*Day One results
*Day Two results

Fox Chapel GC’s Adam Hofmann takes
94th Amateur Championship

  VERONA, Pa.–Adam Hofmann of Fox Chapel GC claimed the state’s 94^th Amateur Championship on Wednesday at a tremendously difficult Longue Vue Club (par 70, 6,633 yards) with a finish to remember. The 18-year-old from Pittsburgh, Pa., played the demanding final three holes in 1-under par to complete the grueling three days and 54 holes in 2-under 208. Nathan Smith of Pinecrest CC, a co-leader with Hofmann after the first two rounds, placed second a shot back. Steve Arnold of Yardley CC, who turned in a sterling 2-under-par 68, and Nathan Sutherland of Berkshire CC, the first-round leader, tied for third at even-par 210.

  "This is a dream for me," said Hofmann, when asked what it’s like to see his name on the trophy with legendary past champions like Buddy Marucci and Jay Sigel. "I have a long way to go to catch those guys but it gives me incentive to keep working hard. This is what you work for."

Adam Hoffman (left) with Mark Studer, Pennsylvania Golf Association President.

  Hofmann, who will be a freshman at Vanderbilt University, and Smith, the 2002 Amateur Champion, opened the day at 4-under par. A few twist and turns later kept the pair deadlocked going to No. 15 (par 5, 540 yards) before Smith forged ahead with a birdie. Smith had 70 yards remaining to the hole before knocking a wedge to eight feet.

  Hofmann remained resolute, though, and after a solid par on the lengthy 16^th (par 3, 200 yards), he answered Smith’s birdie with a special one of his own. A perfect drive center cut split the fairway, and playing a little downwind, placed a 9-iron in hand from 142 yards. Hofmann pulled the short club a touch but it was a good shot and stopped 15-feet right of the hole.

  "I told myself I was going to make [that putt] and it was dead center," said Hofmann, who graduated from Fox Chapel High School recently.

  Tied again on the 18^th tee (par 4, 471 yards), a fairway that bends severely right-to-left, Hofmann ripped a driver that just trickled into the left rough 162 yards from the hole. Smith, on the other hand, found serious trouble when his drive went way right into the tree line. Smith punched out and knocked his third shot on and was left with about 35 feet. Hofmann then answered the bell for the biggest shot of his career and punched a "little 7-iron" into the center of the green about 25 feet short of the hole.

Adam Hoffman (second from left) and Nathan Smith (second from right) shake hands on the 18th green after the final round.

  Smith’s par attempt came up about four feet short and a two-putt later capped a memorable week for Hofmann.

  "I was trying to hit it down the right side and it kind of got away from me," said Smith, who bogeyed the final hole all three days. "Adam played great. For him to play the final three holes in 1 under, he deserves to be the champion."

  Early on in the round, Hofmann didn’t appear to be the anointed one after making a quadruple-bogey eight on No. 6 (par 4, 390 yards). Hofmann knocked it out-of-bounds and left two in the rough. However, he responded with three pars to close out the front side in 3-over 39.

  "After that hole I though it would really be cool to come back and be in contention with a few holes left," said Hofmann. "I had to keep going. I like to grind it out. There is no reason to get mad or give up on yourself. You have to stay level."

Steve Arnold of Yardley CC smiles after his tee ball on No. 17.

  Smith, 28, of North Hills, Pa., held a two-shot advantage at the point. His lead would be one at the turn after a lost ball bogey on No. 8 (par 5, 420 yards) cost him a stroke. Smith, who won the 2003 U.S. Middle-Amateur Championship, hit a 9-iron to inches on No. 10 (par 3, 151 yards), but followed up with a pair of bogeys on the next two holes.

  Hofmann, too, bogeyed No. 11 (par 4, 400 yards) before responding with a nice birdie on the short 13^th (par 4, 334 yards).

  It was after all that that the two headed to No. 15 even.

  This was Hofmann’s first state Amateur title. He is also the first individual who calls Fox Chapel GC home to win it.

  A total of 43 players made the cut for the third and final round. Saucon Valley CC hosts the 2008 Amateur Championship July 28-30.

Name, club	Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Total
Adam Hofmann, Fox Chapel Golf Club	66	70	72	208
Nathan Smith, Pinecrest Country Club	67	69	73	209
Nathan Sutherland, Berkshire Country Club	63	76	71	210
Stephen Arnold, Yardley Country Club	69	73	68	210
Robert Rohanna, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort	70	67	74	211
Cole Willcox, Philadelphia Country Club	72	71	68	211
Zachary Drescher, Conestoga Country Club	71	72	70	213
Timothy J Moynihan, Willowbrook Country Club	68	74	71	213
Adam Cohan, The ACE Club	71	72	71	214
Daniel Obremski, Hannastown Golf Club	72	72	70	214
Jarred Texter, Lancaster Country Club	73	70	71	214
Arnie Cutrell, Totteridge Golf Club	68	72	74	214
Frank Fairman, Totteridge Golf Club	70	74	71	215
David Brown, St. Clair Country Club	70	74	71	215
Chris Gallagher, Penn Oaks Golf Club	71	70	75	216
Conrad Von Borsig, Concord Country Club	71	73	72	216
Sean Knapp, Longue Vue Club	70	72	74	216
John Popeck, The Club at Nevillewood	72	67	77	216
Mike Van Sickle, Treesdale Golf & Country Club	73	68	76	217
Jason Cohan, The ACE Club	74	70	73	217
Matthew Rebitch, Hannastown Golf Club	72	73	72	217
Donald Thomas, Edgewood Country Club	74	73	71	218
James Bohn, Bucknell Golf Club	74	72	72	218
Stephen Dressel, Spring Ford Country Club	75	73	70	218
Cameron Peterson, PGA Individual Member	73	72	74	219
Timothy L Hager, Lookaway Golf Club	70	76	73	219
Travis Howe, Corey Creek Golf Club	69	71	79	219
Artie Fink, Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club	73	70	76	219
Darryn DeShong, Majestic Ridge CC	74	73	73	220
Brian W Bergstol, Great Bear Golf & Country Club	68	70	83	221
Les Neilly, Edgewood Country Club	71	76	74	221
James Kania, Jr, Overbrook Golf Club	73	76	73	222
Clayton Rotz, Chambersburg Country Club	74	74	74	222
Cody Kersey, Pine Meadows Golf Complex	67	75	80	222
Scott Phillis, The Country Club	69	76	78	223
Chad N Warmbein, Rolling Hills Country Club	73	74	77	224
Zach Smith, Doylestown Country Club	77	69	78	224
Eric Fonner, Huntingdon Valley Country Club	75	73	77	225
Patrick Serfass, Susquehanna Valley Country Club	74	75	76	225
Robert B Voltz, St. Jude Golf Club	76	73	77	226
John Brennan, Spring Ford Country Club	71	77	81	229
Brian P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club	74	75	80	229
Jon Merriott, PGA Individual Member	72	77	NS	NS
NS-no show

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