PENN TWP — Bill Wigton has traveled across the state to compete in the Pennsylvania Senior Amateur Golf Championship. He wasn't about to miss this year's event, with it being held in his own back yard.

The longtime member of Butler Country Club will be one of 45 golfers competing in the Super-Senior Division (ages 65 and over). The two-day, 36-hole event begins at 8 a.m. Monday on Wigton's home course.

His father, Tom Wigton, was a former member at BCC and Bill began golfing there in the 1960s.

“I grew up playing this course,” said Bill Wigton, a resident of Penn Township who has played in each senior amateur tournament for the better part of a decade, including last year's event at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. “I play two or three rounds per week here and practice almost every day, so that gives me a bit of an advantage, but there will be some incredibly good golfers coming in.

“It's fun to compete with the best in the state.”

The state's senior amateur championship (ages 55-64) will be held simultaneously on the course and will include 80 golfers.

Butler Country Club hosted the senior amateur in 1974 and 2005 and welcomed the super-senior field in 2006. Shortly after, both tournaments began to be played at the same time and on the same course.

“It's a testament to our golf course to have the state's best senior ams playing here,” said BCC head professional John Brautigam.

The course's yardage for senior players totals about 6,600 yards, but Brautigam said, “That's deceiving. We have small, subtle greens that make it difficult even though it's not a long course.”

Renown golfers from all over the state will be competing. Three of the last four senior amateur champions are registered, including last year's champ, Sean Knapp, a former member at St. Jude Golf Club.

The super-senior field includes Butler Country Club's George Bilowick, who won that division in 2005 and 2006. Paul Schlachter, who won last year, also finished first four times in a 9-year span in the senior division. He will also be teeing off.

Both events are open to male amateur golfers who meet the following requirements: is a member of a club belonging to the Pennsylvania Golf Association or an individual member of the Pennsylvania Golf Association and who have a USGA Handicap Index of 10.4 or lower.

Treesdale Country and Golf Club member Bill Rosemeyer will be in the senior amateur field.

“I just turned 55, so this is the first year that I am eligible,” he said. “I was going to play no matter where it was held, but the fact that it's close to home is a bonus, for sure.

“There's probably a couple dozen guys who have a shot at winning,” said Rosemeyer, who plans to play a practice round at BCC on Sunday. “You have to keep your drives in the fairway to have a chance of winning and I expect to compete for the lead.”