Jon Lodovico switched from the "blade" to the "mallet." Now he is hammering the competition.

Lodovico, a Penn-Trafford High School graduate from Manor, is having a strong summer as a local amateur golfer, building on the consistency he has developed as a collegiate player. He will be a junior at California University of Pennsylvania in the next semester after completing his sophomore season on a high note.

He won the 22nd annual Edward P. Zemprelli Collegiate Shootout at Hershey Country Club on June 6, earning $3,000 for his school's general scholarship fund with a 1-over par 71 to edge Clarion junior Justin Moose of North Huntingdon by one stroke. The tournament is conducted each year to benefit a charity designated by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

That win came about three weeks after Lodovico tied for 30th place in the NCAA Division II East/Northeast Regional Championship Tournament at Speidel Golf Course in Wheeling, W.Va. His 54-hole total of 237 left him 24-over par and 16 strokes short of qualifying to play in the NCAA Division II national tournament.

"I think I have been playing pretty well," said Lodovico, who is majoring in professional golf management at California with hopes of becoming a pro player and/or PGA teaching pro. "I've been keeping the ball in play. My short game has always been solid and I have been putting better."

The improved putting has come with an equipment change. Lodovico changed putters a couple of months ago, switching from the blade-type putter he had been using for years to a heavier, mallet-style putter that seems to have helped him refine his stroke on the greens.

"Certain putters seem to fit certain styles," said California golf coach Justin Barroner. "I think Jon has found the one that fits his style. It's definitely made a big improvement for him."

Lodovico is working this summer as an intern at Green Oaks Country Club in Penn Hills, where he continues to improve. He started playing at around age 15 and went out for the high school team for the first time as a junior.

"I was one of the worst players on the team, no doubt about it," he said. "But I worked hard on my game and played a lot. I really love playing. I just kept trying to get better."

He did. He came back as a senior as one of the team's better players and was named a co-captain. After his senior year, he enrolled at Westmoreland County Community College and became a two-time All-American at that level, playing in the national championships twice. After a year off, he enrolled at California and last month made his first appearance in the Division II regional.

"His main strength, I think, is that he is very good with the mental side of the game," Barroner said. "He can keep it together pretty well."

Lodovico's mental strength was tested during the Division II regional. He double-bogeyed or worse on the first hole on each of the three rounds of the tournament. He wanted to get off to a good start in each round, but never was able to do so. Still, he held things together and was able to improve each day as the rounds progressed.

"I played OK, I guess," he said. "On the second day, I shot a 34 on the back nine to end up with a 77, so there were some things I did well. That round might have been the best ball-striking day I've had all year."

Lodovico has made several changes to his swing over the years and now believes he has a swing he can repeat consistently. He will try to play as much as he can this summer in preparation for his junior season at California, where he hopes to lead the team to the PSAC West title and to land a berth in the national championships.

"I think I just need more playing time," said Lodovico, who says his 18-hole average is about 72.3. "I can play better than I have."

He intends to take the Player Ability Test this summer in hopes that passing the test will lead him closer to his goal of becoming a PGA pro.

Barroner said the increased play will help Lodovico reach his goal of becoming a pro player.

"When you get to the level of playing in the Division II championships, you're very close to where you need to be," Barroner said. "He has the ability. There are a few things he needs to work on -- one would be that he needs to find a way to prevent himself from steering the ball.

"Most pro players can look at a target, get up there and just hit the shot. Sometimes Jon tries to steer the ball toward the target. He doesn't always just release his body through the shot.

"But those are the things you learn by playing more. He really hasn't been playing all that long. He should feel confident coming off the season he had and with the way he is playing this summer."