Will To Win
SEWICKLEY — Butler resident Rob McClellan used a strong finish on the back nine to win the Pittsburgh Open golf tournament Tuesday at the Sewickley Heights Golf Club.
McClellan, 39, birdied hole No.'s 13 and 16 — both par 3's — to take control of the tournament. He began the day three strokes back in the 36-hole event and finished with a 1-under par 141.
He was the only golfer among the 86 to finish the tournament to shoot par or better.
“Sewickley Heights is a beautiful golf course, but it's a tough golf course,” McClellan said. “All I wanted to do was stay around par.
“If I did that, I knew I'd be in it.”
McClellan wound up with a three-stroke win over runner-up Gene Walter of Wexford. Zach Street of Coraopolis finished four strokes back.
“I had no idea about the leader board through much of the second round because my playing partner was Jason Robinson (of Wheeling) and I was trailing him much of the day.”
Robinson bogeyed the No. 13 hole that McClellan birdied, however. That birdie pulled McClellan to even-par for the tournament.
On No. 16, McClellan's drive wound up 25 to 30 feet beyond the hole, He sank the birdie putt to go 1-under.
“I knew Gene was at even par as he got to the 18th hole,” McClellan said. “When I was on the fairway on No. 17, I got word that he double-bogeyed that last hole.
“From there, I stayed at par and figured that would be good enough.”
Butler Country Club member and Gibsonia resident Rob Stoops, an amateur, shot a 2-under par 69 to lead the tournament after 18 holes. He shot a 77 Tuesday to finish at 146, five strokes back.
McClellan is now a full-time instructor at All About Golf and coaches a PGA Junior League team at Lake Arthur Golf Club. He is a former Butler Country Club golf pro.
“That was a nice win for Rob,” Stoops said. “I'm happy for him. He played a consistent two rounds.”“I've known Rob for 10 years now,” McClellan said of Stoops. “He played some great golf here. To shoot a 69 on that first day, when there was a lot of wind and the greens playing so fast ... That was impressive.”Stoops, 49, has been a member of Butler Country Club for 10 years.“I played OK (Tuesday), but my putting wasn't as good as the day before,” Stoops said. “That was the difference.“It's not like I choked or anything. The moment wasn't too big for me. I just couldn't match my putting from the day before.”Stoops said he “hit a bad drive on No. 17 and I double-bogeyed that hole.“That was pretty much it for me,” he added.McClellan picked up the $10,000 first prize for winning the tournament. Stoops tied with Anthony Muscato of Gibsonia for the lowest score among the amateurs in the field.Kevin Shields of Pittsburgh was in second place after 18 holes, shooting a 70 to trail Stoops by a stroke. He finished with a 146.Joe Boros of Saxonburg finished with a 148, tying for 12th place. Jimmy Brahm of Cranberry Township shot a 154, Frank Blazewick of Cranberry Township a 155.Mike Marron of Parker shot a 156, John Brough of Valencia carded a 158, Alex Angelone of Seven Fields a 159.The Pittsburgh Open was brought back this year after the event was dormant for a number of years.“It was a well-run event and a great experience for me,” Stoops said.
