Local trio misses medal cut in WPIAL boys golf final
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallatin’s Matt Karpeal plays from the rough towards the second green at South Hills Country Club during Tuesday’s WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Belle Vernon’s Patrick Bush watches his par putt on the fifth green track into the cup in Tuesday’s WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship at South Hills Country Club.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Belle Vernon’s Tyler Mocello powers off the fourth tee at South Hills Country Club in Tuesday’s WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship.
Belle Vernon's Tyler Mocello softly chips onto the fifth green at South Hills Country Club during Tuesday's WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship.
Albert Gallatin's Matt Karpeal makes contact off the second tee at South Hills Country Club during Tuesday's WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship.
Albert Gallatin's Matt Karpeal watches as his putt for par on the first hole slides past the cup during Tuesday's WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship at South Hills Country Club.
Belle Vernon's Patrick Bush plays from the fifth fairway at South Hills Country Club during Tuesday's WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship.
PITTSBURGH — Patrick Bush played solid enough over 16 holes Tuesday to be in contention for a top medal at the WPIAL Boys Class AAA Individual Golf Championship at South Hills Country Club.
Unfortunately for the Belle Vernon sophomore, a tournament round of golf has 18 holes.
Bush struggled a bit through the first eight holes with 38, but played the final eight holes in a spectacular 27, for a 16-hole total of 65. However, he closed out the front with a nine and then made the turn with another nine to finish with 12-over 83.
Bush finished tied with Albert Gallatin’s Matt Karpeal in 25th place at 83.
The Leopards’ Tyler Mocello was in position to finish in the top-10 and advance to the PIAA Championships, but took a double-bogey six on No. 11 and had three bogeys over the final six holes to finish with 9-over 80 and a tie for 17th place.
The cut for the top-10 places was 5-over 76. Moon’s Justin Scally won the title with an impressive 2-under 69, one stroke ahead of Shady Side Academy’s Adam Lauer. Central Catholic’s Rocco Salvetti finished alone in third place with even-par 71.
Bush, Karpeal and Mocello were all playing in their first WPIAL final.
“I was a little nervous. I wanted to be here for the experience,” said Bush.
Bush had two double bogeys and three bogeys in his first eight holes before his first disastrous hole. Then, he followed with another nine.
“They were bad plays on my part,” explained Bush. “I had bad breaks on trees. I hit tree limbs. One hit and bounced back at me. Another hit and dropped down. I couldn’t get a good break.
“And, I went into the water.”
Bush added with a smile, “If I had a bad hole, it was a really bad hole.”
Bush could’ve cashed in the round heading into the 11th hole, but managed to keep things together for an impressive finish that netted a back nine score of 1-over 36.
“I just realized I have to get my head back it. At the end of the day, anything is possible,” said Bush. “I had three birdies and five pars in the last eight holes.
“I feel I played decent.”
The greens played havoc with most of the field, including Bush, Mocello and Karpeal.
“On the front nine, I couldn’t get the speed. On the back nine, I had a better feel for the speed and just made the putts,” said Bush.
Mocello went out in 4-over 40 with four bogeys and five pars. He opened the back nine with a par, but lost two strokes with a double bogey on No. 11.
“I got lucky the ball stayed in from out-of-bounds on the left. Then, I hit the next shot in the water,” said Mocello, who also plays soccer for the undefeated Leopards. “Other than that, I had pars and bogeys.”
Mocello played the back in 40, as well.
“I had chances with birdie putts and par putts. I could not get them to fall. My speed was good. I was just missing everything,” said Mocello. “I made a good par on No. 2 and almost made birdie.
“Some of the pins were hard to get to. It was hard to get the ball close. I was hard to get birdies.”
The junior is looking forward to earning another trip to the district final next year.
“If I have a good round, I can do it,” said Mocello, adding, “I learned don’t give up.”
Karpeal, the first Albert Gallatin golfer to advance to the WPIAL championship, only had one big number, a double-bogey on No. 4, a par-3 with a tough putting green. But, only had one birdie, on No. 9. The junior had 11 bogeys as he fought through quick greens and windy conditions.
“No. 4, it’s tough,” said Karpeal. “I wasn’t expecting wind today. It was a lot windier than I expected it to be.
“I thought I had a chance to turn things around with the birdie on No. 9, then I got the bogey on No. 10. My OB (hitting out-of-bounds) on No. 13 did me in. I hit on the green and it skipped right off.”
Karpeal, too, had a tough go on the greens.
“I had a lot of three-putt bogeys,” said Karpeal. “There were no tap-ins today. If you had a tap-in, you had a good first putt.”
As with the Belle Vernon golfers, Karpeal didn’t lose his cool and kept plugging away.
“I tried to keep myself under control,” said Karpeal. “I could’ve played a lot more aggressive than I did. I was trying to make pars.
“I tried to play solid golf the whole way through. I didn’t give up.”
Karpeal, too, is looking forward to the opportunity for a return trip.
“It gives me a look at how the championship plays,” explained Karpeal. “It is a lot more competitive than what I’m used to. The level of play is a lot higher.”
Upper St. Clair’s Jack Urban (74), Fox Chapel’s Aidan Oehrle (75), Franklin Regional’s Chuck Tragesser (75), Mars’ Blake Bertolo (76), Central Catholic’s Carter Pitcairn (76), Franklin Regional’s Michael Wareham (76), and Upper St. Clair’s Scott Jordan (76) rounded out the top-10 finishers.