Bangor nets Western Penn Mid-Am title with strong finish

PITTSBURGH, Penn. (Sept. 5, 2018) – Ian Bangor won the Western Pennsylvania Mid-Amateur on Tuesday, adding his name to an elite scroll that includes four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Nathan Smith and last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur winner Sean Knapp.

Bangor, who played college golf at Carnegie Mellon, overcame intense late-summer heat Tuesday at South Hills Country Club to win. He followed a first-round 1-under 70 with a 5-under 66 on Tuesday to reach a 6-under 136 total. That left him two shots ahead of Erik Bertrand and Drew Deimel in second.

Bangor made four birdies over his closing nine holes and had seven for the round to seal the win. He did not make a single birdie on the back nine in the first round.

First-round leader Michael Gielarowski, who opened with a course-record 65 and a three-shot lead, backed up a stellar first round with 4-over 75. He fell to solo seventh at 2 under.

Smith tied for eighth at even par and Knapp, fresh off a runner-up at the U.S. Senior Amateur, tied for 30th at 8 over.