GROVE CITY - The West Penn Golf Association opened its 2004 season in weather conditions unlike golf season.

"It was cold this morning," said veteran St. Jude Golf Club member Sean Knapp. "The temperature was in the 40s, the ball wasn't carrying. … The course played 200 to 300 yards longer than usual."

Nobody could post outstanding scores. Bernie DiLoreto of Chestnut Ridge Golf Club posted the most consistent score - an even-par 142 for 36 holes - to win the WPGA Tournament of Club Champions Monday at Grove City Country Club.

Only 2003 club champions from WPGA member courses - or winners of 2003 WPGA events - were eligible to participate.

"This was a true tournament of champions," said Grove City Country Club 2003 champion Jack Cline.

DiLoreto sank seven birdie putts in the morning round and trailed first-round leader Stan Namola by two strokes after 18 holes.While Namola carded an 80 in the afternoon, DiLoreto never did worse than bogey on any hole all day and went on to nip Kevin Fajt of Hannastown Golf Club by a stroke to win the Jack C. Benson Trophy."I'm pleased, but surprised, by how well I played," DiLoreto said. "This is only the fourth and fifth round I've played this year."DiLoreto, 43, was a professional golfer for nearly eight years after serving as a club assistant at Indiana (Pa.) Country Club. He reached the second stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open in 1994 but never got any closer.Three years ago, he informed the PGA he wasn't going to reinstate his card. After one year "in limbo," DiLoreto regained his amateur status."Once you give up your professional card, you have to sit a year and be ineligible for pro and amateur tournaments," DiLoreto said."I didn't mind. I love the game too much to just give it up totally," he added.DiLoreto admitted to being a recovering alcoholic."It messed up my career," he said of alcoholism. "I don't know how it got started. I was single then. It was an easy road to go down."Today I'm clean. I have a wife and two kids. Life is good," he added.Knapp is the only multiple winner of the Benson Trophy, presented annually to the winner of this season-opening event since 1994.Knapp won this tournament in 1998, 2000 and 2001. He finished the day with a 147, five strokes back."I'm disappointed because I played so poorly," Knapp said. "I generally like golf course conditions in the early season."We had rain overnight, but the greens were in excellent condition. Everybody had to battle the elements. I just didn't play well," he added.Cline, whose home is off the No. 3 hole at Grove City Country Club, is a nine-time club champion here. He managed only a 155 Monday, however, to finish 13 strokes back.The 44-year-old has been a member of Grove City Country Club for 15 years."I figured I'd have an advantage since this was on my home course," Cline said. "But I haven't been able to get in much golf so far this year and my game was off."This course can give golfers trouble if they've never played here before, but most of these guys have played here over the years."The first (WPGA) event of the year is always wide open. That's why I'm disappointed I didn't play better," he added.Cline's best finish in the Tournament of Club Champions was 10th, about eight years ago at Wildwood.Cranberry Highlands will host the WPGA Amateur Public Links Championship July 21 and Butler Country Club will host the WPGA Jamison Cup Finals - a team competition - Sept. 24.