If it's summer in Western Pennsylvania, and there's a junior golf tournament to be played, odds are Alex Angelone will be there.

What's more, you can expect the Penn-Trafford High School student to be in contention.

Angelone is one of Western Pennsylvania's top junior golfers. After a second place finish at a Kings Restaurants Junior tournament at Highland Country Club Friday, the Irwin resident ranked second in points on the tour this season in the 17-18 year-old male division heading into this week.

"All summer long I love to play in tournaments," Angelone said. "I just try to play in as many events as I can.

"If not in a tournament, I play golf pretty much every day as much as I can. I don't know what I'd do without it."

For Angelone, that means not only the Kings Tour schedule but also Westmoreland County junior events, those offered by the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, even PGA qualifiers.

Whatever the outlet, Angelone finds ways to satisfy his desire to play -- and to play against others, often times those who are older or at a higher level than him.

"I just love to compete," Angelone said. "It's my favorite thing. I try to win even when I know there are better players in the field than me. I like when an event I'm going to has adults and only a few juniors in the field. I know I have a challenge, and I still feel like I can beat them. I want to have that mentality out there."

Angelone has had several of top-three finishes over the past six weeks on the Kings Tour, including wins June 11 at Nemacolin -- when he shot a 73 -- and last week when he won the event at Latrobe Elks Country Club by shooting a 72 to win by two strokes.

He finished 22nd in a field of more than 150 at the Pennsylvania Junior Championship earlier this month in Hershey, shooting a 153 at the two-round event.

Only four golfers shot better than the 73 he carded the second round at Hershey Country Club.

Angelone's philosophy toward the game and for practicing it is simple.

"I try to work on putting. That's probably the most important part of the game," he said. "I think putting's the most fun part of the game. I try to just hit the fairways, usually put myself in good position for a guaranteed par. And if I'm in the trees, then shoot for a bogey.

You play never to have a double bogey. That has to be your mentality scoring-wise."

Angelone started playing at the age of 5 -- "My Pap got me into it," he said, noting that there aren't others in his family who share the golfing bug.

"I'm the only one in the family who knows how to swing a club," he said.

Angelone has been hooked with the sport since the first time he did so. He is a member at Greensburg Country Club, and said he has played as often as could for as long as he can remember because he loves the game so much.

He has been working with coach Walt Brinker in Greensburg the past few years to improve his swing.

"He's helped me tremendously with my game the last couple years, and it shows," Angelone said.

Angelone will be a senior at Penn-Trafford next month. Last season, he tied for 13th at the WPIAL championships, qualifying for the PIAA tournament and leading the Warriors to the WPIAL team finals.

This season, he aims to top all of that.

"I set my goals pretty high," Angelone said. "My goal as far as average goes this year is to average around under 36 ¹/₂ for nine holes. Another goal is to place in the top five of the WPIAL and make it to states and place in the top 10 there.

"Actually, to hopefully win."