RAY SWANSON | Keystoner Matune set for U.S. Amateur play

For whatever reason, Ohio State was not the facility of higher education where John Matune wanted to pursue his college education. So John decided to change horses in the middle of the stream and in 2002 the former Kennedy Catholic golf standout decided that Westminster College was the place to be.
Matune transferred and Westminster golf coach Gene Nicholson couldn't have been happier. Matune was also very happy as he was now closer to home and his friends and family.
There has never been any question about John's golfing ability; just ask any of the opponents he has faced in high school or on the college level. He's a real shot-maker and he knows the game.
Matune put it all together recently, firing a blistering 72-72-144 at the Lake Forest Country Club and Fox Den Golf Course in Hudson to qualify for the United States Amateur Championship which begins tomorrow and runs through next Sunday at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
That 144 was the fourth best round turned in with close to 140 golfers participating in the Cleveland Area Sectional Qualifier. The top five finishers at the sectional qualifier earned a spot in the national championship.
At Kennedy Catholic, Matune was a member of the Golden Eagles team that was a real power and coached by John Kerins.
Standout for Titans
Only a junior, Matune is a two-year letterman for Nicholson, a former Titan football coach. John earned team MVP honors as a sophomore in 2003-04 with a team low 77.35 stroke average in 17 rounds. He was an All-PAC second team honoree after placing sixth (79-81--160) at the league championships, helping the Titans to their second consecutive team championship. He was also medalist at the Pitt-Greensburg Fall Invitational (71) last season.
In 2002-03, Matune earned All-PAC first team recognition after shooting 76-77-153 to place second at the conference event, leading the Titans to their first-ever PAC team title. He was also medalist at the Thiel Invitational (76) and posted a 79-76 stroke average in 17 rounds (fourth-best on the team).
No question about it, John will have to be at his best this week in the Big Apple where he'll go up against the top amateurs in the United States. He can handle it.
Grant to first tee
Two hundred seventy three young golfers in the Mercer County area will learn the game of golf and its inherent values sometime in the near future, thanks to a $3,000 grant from the United States Golf Association (USGA). The grant was presented to the Buhl Farm Trust to help support The First Tee of Sharon junior golf program.
The program, which has been growing by leaps and bounds, exposes numerous local beginner and intermediate golfers, ages 6-17, to summer programming and free golf access at the Buhland Golf Course.
The check was presented recently to Carole Dunkerley, coordinator of The First Tee of Sharon, at the Buhland Gold Course. Said Dunkerley, "We are proud to receive the grant award from the USGA and are happy that this award helps to assure the availability of instruction from The First Tee coach. It's a privilege to be affiliated with this fine national program and see the benefits to the children as they learn to play golf."
The USGA grant is part of an overall financial commitment of $11 million for the First Tee home office and local chapters.