121st West Penn Open begins Monday in Indiana
By Josh Rowntree, Director of Communications • July 19, 2024
INDIANA, PA — Since the inception of the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association in 1899, the WPGA Open Championship has been a marquee event for amateur and professional golfers from the region and beyond.
The 121st West Penn Open begins Monday, with three rounds set for Indiana Country Club over three days.
“As we continue to celebrate out 125th Anniversary, the WPGA is excited for three days of tremendous golf at the West Penn Open Championship in Indiana,” said Terry Teasdale, Executive Director of the WPGA. “Indiana Country Club will provide a great challenge for such an accomplished field next week.”
The Open has been played every year since 1899, with the exception of two years during World War I (1917-18) and three years during World War II (1943-45).
Previous champions include Arnold Palmer, Fred Brand Sr., Eben Byers, W.C. Fownes, Ed Furgol, Ted Luther, Sam Parks, Jim Masserio, Lew Worsham, Nathan Smith and Neal Shipley.
Roy Vucinich, Jock Hutchinson and Perry DelVecchio have all won the West Penn Open a record five times.
Winners of the Open have claimed 13 USGA National Championships and six Major Championships.
A year ago, Beau Titsworth of Avon Lake, Ohio cruised to a title at Edgewood Country Club, shooting 9-under to top J.F. Aber by six strokes. It was Titsworth’s second Open win, having claimed victory in 2019, as well. He is scheduled to be in the field Monday.
Shipley, now a professional, took the 2022 West Penn Open at The Club at Nevillewood, posting an 8-under score. He went on to finish as Low Amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open this year.
This will be the third time that Indiana Country Club has hosted the West Penn Open. Jon Mills took the crown in 2014 in Indiana, with John Aubrey winning at I.C.C. in 1996.
76 players are scheduled to compete Monday — 46 amateurs and 30 professionals. The field will be cut to 32 players (including ties) following the completion of Round 2 on Tuesday.
Two rounds of qualifying events took place to help round out the field, adding to the exempt golfers already qualified. That exempt group includes 124th West Penn Amateur champion Nathan Piatt, among others.
Play will begin Monday at 8 a.m.
For pairings and a live leaderboard, click here.
Media are welcomed to attend any WPGA competitions. Interviews will be made available in the clubhouse following the completion of each players’ round and once the player has left the scoring area.
For media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
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 nearly 37,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund and Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.