Howe wins Fuhrer Invitational by 4 strokes
Only seven golfers shot even-par 70 or lower at the Pittsburgh Field Club in the final round of the Frank B. Fuhrer Jr. Invitational on Wednesday, and T.J. Howe was one of those golfers.
Howe, who led after the second round, carded a 70 to finish with a 72-hole total of 4-under 276. Howe was the only golfer to finish under par.
Dan Obremski led heading into the final round, but shot 6-over 76 in the final round and slid to third with a 281.聽
Matt Schall finished alone in second with an even-par 280.
Robert Rohanna fought blisters, a sinus condition and recovering from a thumb injury to shoot 8-over 78 in the final round. The Waynesburg Central graduate finished 23rd with a score of 16-over 296.
Uniontown Country Club professional Aaron Gizzi shot 17-over 87 in the final round for a four-round total of 337.
Rohanna had a snowman (quadruple bogey on the par-4 No. 3), five bogeys and just one birdie.
“I actually hit it better today. Considering the way I hit the ball, I scored pretty well,” said Rohanna. “I hit it straight, just not very well.”
The Invitational was Rohanna’s first competitive golf of 2017 after repairs to his balky left thumb.
“My hand is still weak,” explained Rohanna. “I hit better shots today, but my distance control is not where it needs to be.
“All my bogeys were pretty bad. I had some 3-putts and bad wedges.”
Rohanna offered an illustration of his woes on No. 8.
“I had 210 from the first cut of rough. I nuked it over the green. It hit the cart path and rolled six inches out of bounds.”
The Field Club is a difficult course as the scores indicated.聽
“Coming out of the rough is difficult and the greens have so much slope and speed. Sometimes, you’re better off to chip (instead of putt) on the green,” said Rohanna. “It’s not an easy course. The greens are a lot faster.聽
“It’s almost impossible not to have some 3-putts. The pins trickle around the hole, so much.”
That being said, Rohanna added, “I putted well. I was picking good lines, but couldn’t get the speed.”
Rohanna didn’t hit the ball as solid or far as he is used to doing.
“My ball-striking isn’t there yet. It’s hard not to do it and all of the sudden do it again. The body got used to being sedentary and now I have to get used to golfing again,” said Rohanna. “I hit my wedges pretty well this week, but I’ve been hitting 50 percent wedges for two months and it actually worked. That’s a testament to practice.”
Aside from getting his swinging muscles back into shape, Rohanna dealt with other physical issues during his first tournament in 2017.
“I executed the shot how I want to, but my wrist doesn’t bend like it’s used to. You use your body to hit the ball further, as well. My timing’s off,” said Rohanna. “I can’t swing full yet, and it’s different.
“I try not to (think about the thumb), but you mind takes over your body. The left thumb is essential to a golf swing. I hit nothing over a 7-iron until last week.聽
“I had bloody ankles from blisters and shin splints from walking 36 holes (Monday) in the mud. I have ridiculous sinus pressure. I didn’t even think about my thumb.”
“My body needs to get back into the swing of golf.”
Despite all the problems, Rohanna was happy to be playing competitive golf this year.
“It was exciting to be out there and playing golf again,” said Rohanna. “I was disappointed. I wanted to play well for Mr. Fuhrer.
“I need to put in the time to get better with golf. I will have to do trial and error and do what my wrist can do. My timing, I just need to practice and just figure something out.”
Rohanna returns to the course on Wednesday when he plays in the pre-qualifier for the Monday qualifier on Monday, July 3, for the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic. The tournament will be held on the course in Sulpher Springs, West Virginia, July 6-9.