Butler’s Hunter Swidzinski wins PIAA golf title in all-WPIAL playoff

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | 8:51 PM

Butler senior Hunter Swidzinski figured he had nothing to lose heading into the final round of the PIAA Class 3A golf championship Tuesday. All he did was shoot the best round of his life.

Swidzinski shot an 8-under-par 64 and then won a three-hole playoff to claim the title and become the school’s first winner.

Swidzinski sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to edge WPIAL champion Nick Turowski of Penn-Trafford. Swidzinski, Turowski and Plum’s Wes Lorish finished the 36-hole tournament at Penn State’s Blue Course tied at 7-under.

Lorish was eliminated on the first playoff hole. Turowski missed a birdie on the second playoff hole, but Swidzinski did not miss on the next hole.

“It’s incredible,” Swidzinski said. “After my round on Monday, I knew it would be tough so I gave it my all.”

He sank an 18-foot putt for eagle on the final hole and then had to sit around for more than 45 minutes for the rest of the field to finish.

Turowski and Lorish needed birdies on the final hole to force a three-way tie.

“I figured I’d finish in the top three when the round started,” Swidzinski said. “My drive was good. My short game was good. But my putter was a lot better Tuesday than on Monday.”

Swidzinski finished sixth last year.

Turowski said he didn’t know if he should be upset or not.

“I gave it my all,” Turowski said after shooting a 4-under 68. “I just missed a couple opportunities.”

He missed a two-foot putt for par on No. 16 and then left a birdie putt just short on No. 17 and on the second playoff hole.

“I was frustrated after a bogey on No. 1,” Turowski said. “I was trying for a bogey-free round. I also got a little nervous over a putt on No. 17. I gave it my best.”

Peters Township junior Colton Lusk tied for fourth at 6-under, and Fox Chapel’s David Fuhrer tied for 10th at 3-under.

The PIAA team championship will be Wednesday.

Class AAA boys

Winner: Hunter Swidzinski, Butler, 7-under 137.

WPIAL: T2 Nick Turowski, Penn-Trafford and Wes Lorish, Plum, 7-under 137. T4 Colton Lusk, Peters Township, 6-under 138; T10 David Fuhrer, Fox Chapel, 2-under 142; T14 Ravi Desai, North Allegheny, Connor McKenzie, Upper St. Clair and Michael Quallich, Baldwin, 1-under 143; T20 Jack Sacriponte, Latrobe 2-over 146; T28 Ryan Watterson, Peters Township, 4-over 148; ; T37 Jacob Crissman, Shaler and Will Hilton, Pine-Richland, 7-over 151; 52 Davis Kittsley, Fox Chapel, 11-over 155; T61 Zack Ross, Moon, 16-over 160.

Class 2A boys:

Leader: Nick Werner, Wyoming Seminary, 6-under par 138

WPIAL and district: T4 Michael Maslanka, Riverside and Ethan Dai, Quaker Valley and Luke Gronbeck, Eden Christian Academy, even par 144; T7 Matt Morelli, Neshannock, 1-over 145; T9 Alex Talmadge, West Shamokin, 2-over 146; T11 Jonah Schollaert, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 3-over 147; T13 Aaron Didjunas, Elizabeth Forward and Max Vitale, Neshannock, Larry Voytish, Uniontown and Nixen Erdely, Frazier, 4-over, 148; T17, Rogan Maloney, Belle Vernon and Daniel Sethman, Brownsville, 73, 5-over 149; T19 Braden Riley, Greensburg Central Catholic, 6-over 150; T23 Jordan Mocello, Belle Vernon, 9-over 153; T25 Eion Teirnan, Keystone Oaks and Jake Pynos, River Valley, 10-over 154; T35 Severin Harmon, Sewickley Academy, 12-over 156; T40 J.P Tusai, South Park, 13-over par 157; T67 Alan Tarolli, Fort Cherry, 26-over 170.

Class 3A girls

Leader: Rhianna Goonerathe, Plymouth Whitemarsh, 4-under par 140

WPIAL: T7 Mya Morgan, Elizabeth Forward 7-over 149; T9 Ellie Benson, Peters Township, Grace Windfelder, Oakland Catholic and Lihini Ranaweera, Seneca Valley, 8-over 152; T18 Megan Manesiotis, North Allegheny, 14-over 158; 20 Paige Meyers, Oakland Catholic 15-over 159; T26 Angelina Schid, Moon, 21-over 165.

Class 2A girls

Leader: Anna Swan, North East, 1-under 143

WPIAL and district: 9 Pearl Lundgren, Eden Christian Academy 12-over 156; 16 Sophia Covelli, Neshannock, 21-over 165; T24 Alayna Stawovy, GCC, 29-over 173; 27 Emily Obara, Seton-LaSalle, 32-over 176; 28 Lillie Snow, Freeport, 35-over 179; T29 Savanna Stile, Lincoln Park, 40-over 184; 36 Maren Dunlap, River Valley, 68-over 212.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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