Central Catholic grad Shipley wins WPGA Junior championship on 3rd playoff hole

Neal Shipley and Brady Pevarnik finished the 99th Western Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Junior championship in the dark Wednesday.

After a thunderstorm delayed play at 2:21 p.m., the 36-hole event was far behind schedule.

Thanks to some clutch putting on the final hole and the first three playoff holes, Shipley walked away with the title. He sank a 6-footer for the win at 9:10 p.m.

Shipley, a Central Catholic grad and James Madison commit, and Pevarnik, a Latrobe grad and Penn State commit, finished the two-round event at Westmoreland Country Club tied at 5-under-par 137. Shipley shot a 68 and 69, and Pevarnik shot a 71 and 66.

“What a great honor to have my name on a trophy with (the late legend) Arnold Palmer and all the other great college golfers,” Shipley said. “I got a little luck along the way, but overall, I played well the entire day.”

On the first playoff hole, Pevarnik had an opportunity after Shipley flew his second shot into a pond left of the green. Pevarnik was within 15 yards of the green in the right rough with mud on his ball.

“My third shot didn’t do what I expected,” Pevarnik said. “I didn’t make the green, so I had to hit the next shot with mud on the ball.”

Pevarnik made par, and Shipley’s fourth shot was within 4 feet, allowing him to make par.

Both players had par on the second playoff hole and both hit great drives on No. 3. But Pevarnik’s third shot sailed over the green, and he made bogey. Shipley made par.

“Brady got some bad luck,” Shipley said. “He hit a great drive and super second shot on No. 1. I knew if I hit a good chip, I still had a chance on No. 1.”

Pevarnik had just bogeyed his second hole of Round 2 when play was stopped because of lightning.

The delay was a perfect time for Pevarnik to regroup.

When play resumed an hour later, Pevarnik found his game, mainly his putting stroke, and played the final 16 holes at 6-under to finish his second round at 5-under.

Pevarnik heated up on his final nine, which was the course’s front nine, where he shot 4-under.

“I kind of freed up my mind and got into a zone,” Pevarnik said. “The putt I made on No. 3 pumped me up.”

Pevarnik birdied six holes in the second round, and he missed a short birdie putt on No. 18.

He shot an even-par 71 during Round 1.

“I’ve been playing well, but I haven’t won anything,” Pevarnik said. “I’ve been playing a lot of golf.”

Shipley needed to sink a 10-foot putt on No. 18 for par to force a playoff.

The clutch putt came after he three-putted No. 17, including a miss from 2 feet.

“I played well in Round 1,” Shipley said. “I got it to 5-under but then bogeyed Nos. 6 and 9.”

He eagled No. 11 during Round 1.

Though the storm halted play in the afternoon, the course was spared as the heavy rains stayed mostly south of the country club.