Big-time Battle
PENN TWP — Overcome by emotion, Easton Renwick crouched like a catcher beside the No. 1 green and swiped a few stray tears from his cheeks.
He received big bear hugs from his grandfather, father and mother.
He cried a little more.
It was all worth it.
He was the 113th West Penn Open champion after going putter to putter with Mike Van Sickle for 56 holes in the three-day tournament — 20 grueling and hotly contested ones on Wednesday in the final round at Butler Country Club.
It was only the fourth tournament as a professional for Renwick, a Punxsutawney native who missed significant time last year after undergoing hip surgery.
It was so serious, Renwick, 25, wondered if he could ever play at a high level again.
“I wasn't sure if I was going to be good enough to get back out here and compete against these guys,” Renwick said. “Today kind of proved that to myself, that I'm good enough to be out here. It was just nice.
“My grandpa follows me everywhere,” Renwick added. “He always thinks that he jinxes me by coming. I'm glad we got rid of that jinx today.”
It took two playoff holes for Renwick to finally edge Van Sickle after both shot 5-under 65s in the final round.
The battle was so close between the two all three days that they shot the same scores in each round — 70, 67 and 65.
Van Sickle of McKees Rocks had a chance to win on No. 18, but lipped out a 4-foot putt, forcing the playoff.
“I was texting (Renwick)last night,” Van Sickle said. “I said, 'Let the man with the most birdies win.' You feel a lot better and you really don't mind getting beat by birdies and that's what Easton did.”
Both golfers birdied the first playoff hole. On the second playoff hole, Van Sickle left his shot about 30 feet from the pin. Renwick's wedge shot spun about 3 feet from the hole.
After Van Sickle narrowly missed his long putt, Renwick stepped over his ball and promptly sunk his putt.
“I was shaking pretty bad when that one went in,” Renwick said.
It was Renwick's first professional win.
He becomes only the 15th golfer to win both the West Penn Open and the West Penn Amateur.
Two other notable winners of both are Arnold Palmer and Frank Fuhrer.
Renwick and Van Sickle were among four co-leaders after two rounds, but they pulled away from the pack Wednesday.
Renwick rolled in a 30-foot putt on the par-3 10th as part of three consecutive birdies.
“It was a good one to make after making one on No. 9,” Renwick said. “You need a couple of those to go in, especially in a final round. They either go in in the final round, or they don't. Today a couple went in.”
Renwick path to this victory has been a winding and arduous one. He left Coastal Carolina to focus on providing for his infant son four years ago, picked up the sport again at West Virginia University shortly after and then overcame his hip issue to hold the West Penn Open championship trophy on Wednesday.
“It was a good day,” he said.
