Since last fall, it has been kind of difficult to keep former Fox Chapel golfer Mike Marsico off the course.
Over the past couple of months, Marsico estimated he has played somewhere between 50 and 60 rounds, but the Tri-State Open at Williams Golf and Country Club on June 15-16 was his first opportunity to play competitively.
“It’s a little bit different and you kind of have to put it together and get the ball in the hole when every shot matters,” Marsico said.
So far, through his first two tournaments of the summer, the rising Gannon senior has been able to find success in competitive situations. At the two-day Tri-State Open, he tied for fourth after shooting 4-under-par 140.
Last week, Marsico turned in another solid performance at the West Penn Amateur qualifier at Hill Crest Country Club. He shot 2-under 69, tying 2018 WPIAL champion Jimmy Myers (Central Catholic) and former Plum golfer Andrew Reynolds for the top spot.
With his finish, Marsico qualified for the WPGA Amateur Championship, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Allegheny Country Club. It has since been postponed.
“I was feeling pretty good, and my game was in a good spot,” Marsico said. “I had been playing a lot of golf with my buddies and stuff, but I just hadn’t played tournament golf. So, after I shot that 140 score at the Tri-State Open, I had some confidence coming into Hill Crest.”
Marsico’s confidence showed during his first nine holes. He shot a 4-under 31 with three birdies, reaching all nine greens in regulation.
On the 6,209-yard course, Marsico said his driver led the way.
“I was hitting my driver pretty well and it was a pretty short course, but I was still able to force driver into play a little bit because it’s the best club in my bag,” Marsico said. “On some of those short par 4s, I was able to get up right around the green and get up and down for birdies.”
The tournaments were just the beginning of the summer schedule for Marsico, who is scheduled to compete in the Pittsburgh Open at South Hills County Club and two events in Erie.
Marsico is hoping to build up enough confidence and momentum to carry over into his final year at Gannon.
“There’s obviously a lot of uncertainty, so it kind of depends on what we do,” Marsico said. “But hopefully we can play three or four tournaments in the fall and the spring. Obviously, I’d like to win one or two individually throughout the year, and then I’d like the team to play well and get a chance to qualify for the national championship in the spring.”
