Alec Stopperich shoots 63 to rally, win WPGA Open

Alec Stopperich began the final round of the 121st Western Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Open Championship trailing the leader by Mike Van Sickle by six shots.

Then he went out and shot his best round ever and rallied to win the title Wednesday at Indiana Country Club.

Stopperich, 26, shot an 8-under-par 63 and finished with a 10-under 203. He edged high school teammate and good friend Jake Sollon and Van Sickle by a shot.

“I didn’t have a score in mind,” Stopperich said. “I knew six back was a tall task no matter what especially behind players like Mike, Jake and Dan (Obremski). I knew it would be a tough battle to even to make some noise.”

It didn’t start well for Stopperich. He bogeyed the second hole but quickly turned things around with three consecutive birdies.

“After a slow start I rattled off three birdies in a row. I said, ‘All right, it’s going a little bit better,’ and then I got three more on 7, 8 and 9 and made the turn at 5-under for the round and 7 for the tournament. I figured I was somewhere in the mix.

“I kept staying patient and luckily I got a few on the back, particularly the 30-footer I made on 17. Once that went in I knew something good could happen.”

Stopperich didn’t look at the board except to ask how he stood after nine. The answer: “You’re one back.”

Stopperich then birdied 18 to finish at 10-under. He stood and watched the final two groups finish.

Sollon three-putted 18 for par, and Van Sickle, who was in the final group, just missed a tying eagle putt from 40 feet.

“I just played my game and let it all take care of itself,” Stopperich said. “Fortunately, it worked out this time.”

Stopperich and Sollon were teammates at Peters Township.

“Jake and I go way back, since we were 3,” Stopperich said. “I didn’t want him to three-putt 18, but if it meant that I won, I’ll take it.”

Sollon said it was nice to see Stopperich shot a 63.

“I played well. I hit the ball good, but I didn’t make much,” Sollon said. “That’s how it goes.”

Sollon missed a makeable birdie putt on No. 16 and had a three-putt on No. 18.

“I hit it well all week,” Sollon said. “I just couldn’t get it to go in.”

Van Sickle, Obremski and Kevin Fajt were the leaders after two rounds, but none was able to capitalize and stretch out the lead.

“It came down to putting,” Van Sickle said. “If you shoot a 63, you have to get hot with the putter. It was a tall task, and one player did it.”

Van Sickle started with a birdie but bogeyed No. 3 and No. 4, which brought him back to the pack.

Upper St. Clair’s Nathan Piatt, who won the WPGA Amateur, finished fourth with an 8-under 205.

Piatt was putting together a big push on the back nine with four consecutive birdies (Nos. 11-14). But a bogey on No. 16 halted him. He shot a 4-under 67.

“I played pretty well on the front,” Piatt said. “I made one bad swing on No. 8. I just couldn’t make a putt. ”

Fajt and Louis Olsakovsky tied for fifth at 6-under 207. Scott Jordan, Matthew Mattioli and Obremski tied for seventh at 5-under 208, and three players tied for tenth at 4-under 209.

There were 18 players who shot under par.