TWO-TIME STATE GOLF CHAMP BUILDING LEGACY ox Chapel Area
TWO-TIME STATE GOLF CHAMP BUILDING LEGACY ox Chapel Area
FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS
Foxes golfer Carson Kittsley has the kind of temperament that every coach seeks in athletes – calm under pressure, exceptionally dedicated, and driven by an outstanding work ethic. Those qualities, and a maturity that belies his age, carried him to his second consecutive PIAA Class 3A individual golf championship title, the first back-to-back title in program history. Carson’ s name can now be mentioned along with Arnold Palmer, who was one of only two others to win two consecutive PIAA titles.
The competition at the state championship not only tested Carson’ s technical skills, but also his composure and focus under incredible pressure.
“ It was, by far, the closest it’ s ever been for me,” says Carson of the stiff competition, which concluded with the top three players separated by only one stroke.“ Going down to the wire, I just focused on one shot at a time. I don’ t usually keep up with the scoring, but I knew it was going to be close, so I had to check.”
Earlier in the season, Carson, a junior, won his first WPIAL individual golf gold medal, setting him on a path to states. While a WPIAL title had eluded him, this year he finally captured the prize he had been working toward for years, doing so in historic fashion. Over two days, Carson shot a 136(-8), the lowest score since the WPIAL changed the format to 36 holes in 2022. Carson, a Penn State recruit, finished six strokes better than the runner-up.
The only other Foxes boys golfer to win a state title was Frank Fuhrer III in 1976. Mr. Fuhrer and Carson have had many
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Carson Kittsley with head boys golf coach Joe Farrell after winning the WPIAL Class 3A individual championship.
conversations since the elder golfer first noticed Carson’ s talent early on. Carson says,“ I’ ve spent a lot of time with him, and he told me to just keep on doing what I’ m doing.”
It’ s not just been the big events where Carson has proven his legitimacy as an elite player. He’ s crushed numerous school records throughout regular-season matches. This year, he shot an average of 33.7 for nine holes, breaking the school record he set as a sophomore during the 2024 season. A nine-hole course typically has a par of 36.
His status as the No. 1 boys golfer in the state for two consecutive years made him a certainty when the inaugural Team Pennsylvania squad of 12 players was selected. Centered on a pointbased system, the squad was formed to nurture young, elite players, as golf is the only U. S. Olympic sport without a player development program.
During the summer, Carson was selected as a standard-bearer for the 2025 U. S. Open at Oakmont. That opportunity gave him rare insights into pro golfers’ techniques and how they handle pressure.
Fox Chapel Area High School boys golf coach Joe Farrell says Carson’ s mindset is,“ How far can I go? He’ s reached the point where even a par round isn’ t good enough for him.”
Carson’ s offseason is already set: five days a week in the gym to get faster and stronger, and he’ ll continue to work on his swing. With his senior year still ahead of him, Carson is well on his way to becoming Fox Chapel Area’ s greatest golfer. But he’ s far from finished.
“ I want to improve 1 % every single day,” Carson says.“ Most of all, I want to win a third state title.”