Penn Staters help prepare Oakmont for U.S. Open

University Park, Pa. -- For the eighth time in its history, Oakmont Country Club in suburban Pittsburgh will host the U.S. Open golf tournament, June 14-17. Among the closest observers of the "grand slam" event will be several Penn Staters who will look beyond the drives, chips and putts and concentrate on the fairways, greens and roughs.

David Delsandro and Patric Choncek, who graduated with degrees in turfgrass science from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences in 2006 and 1997, respectively, are assistant superintendents of the renowned Oakmont course, which is known for its fast greens, high rough and unusual features such as the famed "church pews" bunker.

Delsandro and Choncek help oversee a grounds crew of about 40, including turfgrass science alumni Matthew Pawlos (2007) and Greg Eisner (2005). In addition, several current Penn State students are working at Oakmont this summer, including interns Ryan Ifft of Saltsburg, who will be a senior in turfgrass science in the fall, and Keith Jones of State College, a student in the two-year Golf Course Turfgrass Management certificate program. Penn State also offers a bachelor of science in turfgrass science and certificates in turfgrass nanagement online via the World Campus, at http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/ online.

In fact, the sight of Penn Staters working at top golf venues is "par for the course." Of Golf Digest's top 25 golf courses in the United States, 14 are overseen by Penn State graduates. Here is a partial listing of Penn State alumni who have taken their turfgrass education to new heights:

--William "Marsh" Benson, director of grounds, Augusta National Golf Club (site of the Masters), Augusta, Ga.
--Paul Latshaw, retired superintendent, Congressional Country Club (site of two U.S. Opens), Bethesda, Md.
--Paul Latshaw (son), superintendent, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
--J. Eric Greytok, superintendent, Winged Foot Golf Club (site of five U.S. Opens), Mamaroneck, N.Y.
--Jeff Corcoran, superintendent, Oak Hill Country Club (site of three U.S. Opens), Rochester, N.Y.
--Matt Shaffer, superintendent, Merion Golf Club (site of four U.S. Opens), Ardmore, Pa.
--Michael Sauls, superintendent, Butler National Golf Club, Oakbrook, Ill.
--Mike Burke, superintendent, Cherry Hills Country Club (site of three U.S. Opens), Denver, Colo.
--Jeffrey Markow, superintendent, Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, Calif.
--James Nicol, superintendent, Hazeltine National Golf Club (site of two U.S. Opens), Chaska, Minn.
--Michael Bavier, superintendent, Inverness Golf Course, Chicago
--Travis Blamires, superintendent, Troon Golf and Country Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.
--David Swift, superintendent, Whistling Straits Golf Course, Sheboygan, Wis.