Logue finishes strong to capture Pennsylvania Open title at Waynesborough

   In the space of two holes Wednesday, Isaiah Logue, who went back-to-back in the PIAA Class AA Championship in 2012 and 2013 at Fairfield, turned a one-shot deficit into a two-shot lead and was suddenly on his way to victory in the 103^rd Pennsylvania Open, presented by LECOM, at soggy Waynesborough Country Club in Easttown Township.

   Logue, who owns a victory on The G Pro Tour, a Georgia mini-tour, earlier this year, trailed Brian Bergstol, the assistant pro at the Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, by a shot when Logue’s approach to the 435-yard, par-4 13^th hole sailed over the green.

   But Logue turned the tournament around when his flop shot from behind the green found the bottom of the cup for a birdie that drew him even with Bergstol.

   Bergstol proceeded to rinse his tee shot at the par-3 14^th hole on his way a double bogey that handed Logue a two-shot lead.

   And Logue, who captured the 2015 Pennsylvania Amateur crown at the Country Club of Scranton, finished the job. His final round of 4-under 67 gave him a deceptive three-shot margin of victory over Bergstol and the $8,000 first-place check.

   For a guy who spent most of 2018 away from the game, trying to decide if he really had what it takes to play professional golf, it was a satisfying victory.

   “When I got to positions on the course where I needed to pull off a shot and make sure it was a quality shot, I was able to do that,” the 23-year-old Logue, who played college golf at Liberty, told the Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) website.

   Bergstol, who had shared the lead with Logue after a pair of 1-under 69s the first two days, finished up with a solid 1-under 70 to claim runnerup honors at 5-under 208. The second-place check of $5,000 probably eased the pain a little.

   Former Penn State standout J.D. Dornes and Cole Willcox, the former Malvern Prep and Virginia player who is in the process of regaining his amateur status after three years of professional golf, shared third place at 4-under 209.

   Dornes, a member of Manheim Township’s 2011 PIAA championship team, surged up the leaderboard by matching the low round of the day, a 4-under 67. Willcox, who had grabbed the opening-round lead with a 67, closed with a solid 1-under 70.

   Heading a group of five players tied for fifth place at 1-under 212 was Harvard sophomore Brian Isztwan, who easily claimed low-amateur honors. Isztwan, who was the Inter-Ac League’s best player during his last two seasons at Penn Charter, posted a 1-over 72 in the final round. His effort this week should give Isztwan, who plays out of Huntingdon Valley Country Club, a nice confidence boost as he heads back to Cambridge, Mass.

   Chris Crawford, who starred scholastically at Holy Ghost Prep and collegiately at Drexel, was also in the group tied for fifth at 212 after closing with a 1-under 70. Crawford survived local and sectional qualifying to advance to both the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club and the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills while still an amateur.

   Craig Hornberger, Dornes’ teammate on Manheim Township’s 2011 state championship team and the PIAA Class AAA individual winner the following year, joined the group at 1-under with a final round of 2-over 73. Hornberger played college golf with the Camels of Campbell.

   Rounding out the quintet at 212 were Alex Blickle, one of Berks County’s top amateurs before turning pro, and Anthony Sebastianelli, who finished third in the 2013 PIAA Class AAA Championship as a senior at Abington Heights. Blickle finished up with a 1-under 70 while Sebastianelli, a collegiate standout at Central Connecticut State, closed with a 2-under 69.

   It might have been the professional debut for former Radnor High standout Carey Bina and, if so, it was a decent start as he joined four other players in the group tied for 10^th at even-par 213. Bina matched par in the final round with a 71.

   Radley Run Country Club assistant pro Brett Melton also matched par in the final round with a 71 to join the group at 213. Melton was the Philadelphia Section PGA’s Omega Player of the Year in 2017.

   Rounding out the quintet at even-par were Jason Martin, the head pro at Sunnehanna Country Club outside of Johnstown, Kevin Shields, an instructor at The Club at Nevilleville, and Williamsport pro Jordan Eck. Martin and Shields each signed for a 1-over 72 while Eck matched par with a 71.