Chris Harlan stories, Page 4

When the skies over Oakmont Country Club opened up, one golfer was grateful to see rainstorms interrupt the final round of the U.S. Open. He went on to win. “All I was thinking, and even my whole team, my coach, my caddie, they were like, ‘Oh, dude, this is exactly...

J.J. Spaun arrived at Oakmont Country Club as an unlikely U.S. Open champion, similar to the long odds of him making a 64½-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole. He somehow made both happen. Spaun bogeyed five of his first six holes Sunday afternoon, seeming to sink his championship hopes,...

More than a decade after winning the Masters, Adam Scott’s name sits tied for second on the U.S. Open leaderboard, the only former major winner anywhere near the top. Scott birdied three of his final six holes Saturday to pull within a shot of tournament leader Sam Burns, who will...

In two words, Rory McIlroy summed up his first three rounds at the U.S. Open. “Pretty average,” McIlroy said Saturday after posting a lackluster 4-over-par 74 that left the five-time major champion well out of contention. He carded six bogeys and two birdies on the day, dropping him to 10-over...

The PGA’s best putter rolled in a 21-footer for birdie and later a 22-footer to save par, so Sam Burns obviously learned a thing or two about Oakmont Country Club greens this week, right? Right? “Other than they’re extremely difficult, not really,” Burns said Friday after carding six birdies in...

Escaping Oakmont’s rough is exhausting work, even for one of the field’s strongest golfers. Bryson DeChambeau, known for his power, took three hacks in the rough around the 12th green during his first round at the U.S. Open. His first hack sent the ball back over the green. The next...

Maybe J.J. Spaun hadn’t heard about Oakmont Country Club’s nasty reputation since this was only his second U.S. Open and his first at the historically tough course. That might explain the string of red numbers he put on the scoreboard, but Spaun quickly nixed that theory. “I was definitely, like,...

Jon Rahm began naming the past U.S. Open winners at Oakmont, starting with Dustin Johnson, Angel Cabrera, Ernie Els and Larry Nelson. He added Johnny Miller and Jack Nicklaus as he thought back. He was making a point. In his mind, they all had something in common: strength. They all...

The first time Scottie Scheffler played a U.S. Open at Oakmont wasn’t big news. He was a 19-year-old college sophomore eager to finish his first round so he could go watch the 2016 NBA Finals. Nine years later, Scheffler returns to Western Pennsylvania as a reason fans watch golf. “I...

Asked to name the toughest golf course he’d ever played, Dustin Johnson was quick with an answer. “Probably this one,” he said Monday at Oakmont Country Club after finishing a U.S. Open practice round. What’s the second hardest? He said that was a tougher question, but there was a clear...

Oakmont Country Club, with its famous Church Pews bunker, devilish rough and fast greens, has gone nine years since last hosting the U.S. Open. That wait ends now. The world’s best golfers converge this week on arguably the world’s best course, a historic combination that certainly has frustrated some of...

When Spencer Lee first heard he was chosen for the WPIAL Hall of Fame, the former Franklin Regional wrestler felt too young for the honor. The full story of his career isn’t written. “I’m still competing,” Lee said he briefly thought. “I’m not retired yet. Why am I in the...

Title-winning football coach Rod Steele, who celebrated a state championship at Steel Valley, is the new coach at Bishop Canevin. The school announced the move Thursday. Steele spent the past six seasons at West Mifflin after a nine-year stint at Steel Valley, where his teams won two WPIAL titles and...

As a high school and college golfer, Matt Vogt spent summers caddying at Oakmont Country Club and admits he wondered what playing a U.S. Open there might feel like. He’ll know soon enough. “You walk down those fairways, and there’s so much history there,” Vogt said. “You’re playing the course...

Nick Lackovich remains out of a job as Aliquippa boys basketball coach — at least for now — despite winning a school board vote to bring him back. The board held a special meeting Monday night specifically to reconsider Lackovich’s job after ousting the two-time state champion coach May 21....

South Fayette defensive end Anthony Charles committed Sunday to Minnesota, choosing the Golden Gophers over several other Big Ten options. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound edge rusher will be a senior in the fall. He also listed Big Ten schools Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin among his 14 offers, along...

Mike Evans felt a 15-inch needle stab into his liver three times to biopsy a cancerous tumor. The Canon-McMillan football coach also endured chemotherapy for weeks and recently battled a case of pneumonia. He’ll have surgery soon. But with all of that in mind, Evans is adamant that facing a...

Wet weather forced the WPIAL to postpone Wednesday’s scheduled softball championships by a day and move them away from Cal (Pa.). Rain initially led the WPIAL to delay start times for the Class 4A, 5A and 6A finals while trying to wait out the rain Wednesday at Lilley Field. But...

WPIAL Class A baseball final No. 1 Serra Catholic vs. No. 6 Carmichaels 11 a.m. Wednesday, EQT Park, Washington On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Serra Catholic 4 (2022, ‘16, ‘10, ‘09), Carmichaels 3 (2008, ‘05, ‘03) Serra Catholic (19-3) Coach: Brian Dzurenda Projected starting...

WPIAL Class 3A baseball final No. 1 Riverside vs. No. 7 Quaker Valley 5 p.m. Wednesday, EQT Park, Washington On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: Riverside 6 (2023, ‘17, ‘16, ‘11, ‘06, 1996), Quaker Valley 1 (1984) Riverside (16-2) Coach: Dan Oliastro Projected starting lineup...

WPIAL Class 2A baseball final No. 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 8 Freedom 2 p.m. Wednesday, EQT Park, Washington On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network WPIAL titles: OLSH 0, Freedom 0 OLSH (15-7) Coach: Phil McCarren Projected starting lineup 8, Bruno Williams, C,...