The Pennsylvania Golf Association

Davis, Knoll capture 16th Better-Ball Championship in playoff

MALVERN, Pa.– Christian Davis of Glenmaura National GC and Alex Knoll of Bethlehem GC birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Chase Duncan of Meadia Heights GC and Dan Walters of Conestoga CC for the 16^th Pennsylvania Golf Association Better-Ball Championship on Wednesday at White Manor CC (par 71, 6,868 yards). Davis and Knoll, who started the second round at 1-under par and three shots back of the leaders, finished at 6-under par. Duncan and Walters, who also carded a 6-under-par score of 136, opened the final round as tri-leaders at 4 under.

"To defeat a bunch of great teams that played in this tournament is a remarkable accomplishment," said Davis, 21, of Scranton, Pa. Added Knoll, 20, of Bethlehem, Pa., "We’re really proud to beat such a great field for a state title." Davis and Knoll are teammates at Davidson University in Davidson, N.C., where Davis is a senior and Knoll is a junior.

Knoll sealed the victory on the first extra hole with a birdie. He knocked a 7-iron from 152 yards to four feet after almost holing out from the fairway. Walters had the first opportunity for a three with a 12-foot birdie chance but it trickled by the top edge.

"My partner had that putt early in the afternoon," said Knoll. "It was a little right to left putt. It was one of those your should always make."

John Sawin and P. Chet Walsh of Philadelphia CC carded a spectacular 6-under-par 65 in the final round to leapfrog into a third-place tie with Adam and Jason Cohan of The ACE Club.

A total of 79 teams competed in the two-day, 36-hole competition.

It was a tale of two sides on the front nine for Davis and Knoll. Knoll went 1-under par for the first five holes to keep his team alive. A score that including a spectacular driving iron to six feet on the difficult and long third hole (par 3, 244 yards). Davis chimed in with birdies on No. 6 (par 5, 556 yards) and No. 7 (par 4, 313 yards) and the duo made the turn at 3-under par for the day. Davis knocked in a 50-foot under-par score on No. 10 (par 4, 430 yards) and both registered birdies on the 11^th (par 5, 529 yards). Davis topped the round with a magnificent sand save from the left greenside bunker for birdie on No. 17 (par 5, 553 yards) and another par effort on No. 18 (par 4, 418 yards) after putting the ball behind a tree with his drive.

"You do start to think its destiny," said Davis of his round. "Especially after the ball starts bouncing your way. The team that gets a break or two usually wins these events."

Duncan and Walters made the turn at 1-under-par, but had it as low as 3 under before bogeys on No. 8 (par 3, 160 yards) and No. 9 (par 4, 436 yards) watched them make the turn at 34. Duncan made a birdie on No. 11 and another on No. 15 (par 4, 316 yards), a miraculous lob wedge from the left rough some 50 yards short of the green, that landed three feet away.

"We had the opportunities," said Walters, 20, of Lancaster, Pa. "We just failed to capitalize."
Walters is a senior at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. Duncan, 20, of Lancaster, Pa., is a sophomore at N.C. State.

