Tampa, Fla. resident uses prior knowledge of course, wins 1-round U.S. Open local qualifier at Butler Country Club
PENN TWP — Experience taught Beau Titsworth to avoid over complicating matters. Developing a plan and being able to follow through is vital at an event like the one at Wednesday at Butler Country Club.
Titsworth was the top finisher Wednesday at Butler County Club, shooting a 3-under par 67 at the one-round U.S. Open qualifier. The Tampa, Fla., resident who is from Sewickley, was one of five golfers who earned a bid to sectionals.
“I just tried to keep it simple,” Titsworth said. “With these things, it’s just survive, so I just tried to hit as many greens as I could. Fortunately, I made a couple putts.”
Darin Kowalski and Blaise Vanitvelt finished tie for second shooting a 69, and Nick Sorkin and Jason Lee finished even par to earn the final two spots.
Austin Lemieux and Joseph Juszczyk qualified as alternates.
The rough was thick due to recent rainfall and the greens were firm. Titsworth had competed in qualifiers at Butler Country Club before and played in the West Penn Open at the course in 2017.
That experience helped Titsworth finish with six birdies.
“Normally, I have a hell of a time making anything out here, so fortunately I made some,” Titsworth said. “It’s nice to break the seal.”
He changed putters this morning, ditching one he’d been using for the last six months to go back to one he’d had success with before.
“The face is really soft, so I can hit it a little harder,” Titsworth said. “With how fast these (greens) are, feeling like you can still be aggressive was a really big key ... It helped.”
Kowalski was one of the first golfers to tee off. He bogeyed the first hole, but improved shortly thereafter.
“I knew that the course was going to be pretty difficult today,” said Kowalski, who is a Bethel Park resident. “This is obviously one of the hidden gems in western Pennsylvania, in my opinion. My outlook after bogeying No. 1 was just remain patient and do what I do.
“I didn’t want to compound mistakes.”
Kowalski didn’t let lapses hinder him. Like Titsworth, he also had prior experience in the setting, which gave him a good idea of how to go about the day.
“I knew that a 1- or 2-under score, considering them taking five spots, should be pretty good,” Kowalski said. ”It wasn’t one of those situations where it’s, like, ‘You’ve got to be super aggressive out here and shoot five- or-six under.’ It was just, ‘Okay, if you make a bogey, just keep your head in it.“
Titsworth elected to play at Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio, for sectional qualifying. He played at that course, which is half an hour outside Dayton, in a sectional in 2015.
“That’s the plan, is to go back there and get through,” Titsworth said.
