if they choose.

Pete hosts hoops finals

The WPIAL recently finalized a contract to return to Petersen Event Center this winter for the boys and girls basketball finals.

The league, which used high school gyms for the basketball finals last season because of covid restrictions, decided to return its championships to traditional pro and college venues this school year. That started in the fall with the football championships at Heinz Field and soccer finals at Highmark Stadium.

The basketball finals are March 3-5.

First Love joins WPIAL

The board approved a request from First Love Christian Academy to become a WPIAL member next school year, but the Washington County private school hasn’t requested to a section schedule in any sport.

The school has had a high-profile basketball team with a number of Division I recruits and played a national schedule. As a WPIAL school, its varsity team won’t be permitted to use fifth-year seniors or violate PIAA recruiting rules.

“At this point, they’ve indicated they are not looking for a schedule, and they will follow all PIAA eligibility standards,” Scheuneman said.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.