Jun 15, 2026
OBSERVER Photo by Scott Kindberg Nolan Swanson watches one of his tee shots en route to a 3-over 74 and the Riggs Memorial Champions title at Conewango Valley Country Club on Sunday.
WARREN, Pa. — Casey Vincent figures he’s played north of 500 rounds of golf at Conewango Valley Country Club through the years, but what he experienced during the 36th annual Jim Riggs Memorial Champions on Sunday was something — for him — that was brand-spanking new.
“Today,” he said, “there were some pin locations that I’ve never actually seen.”
Then, the 2025 CVCC scratch club champion explained why.
” … These greens can really get quick if they’re cut and rolled, and I’ve got to say there were a lot of pins that were right near little falloffs, so you really had to be careful when you were trying to decide if you were going to try and make the putt or leave yourself a little two-foot tap-in.”
Nolan Swanson agreed.
OBSERVER Photo by Scott Kindberg Nolan Swanson, right, and Casey Vincent finished one-two at the 36th annual Jim Riggs Memorial Champions on Sunday at Conewango Valley Country Club in Warren, Pa.
“Pin locations were the talk of the day,” he said.
Yet it was Swanson who let the short stick do most of his figurative talking, especially on the front nine, en route to a 3-over 74, which was good enough to hold off Vincent by two shots and claim the tournament title for the second time.
“The key stretch was in the first 10 holes,” Swanson said. “I made a double-bogey and a couple bogeys, but I offset it with four birdies. Then my irons got under control on the back nine and I hit some in there tight. I stopped making putts, but I was tapping in for par the rest of the way.”
Swanson, who won his first Riggs Memorial Champions in 2016, and Vincent were two of the five golfers in the 13-man field who broke 80. The others were Darien Swanson (Pinehurst GC), Reid Olsen (Jackson Valley GC) and Jason Stronz (Moon Brook CC), who all carded a 79.
“They need to move me to the senior tees soon,” Nolan Swanson said with a laugh.
OBSERVER Photo by Scott Kindberg Casey Vincent, who plays out of Conewango Valley Country Club, shot a 76 at the Riggs Memorial Champions on Sunday, which was good for second place.
Vincent, who has now played in four Riggs Memorial Champions, which is for reigning club champions and past “Riggs” winners, said he will “always” make playing in the tournament a “top priority.”
“There’s something about being able to play against the area’s best golfers,” he said. ” … I’ll always be here as long as I’m qualified to be here.”
Added Nolan Swanson: ” … You don’t get too many chances to play your own ball, you’re not on a team, it’s individual and you just have to figure it out yourself out there. That’s what I like about it.”
Conewango Valley CC
Warren, Pa.
Par 71, 6,590 yards
Nolan Swanson, 74
Casey Vincent, 76
Darien Swanson, 79
Reid Olsen, 79
Jason Stronz, 79
Jordan Marsh, 81
Richard Swanson, 85
Josh Harrington, 86
Troy Beightol, 86
Jared Mosher, 87
Brenton Wilcox, 88
Dave Johnson, 92
Kyle Wilson, 92
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