WPGA unveils 2024 Players of the Year
By Josh Rowntree, Director of Communications • October 22, 2024
The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association has announced its four Players of the Year for the 2024 season.
The recognition, given annually to the top players in different categories, is an acknowledgment of their play through the season, considering events held by the WPGA, the Pennsylvania State Golf Association, the Tri-State PGA Section and the USGA.
A points system is used to determine Player of the Year winners.
The 2024 Men’s Player of the Year is Nathan Piatt. The Senior Player of the Year is Rick Stimmel. The Junior Player of the Year is Nick Turowski. And the Junior Girl’s Player of the Year is Mya Morgan.
Piatt takes home the prestigious honor following a summer in which he posted a pair of tremendous performances in WPGA major events.
First, Piatt claimed victory in the 124th WPGA Amateur Championship at Chartiers Country Club on June 17-18. He followed that a month later with a fourth-place finish — including the low amateur mark — at the 121st WPGA Open Championship at Indiana Country Club.
"I was pretty happy with how I played this year,” said Piatt, currently participating in the PGA Tour’s Q-School in Florida. “I played well all summer, but especially in the West Penn Am and Open. Those two events, I thrived pretty good.
“Overall, I had a good year and it’s given me the confidence to go to Q-School and take the next step.”
Piatt, a member at Oakmont Country Club, also qualified in July for the U.S. Amateur Sectionals. He placed fifth at the Tri-State Open Championship, was a quarterfinalist in the R. Jay Sigel Match Play Invitational and finished 36th in the Pennsylvania Amateur Championship.
“There are so many good players that come out of Western Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania in general. It’s good prep. It’s great competition. You can’t just go out and par your way through. You have to make a lot of birdies.
“This is so cool. I know there’s some good names who have won this. I had a good summer and it’s cool to be a part of this and be a part of history, that’s for sure.”
Stimmel, a Connoquenessing Country Club member, takes home the Senior Player of the Year honors for a second straight season. He also won the Men’s overall award in 2023.
“Last year was the first that I had a full schedule of West Penn senior events and was able to win both the senior and men’s awards,” said Stimmel, who was victorious in 11 different competitions in 2023. “This year, I knew I wasn’t playing in as many regular men’s events, but it was a bucket list item for me to win the Senior Player of the Year award again.
“I’m excited about it. I’ve been a big advocate of West Penn for 30-plus years. So, to get this recognition, it’s something you earn and at the end of the year you feel pretty good about it.”
In 2024, Stimmel claimed victories in the Pennsylvania Senior Match Play Championship and the Pennsylvania Senior Dressler Championship. He finished runner-up in the WPGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Club at Nevillewood in October. He placed 15th at the WPGA Mid-Amateur Championship and also had a top 15 finish at the Sunnehanna Senior Amateur.
Stimmel also claimed the 2024 Pennsylvania State Golf Association Player of the Year award.
“I won a lot last year. It was just crazy,” said Stimmel, who reached the top spot in WAGR’s Senior Amateur rankings this year. “Everything I played in, I did well. This year, it was a little culture shock. You make a few less putts and suddenly you’re not winning as much. I won twice, but you always want to win more.”
Turowksi, meanwhile, had very impressive showings in a couple of West Penn events in 2024. First, he claimed victory in the 104th WPGA Junior Championship, avenging a second-place finish from a year prior in the major event.
“I’m very honored,” said Turowksi. “The amount of good players to come out of West Penn is really crazy. To put my name on that list, it’s very inspiring and it’s going to give me some confidence to continue my play. I’m just very happy.”
Now a freshman at West Virginia, Turowski also finished fifth in the 124th WPGA Amateur Championship, qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur, placed second at the Pennsylvania Junior Championship, was a quarterfinalist at the C.R. Miller Match Play Invitational and tied for third at the PGA Junior Championship Qualifier.
“My play in the summer was very important leading into college golf,” said Turowski, who has already grabbed a win at the collegiate level in the Red Flash Invitational earlier this month. “I played in a lot of tournaments this summer. Playing a lot of summer golf got me ready for college golf. In qualifying for tournaments, I felt very well prepared.”
Morgan has been a force on the high school scene for the last couple of years, winning a WPIAL title in 2023. The junior at Elizabeth Forward High School represented herself well in amateur competitions this summer.
“I’m very honored to be among the list of former girls who have won it,” Morgan said. “I know a lot of those girls very well, so it’s an honor. I want to make sure that I live up to the names and that I implement myself well into the history of the award.”
She finished second at the 5th WPGA Girl’s Match Play Invitation and was 4th overall at the 14th WPGA Women’s Amateur Championship, taking the competition’s Net title. Morgan also finished 7th at the PGA Junior Championship Qualifier to earn points in the Player of the Year Honor Roll standings.
“I played very consistently over the summer,” she said. “I overcame a lot of things, mentally and physically, with my swing. I’ve become a better person because of those. I’m learning new things, new opportunities and new lessons. It’s really helping me grow as a person, not just as a player.”
The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association congratulates Piatt, Stimmel, Turowski and Morgan, and thanks them and the rest of the Western Pennsylvania players for a fantastic 2024 season.
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 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.