Name	Club	Rnd 1	Rnd 2	Total
*Davis, Christian / Knoll, Alex	Glenmaura National GC / Bethlehem GC	70	66	136
Duncan, Chase / Walters, Dan	Meadia Heights GC / Philadelphia Publinks GA	67	69	136
Cohan, Adam / Cohan, Jason	The ACE Club	67	70	137
Sawin, John G. / Walsh, P. Chet	Philadelphia CC	72	65	137
Bohn, James / Lafoca, Santo	Bucknell GC / Huntsville GC	69	69	138
Ferguson, Gregory / Fink Jr., Artie	Sinking Valley CC	69	69	138
Gardas, James M. / Williams, Eric W.	Honesdale GC	69	69	138
Gagliardi, Paul C. / Hall, Shawn	Cedarbrook CC / Four Seasons GC	70	69	139
Fardon, Dave M. / Mattare, Matthew	Saucon Valley CC	68	72	140
Apostolico, Anthony M. / Reed, Buddy	Hartefeld National	69	71	140
Detweiler, Brandon / Detweiler, Marlin	Lancaster CC	71	70	141
Gross, Mike / Hudacek, Stephen	Glenmaura National GC (1)	69	72	141
DeNunzio, David / DeNunzio, Ronald	Latrobe CC	67	75	142
Moose, Justin / Scott, Justin	Carradam GC / Churchill Valley CC	71	71	142
Maude, Tug / Ryder, Nick	Merion GC / Aronimink GC	68	74	142
Elias, George / Kondracki, Anthony	Sand Springs CC / Fox Hill CC	70	72	142
Arnold, Stephen / Ault, Christopher W.	Yardley CC / Spring Mill CC	73	69	142
Fonner, Eric / Polinsky, Paul M.	Huntingdon Valley CC / Manufacturers G&CC	72	71	143
Denlinger, Deryl L. / Gemmill, Jud	Lancaster Host Farm Resort	71	72	143
Corbett, Brian / Gill, Robert	Huntsville GC / Fox Hill CC	73	71	144
Cunningham, Bob / Walton, Steve	Downingtown CC (2)	71	73	144
Ascolese, Gerard F. / Sheva, Greg	North Hills CC	73	72	145
Daniels, Gary E. / Dowds, III, Charles J.	Applebrook GC / North Hills CC	74	71	145
Kinter, Joe / Myers, David	Indiana CC	75	70	145
Hutchinson, Mick A. / Short, Ed	Carlisle CC	69	76	145
Terebesi, Chris / Umani, Richard E.	Chester Valley GC / Philadelphia Publinks GA	71	74	145
Answini, Mark / Mulhern, John	Fox Hill CC	73	72	145
Fox, Michael C. / Nilon, Michael J.	Philadelphia CC (1)	73	72	145
Borowsky, Larry / Donatoni, Don	White Manor CC	73	72	145
Morrow, Craig / Ostrom, T.J.	Grandview GC	72	73	145
Harmer, Drew / Thon, Richard	The Springhaven Club	73	73	146
Domenick, Michael / O'Sullivan, John	Phoenixville CC / Chester Valley GC	70	76	146
Ernst, Jeff / Ulp, Gregory	CC of Harrisburg	73	73	146
Gunnison, Kyle / Farrell, Kevin	Quail Valley CC	72	74	146
Jones, Charles W. / Volpi III, Dino J.	Philadelphia Publinks GA / Plymouth CC	71	75	146
Soares, Tom / Spence Jr., Ben	Moselem Springs GC / Green Pond GC	74	72	146
Markward, Del / O'Brien, Patrick C.	North Hills CC (1)	72	74	146
Mullins, John / Piersanti, Tom	Saucon Valley CC / Spring Ford CC	73	73	146
Brunn, Jr., Art / Hazzouri, Jr., Albert	Scranton Municiple / CC of Scranton	73	73	146
Douglas, Mark / Slawecki, R. Blake	Spring Ford CC	77	70	147
Mayne, Scott / Tait, Chuck	Hershey Park View	71	76	147
Coleman, Len W. / Lawler, William P.	Emanon CC / Fox Hill CC	73	74	147
Smyrl, William / White, Jr., Anthony J.	Blue Bell CC	74	73	147
Dick, Douglas A. / Hancock, Matt	Chester Valley GC	74	73	147
Maguire Jr., Alexander A. / Sokol, Brad	Philadelphia Cricket / Berkleigh CC	73	74	147
Harrell, Jamie / Mohr, Thomas P.	Coatesville CC	75	73	148
Roberts, Ed M. / Yost, Vince	Old York Road CC / Cedarbrook CC	75	73	148
Domanish, Michael J. / Vassil, Mike J.	Scanton Municiple / CC of Scranton	73	75	148
Bonavoglia, Michael / Cardamone, J.C.	Elmhurst CC	72	77	149
Balcavage, Frank P. / Lauver, Nat	Bellewood GC / Lost Creek GC	74	75	149
Howe, Craig / Kennedy, John	Honeybrook GC	76	74	150
Gast, Corey / Hostetter, Gregg	Meadia Heights GC	73	77	150
DiLucia, Dave / Pechin, Kevin	Downingtown CC	78	72	150
Mandel, Marc / Price, Jeffrey A.	White Manor CC (3)	76	74	150
Kaspar, Christopher / Steffy, Peter	Lu Lu CC / Foxchase GC	77	73	150
Howell, Robert / Mackley, Matthew B.	Range End CC / Dauphin Highlands GC	76	74	150
Rowe, Ben P. / Wolf, Austin	Conestoga CC / Bent Creek CC	74	77	151
Gordon, William / Thomas, Jon A.	Hartefeld National / Wyncote GC	77	74	151
Ringiewicz, Paul / Scanlon, Kevin M.	Rolling Green / Stonewall	77	75	152
Gardner, Brian M. / Flatley, Thomas	Philadelphia Publinks GA / Merion GC	73	79	152
Kornuszko, Kevin / Verticelli, Mario T.	Spring Mill CC (1)	79	73	152
Barsky, Sam / Taub, Steve	White Manor CC (1)	75	78	153
Kania Jr., Arthur J. / Kania, Stephen	Overbrook GC	76	77	153
Cimino, David D / Gardener, Dave	Blue Bell CC (2)	74	80	154
Felzer, Murray A. / Peskin, Hal	White Manor CC (2)	76	79	155
Abrams, Andrew C. / Rugg, Patrick	Rolling Green GC (1)	76	79	155
Blichar, David / Strohl, David	Blue Ridge CC / Moselem Springs GC	78	77	155
De Sana, Christopher / Desmond, Graham J.	Philadelphia Publinks GA	79	77	156
Kowalski, Jason / Kowalski, Robert C.	Philadelphia Piblinks GA	75	82	157
Scarpetta, Steven / Scarpetta, III, Vincent	Glenmaura National GC	82	75	157
Flickinger, Brad / Sohns, Tom	CC of Scranton	79	79	158
Mairone, Thomas / Stewart, Robert	McCall Field / Westover GC	75	84	159
Gross, Shawn P. / Jackson, Bruce	Bella Vista GC / Golf Tour of Greater Philadelphia	85	76	161
Pompey, Alexander / Pompey, David J.	CC of Scranton (1)	83	79	162
Callaghan, James / Fager, William A.	Rolling Green GC	84	80	164
Groff, Kyle / Mason, Brad	Coatesville CC / Concord CC	88	81	169
Radick, Lee / Robbins, David	Spring Mill CC / Huntingdon Valley CC	87	82	169
Chaudhari, Ashish / Marzolino, Bryan	Elmhurst CC (1)	82	DQ	DQ

*-won in playoff; DQ-disqualification

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