Tanner Johnson wins 30th Spring Stroke Play
By Mike Dudurich • May 13, 2023
Tanner Johnson, at the age of 24, has come to grips with some lyrics of a classic country music song that warned about the "cold, hard facts of life."
As he's grown into adulthood, Johnson realized his golf schedule would no doubt be altered due to his full-time position with an investment firm in Pittsburgh.
"That's for sure," he said Thursday evening not long after winning the West Penn Golf Association's 2023 Spring Stroke Play Championship. "I love playing, obviously, but my schedule will be determined by work. I'm very happy with this one."
Played at Nemacolin Country Club in Beallsville, the 30th Spring Stroke Play put the field to a test with a hard, fast course and everything coming down to the unique greens that feature plenty of perplexing slopes and turns that ramp up the degree of difficulty of birdie putts when they present themselves.
Johnson, Rocco Salvitti and Rick Stimmel all finished at 3-under par after 36 holes.
The eventual winner had a chance to win in regulation. He held a one-shot lead on the 18th tee but missed his drive into the right trees and wasn't able to get the ball on the green and his buddy Salvitti took advantage, making par while Johnson made bogey.
The one-hole playoff off No. 1 tee ended quickly when Johnson knocked in a drama-filled 25-30 foot putt that made itself to the hole, hung on the lip momentarily and fell for a birdie that gave him his second WPGA title.
"Even though I didn't win, it was still great fun, playing with a good buddy like Tanner," Salvitti said.
Johnson made nine birdies over the two rounds while Salvitti made 11.
The two rivals matched rounds of 68-69, but a guy from off the pace almost ruined the party at the top.
Veteran Rick Stimmel opened with a round of 73, but after making three birdies in the first round, came back to make seven in the second to finish with a 64.
That allowed him to move into that tie at 3-under, but he, like Salvitti, could only stand by and watch Johnson's dramatic putt fall into the hole on the first playoff hole.
Johnson's victory was his second big WPGA title, having won the 2021 Amateur at Indiana Country Club.
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 34,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund and Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.