Four advance to semi-finals in C.R. Miller Match Play Invitational
By Mike Dudurich • July 21, 2022
Mike is a freelance writer and host of The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan Saturday mornings from 7-8 AM. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeDudurich.
The C.R. Miller Memorial Match Play Invitational has a rich history that extends back to 1974 when it was started by Ritchie Miller of Fox Chapel Golf Club in honor of his father, Charles R. Miller.
A four-round match play event with the top 16 juniors from Western Pennsylvania being invited to play. The match-play event seems to be a favorite among the players who don’t get to play that format all that much during the year.
”I like match play and I enjoyed it today,” said Hunter Swidzinski, son Sean Swidzinski, the golf professional at Olde Stonewall Golf Course. “I like playing against an opponent instead of posting a score.”
Swidzinski got off to a quick start in his quarterfinal match against Nicholas Turowski, making five birdies on the front nine to take a four-hole lead to the back nine at Latrobe Country Club. But then it was Turowski’s turn, who made four birdies of his own, but Swidzinski could make only one. But that was good enough for 1-up victory that put him into Thursday morning’s semifinal against Jacob Wolak of Slippery Rock Golf Club.
“After the first four or five holes on the back nine, I could start to feel the heat a bit,” Swidzinski, who was playing in his second WPGA event, said.
“I felt confident all day and I made some good putts today. Nick played better on the back nine.”
Turowski, who ground his way through the round on a very hot day, was predictably disappointed, but also knew that he had played hard and pretty well.
“I felt like I had a big advantage with my driver (the one he hit to within 50 yards of the green on the 351-yard uphill 18th). But when I needed my putter, it wasn’t there,” Turowski said. “But I looked at it like this, Hunter was four-under, so there was no reason why I couldn’t go five under on the back.”
And his four birdies on the back left him one but extended his winless streak. He hasn’t won a tournament since last Oct. 21 and isn’t happy about that.
The other two semifinalists are Weston Warden of the Pittsburgh Field Club, who was a 3&2 winner over Blake Bertolo of Treesdale Golf & Country Club, and Noah Shilling of Oakmont Country Club, a winner in 19 holes over Colton Lusk of Nemacolin Country Club.
On the girls’ side of the event, semifinal matches will be held with Lihini Ranaweera facing Paige Meyers at 8:20 and Mariss Malosh battling Eva Bulger at 8:30.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and 33,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.