Bethlehem GC’s Knoll heads Amateur Championship by a shot
HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa.–Alex Knoll of Bethlehem GC, playing in the final pairing, carded a 1-under-par 69 in darkness to put himself atop a crowded leaderboard in the 92nd Amateur Championship at Huntingdon Valley CC (par 70, 6,903 yards). Chad Bricker of Waynesboro CC trails by a stroke and six others are two shots back.
In all, 16 players are within three strokes of the lead.
"It’s a good start, but there is a long way to go," said Knoll, 20, of Bethlehem, Pa. "I’m just looking forward to a shower and a good dinner."
Severe weather forced a two-hour delay to the first round in the morning. Play finished at 8:45 p.m. with Knoll’s group. The second round begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Knoll opened his round at 3-over par through six holes – he started on the back nine – before recording four straight birdies. He knocked a wedge from 142 yards to 20 feet on No. 16, drilled a 5-iron to a foot on the lengthy 17th (par 3, 211 yards), negotiated a tricky 25-foot downhiller on No. 18 (par 4, 434 yards) and carried that momentum onto No. 1 (par 4, 385 yards) with a 15 footer. He also carded two more birdies on his final nine holes but, unfortunately, offset those with a pair of bogeys.
"After the really tough shaky start, I was just trying to get my swing back," said Knoll. "I made those three birdies on Nos. 16-18 on what I think are the three hardest holes on the golf course."
Knoll’s top finish in an Amateur came at the CC of Scranton in 2003 when he placed 18th.
Bricker finds himself in second after a spirited back nine that included an eagle and two birdies.
The 18-year-old resident of Waynesboro, Pa., playing the back nine first, turned in 3-over-par 38, but registered birdies on Nos. 1 (par 4, 385 yards) and 2 (par 4, 447 yards) to get back to 1 over. Three pars and a bogey in the next four holes preceded his 35-foot eagle putt on No. 7 (par 5, 556 yards). Bricker ripped a driver and 3-iron on the par 5. He finished with two pars.
"My goal was to shoot even par and I did that by grinding it out on the back nine," said Bricker, the 2004 Junior Boys’ Champion. "I need to shoot another 70 tomorrow."
Bricker, who will attend Penn State University in the fall, finished 16th in last year’s Amateur.
In the pack two shots behind is P. Chet Walsh of Philadelphia CC. The 40-year-old resident of Wayne, Pa., can only wait and see if he’ll have a chance to see what the remaining 36 holes have in-store.
Walsh’s wife, Cindy, is pregnant with the couple’s second child.
Three weeks ago, the baby was breached and a July 29th C-section was scheduled. Last Tuesday, the doctor informed the couple that the baby had turned around, put Cindy on bed rest and the C-section on hold, for the time being. Tomorrow, Cindy returns to the doctor. If the verdict is to have the baby immediately, Walsh said he’d leave.
"Only if I get a text message [on the cell phone], will I be concerned," said Walsh, who begins his second round at 12:45 p.m. off the 10th tee. "I figure I’ll be walking down the 16th hole if something does happen."
Walsh opened with an even-par 35 on the front nine, one birdie and one bogey. He parred the first two holes on the backside, before stumbling with a double bogey on the par 4, 404-yard 12th hole and a bogey on the par 3, 13th (184 yards). Walsh made a solid par into the wind on the difficult 14th (par 4, 467 yards) before carding back-to-back birdies. He knocked a hybrid club from 263 yards away on No. 15 (par 5, 571 yards) in two for birdie and made a spectacular three from the right rough on No. 16 (par 4, 400 yards) where he was blocked out by the trees and had to punch a 6-iron onto the green. He knocked that to three feet.
"It would be nice to play well to know I still have something left in the tank," said Walsh, a regular in Golf Association of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Golf Association events for years. "There would be nothing better than being a state champion."
Walsh’s top finish is a third-place showing at Lancaster CC in 1993. He said he’s had "four or five" top ten finishes.
Randy Rolfe of Huntingdon Valley, the reigning club champion, Billy Stewart of Llanerch CC, Glenn Smeraglio of Yardley CC, Logan Terry of Plymouth CC, and Scott Voelker of Lone pine GC are also two shots behind.
|
Name, club |
Score |
|
Alex Knoll, Bethlehem Golf Club |
69 |
|
Chad A. Bricker, Waynesboro Country Club |
70 |
|
Billy Stewart, Llanerch Country Club |
71 |
|
Glenn Smeraglio, Yardley Country Club |
71 |
|
Logan Terry, Plymouth Country Club |
71 |
|
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club |
71 |
|
Randall L. Rolfe, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
71 |
|
Scott Voelker, Lone Pine Golf Club |
71 |
|
Adam Cohan, The ACE Club |
72 |
|
Andrew T. Turner, Four Seasons Golf Club |
72 |
|
Blaine Peffley, Lebanon Country Club |
72 |
|
John G. Sawin, Merion Golf Club |
72 |
|
Rich Pruchnik, West Chester Golf & Country Club |
72 |
|
Robin S. McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club |
72 |
|
Sean Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
72 |
|
Tyler Brewington, Mill Race Golf Course |
72 |
|
Chip Zimmerman, Pittsburgh Field Club |
73 |
|
Dan Walters, Conestoga Country Club |
73 |
|
Frank Fairman, Totteridge Golf Club |
73 |
|
Gary E. Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club |
73 |
|
Harvin Groft, Elks Club of State College |
73 |
|
Sean Duffy, Frosty Valley Country Club |
73 |
|
Sean R. Knapp, Longue Vue Club |
73 |
|
Brian P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club |
74 |
|
Chris Gallagher, Penn Oaks Golf Club |
74 |
|
David Brown, St. Clair Country Club |
74 |
|
Eric W. Williams, Honesdale Golf Club |
74 |
|
James K. Kieserman, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
74 |
|
James M. Douglass, Blue Ridge Country Club |
74 |
|
Michael Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
74 |
|
Michael P. McDermott, Merion Golf Club |
74 |
|
Michael Van Sickle, Treesdale Golf & Country Club |
74 |
|
Roc Irey, Cedarbrook Country Club |
74 |
|
Scott Mayne, Hershey Country Club |
74 |
|
Shawn Hall, Four Seasons Golf Club |
74 |
|
Thomas A. Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club |
74 |
|
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club |
74 |
|
Brian T. Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club |
75 |
|
Clint A. Deibert, Doylestown Country Club |
75 |
|
Gregory Pieczynski, Sand Springs Country Club |
75 |
|
James M. Gardas, Honesdale Golf Club |
75 |
|
Paul J. Rogowicz, Yardley Country Club |
75 |
|
Paul M. Polinsky, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
75 |
|
Ryan McCarty, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
75 |
|
Bennett V. Smith, Fox Chapel Golf Club |
76 |
|
Gregory R. Heller, Berwick Golf Club |
76 |
|
Jeffrey B. Huntzinger, North Hills Country Club |
76 |
|
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club |
76 |
|
Michael Moffat, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
76 |
|
Nick Ryder, Aronimink Golf Club |
76 |
|
Patrick Marshalek, Whitford Country Club |
76 |
|
Stephen Arnold, Yardley Country Club |
76 |
|
Tyler Witman, Four Seasons Golf Club |
76 |
|
Andy Hay, Shannopin Country Club |
77 |
|
Chase A. Duncan, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
77 |
|
Conrad von Borsig, Concord Country Club |
77 |
|
David J. Blichar, Blue Ridge Country Club |
77 |
|
David Vallina, Ponderosa Golf Course |
77 |
|
Jarred Texter, Lancaster Country Club |
77 |
|
Joe Corsi, Totteridge Golf Club |
77 |
|
John Michael Pelet, Wyncote Golf Club |
77 |
|
Keith A. Matt, Lu Lu Country Club |
77 |
|
Kyle T. Davis, Inniscrone Golf Club |
77 |
|
Maximillian Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
77 |
|
Oscar L. Mestre, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club |
77 |
|
Tug Maude, Merion Golf Club |
77 |
|
Adam Hofmann, Fox Chapel Golf Club |
78 |
|
Artie Fink, Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club |
78 |
|
Bob Allshouse, Hannastown Golf Club |
78 |
|
Bryant P. Reyes, Hartefeld National |
78 |
|
George E. Marucci, Jr., Merion Golf Club |
78 |
|
James D. Bohn, Bucknell Golf Club |
78 |
|
Jon Merriott, Lake Shore Country Club |
78 |
|
Michael J. Vassil, Country Club of Scranton |
78 |
|
Steve Lubin, Plymouth Country Club |
78 |
|
Todd Brown, Blue Ridge Country Club |
78 |
|
Brandon Katzeff, Uniontown Country Club |
79 |
|
David West, Whitford Country Club |
79 |
|
Don Erickson, III, Indiana Country Club |
79 |
|
Drew Panebianco, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
79 |
|
Jason Barkley, Berkleigh Country Club |
79 |
|
Jud Gemmill, Lancaster Host Farm Resort |
79 |
|
Justin Scott, Churchill Valley Country Club |
79 |
|
Marc A. Mandel, White Manor Country Club |
79 |
|
Mark C. Yost, Penn National Golf Club |
79 |
|
Mike Danner, Lu Lu Country Club |
79 |
|
Richard E. Piger, III, Allentown Benner Fairways Golf Course |
79 |
|
Sean Jackson, Standing Stone Golf Club |
79 |
|
Andrew Achenbach, Rivercrest Golf Club & Preserve |
80 |
|
Benjamin Smith, Four Seasons Golf Club |
80 |
|
David K. Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
80 |
|
Michael Foster, Fox Chapel Golf Club |
80 |
|
Mike Owsik, Plymouth Country Club |
80 |
|
Richard Mottura, Pittsburgh Golfers Tour |
80 |
|
Santo T. Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club |
80 |
|
Shane Behmer, Bent Creek Country Club |
80 |
|
Thomas F. Sohns, Country Club of Scranton |
80 |
|
Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club |
80 |
|
Mike Lebow, Spring Ford Country Club |
81 |
|
Shawn R. Will, Longue Vue Club |
81 |
|
Stu Michaels, Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club |
81 |
|
Anthony M. Apostolico, Hartefeld National |
82 |
|
Byron W. Whitman, Golden Oaks Golf Club |
82 |
|
Charles W. Dennis, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
82 |
|
Douglas G. Zelner, Coatesville Country Club |
82 |
|
Francis X. Downey, North Hills Country Club |
82 |
|
James Kania, Jr, Overbrook Golf Club |
82 |
|
Kevin J. Reiber, Penn National Golf Club |
82 |
|
Paul C. Gagliardi, Cedarbrook Country Club |
82 |
|
Terrance P. Rice, Edgewood Country Club |
82 |
|
Timothy Burns, Country Club of Scranton |
82 |
|
Corey Gast, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
83 |
|
Gerard F. Ascolese, North Hills Country Club |
83 |
|
James J. Bryan, Latrobe Country Club |
83 |
|
Jordan J. Griggs, White Deer Golf Course |
83 |
|
Kevin Farrell, Quail Valley Golf Club |
83 |
|
Michael J. Gross, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
83 |
|
Spencer Philips, Blue Ridge Country Club |
83 |
|
Tom Williams, Berwick Golf Club |
83 |
|
Michael W. Anderson, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
84 |
|
Edward Kelly, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club |
85 |
|
Jimmy Markovitz, The Club at Nevillewood |
85 |
|
John Ferdinand, Lu Lu Country Club |
85 |
|
Joshua Krumholtz, Berkleigh Country Club |
85 |
|
Kyle McCandless, Four Seasons Golf Club |
85 |
|
Sean R. Dove, Quicksilver Golf Club |
85 |
|
Jason P. Mesko, Country Club of Scranton |
86 |
|
Christian S. Davis, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
87 |
|
Damon C. Barbacci, Huntsville Golf Club |
87 |
|
Robert Fry, Hannastown Golf Club |
87 |
|
Phil D'Amato, Royal Oaks Golf Club |
89 |
|
Steve Savor, Alcoma Golf Club |
WD |
|
WD-Withdrawal |
|