FRANKLIN TWP — The best is yet to come?

The 29th annual Butler Eagle County Amateur golf tournament may answer that call when the 18-hole stroke play tournament takes place Sunday at Lake Arthur Golf Club.

The 174-golfer includes seven former champions and a number of golfers who have dome consistently well in the event.

“This is an impressive field,” Eagle Amateur committee member Rob Voltz said. “There are more lower-handicapped golfers playing in the afternoon, so this won’t be decided early by any stretch.”

There are 96 golfers registered to play the morning round, which commences at 7:45 a.m. Another 78 players are signed up for the afternoon round, which begins at 1:15 p.m. Voltz said no tee times remain for the morning portion of the event.

Two single spots are open in the afternoon.

“We can take two individuals to fill those spots and I can still get foursomes in for the afternoon,” Voltz said.

Anyone still looking to join the tournament may call Voltz directly at 724-822-4189.

Last year’s Eagle Amateur drew 172 golfers. The record for the event is more than 180, set at Cranberry Highlands “a number of years ago,” Voltz said.

“We’re very happy with the numbers we have this year.”

Voltz won the Eagle Amateur in 2007 and 2016. Other former champions in the field include last year’s winner, Troy Loughry, and Geoff Patterson, who won the tourney in 2020 and 2021. Mark Young won it in 1995 and 2002, Jeremy Enslen was 2018 champion, Nathan Bilski took the 2006 title and Jim Hepler won in 1996.

Patterson won the last Eagle Amateur held at Lake Arthur in 2020, defeating Jeremy Plaisted in a sudden death playoff. Plaisted is among the golfers in this year’s field as well.

Scott Vice, a two-time Eagle Amateur champion himself, runs the Lake Arthur course.

“Scott and his crew have done a tremendous job getting the course ready for us,” Voltz said. “They’re going to double-cut the greens on Saturday and again early Sunday morning. They will be firm.

“The weather forecast is great for that day. We’re looking forward to quite a tournament.”

Patterson stated earlier that he plays well at Lake Arthur because he consistently drives the ball straight, which is advantageous on that course.

Voltz agreed.

“Some of the fairways are narrow and there’s not much margin for error,” Voltz said. “It’s hard to score really low at Lake Arthur because if you go off the fairway, you’re taking a penalty shot to get back on.”

This year’s tournament field includes 60 golfers in the championship flight, 65 in the first flight, 34 in the second flight and only 15 in the third flight. Flights are based on handicaps.

“We’ve consistently been heavily weighted toward the first two flights,” Voltz said. “There are 10 women registered as well. Everything is ready to go.”

: