The 15th annual Butler Eagle Amateur Open golf tournament takes place Aug. 14 at Hiland Golf Course.

Entry fee continues to be $65, which includes greens fees and prizes, but not a cart.

“I expect the economy to hit us a little bit (in terms of golfer numbers),” tournament committee member John Carpenter said. “But I’m still hoping for 140 golfers or so.

“Hiland is a popular public course and a lot of people play there.”

The Eagle Amateur drew 147 golfers to Hiland in 2007, the last time rhe event was held there. Rob Voltz won the tourney with a 5-under-par 65.

Sean Knapp has owned the event since.

Knapp, an Oakmont resident and member of St. Jude Golf Club in Chicora, has won the Eagle Amateur each of the past three years. He carded a 5-under-par 67 to win at Lake Arthur Country Club last year.

Ray Fichter was second with a 69, followed by Ryan Pinkerton with a 71. Pinkerton had the lowest score in the afternoon round.

The Eagle Amateur features a double shotgun start of 7:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. The winner has come out of the morning group in recent years.

Knapp became the first golfer to win the Eagle Amateur three times in succession. John Hafera won the former Butler County Open from 1960-62.

Carpenter does not know if Knapp is planning to play the event this time around.

“We’re sending out entry forms this week to all of the golfers who played last year,” Carpenter said. “We’ll be sending a few forms to area golf courses as well.”

Entry forms are also available by contacting Carpenter at 724-794-4040.

There were 141 golfers in last year’s tournament field, 100 of whom competed in the championship or first flight.

“That tells me we’re attracting the top amateur players around,” Carpenter said after last year’s tourney.

Golfers with a handicap of 0-6 will compete in the championship flight. Handicaps 7-12 will be in the first flight, 13-17 the second flight and 18-over in the third flight.

Dave Ruffaner and Greg Chiappini tied for the seniors (age 50-over) division title last year, carding a 76. Sharon Goncz, a Grove City Country Club member, won the women’s division with an 82.

There were 10 women in the field last year.

Committee members include Carpenter, Voltz, Bill Black, Tom Sheehan and Jay Frederick.