Stopperich chases the championship record
By Mike Dudurich • July 24, 2024
INDIANA, PA – It was a seemingly simple question, but the answers were far from simple, but were very insightful.
The question was: How do you go about the process of setting the single round scoring record in West Penn Open Championship?
Providing answers were newly crowned West Penn champion Alec Stopperich, who crafted a very special round of 63 Wednesday; 2013 and 2015 champion Mike Van Sickle; Kevin Fajt, who along with Van Sickle shot 65s in the opening round and Ian Bangor, who put up a 65 in the final round.
Stopperich, who starred in high school at Peters Township, sat down not long after the lowest-ever Open round.
“I didn’t get off to a great start, three-putting the first two holes and made par and bogey,” he said. “I said to my caddie, let’s go make a bunch of birdies.”
And he did, make birdies on six of the next seven holes and made it to the turn with a 31.
“After that I really didn’t think that much about making birdies,” Stopperich said. “I really didn’t know much about what was leading but I found out I was one behind after 10. But I really concentrated on staying patient and letting the birdies come to me.”
Van Sickle has had success at several levels in golf and has shot plenty of extraordinary rounds. And he takes a commonsense approach to the number of birdies he makes.
“Sometimes you know that when you’re behind, you have to go get it,” he said. “Fairways and greens aren’t enough. Your game must be next level. It comes down to your putter, your line and speed must be spot on. And that’s a tall ask.”
Players look for sources of help anywhere they can get it.
“I was downstairs in the locker room and saw the plaque commerating Jon Mills’ 62 in the 2014 West Penn Open and I said, “yeah, let’s get us something like that,” Van Sickle laughed.
Kevin Fajt got off to quick starts on his first two rounds and he’s a big believer in that approach.
“Honestly, I don’t prepare to do something great,” he said. “It’s just a matter of having all the parts going well and that’s when great things happen.”
Ian Bangor hasn’t played a lot this season because of conflicts with other things in his life, but he showed he’s still got game by shooting 65 in the final round.
“For me, there comes a time when you just have to go for it, you have nothing to lose,” he said. “And that doesn’t mean you suddenly become reckless. You want to make something happen, but you also don’t want to shoot yourself out of the tournament.”
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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.