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Yardley’s Ault takes 100th Amateur Championship
A bogey set Chris Ault free.The long-hitting 27-year-old turned the final round of the 100th Amateur Championship at 2 under for the day and 2 over for the tournament when, on No. 10, he flared an 8-iron into no man’s land some 60 feet right of the cup. Saucon Valley’s Old Course greens were unrepentant on Wednesday and Ault’s ensuing three putt was an expected result.
“I was trying to hit a little draw in there and chickened out and hit it right. It reminded me I needed to be aggressive,” said Ault, a longtime member of Yardley Country Club. “You are only going to two putt that maybe half the time anyway. [After that] I said to myself ‘What are you worried about. You are 3 over par for the tournament. You are not even in it.’”
Two hours later, Ault’s internal pep talk resulted in the round of a lifetime.
Ault birdied four of his final six holes for a tournament-best final-round 67 and winning 54-hole even-par total. His 213 score was two shots clear of co-runner-ups David Denlinger of Lancaster Country Club and Brandon Matthews of Glenmaura National Golf Club. Overnight leader Greg Jarmas of Overbrook Golf Club finished with a closing 76. He held the lead heading to the tourney’s back nine but watched his flat stick falter.
“It feels like a huge burden has been lifted off of me,” said Ault of Yardley, Pa. on winning. “For so many years I knew I could win, and everyone else thought I could, but it just hasn’t happened. So to break through is such a relief. Now, if I get in those situations again, I can play with nothing to lose because you’ve won the Pennsylvania Amateur before.”
Ault has been a Pennsylvania Golf Association and Golf Association of Philadelphia fixture the last decade plus. He's been a contender in a number of events but this is his breakthrough victory.
Ault’s sterling late-round push started on No. 13 (par 4, 310 yards). He ripped driver onto the putting surface and two-putted from 30 feet for a 3. On the par 5, 615-yard 15th, Ault lifted a wedge from 125 yards to five feet for another birdie.
“I wanted to get to even [for the tournament],” said Ault of his mindset. “I felt if I could get it to even I would have a good chance.”
Ault’s mojo was temporarily halted on the gargantuan par 4, 500-yard 16th when he missed a 20-footer for par. However, he responded in true championship form on No. 17 (par 4, 422 yards) by lofting a precise 9-iron from 150 yards to 15 feet to a difficult back left hole location. The birdie kept Ault’s even-par target in sight.
“I knew I needed to birdie the last two to get to even and I couldn’t get to even without birdieing that hole,” said Ault.
The tees were pushed forward on No. 18 (par 4, 305 yards) hoping to entice players to drive the green. Ault bit and ripped 3-wood 15 yards to the right of the putting surface. His short chip was almost perfect and stopped three feet left of the hole.
“I went to my caddie [my uncle Andy Muzyka] and told him to tell me a joke. He had nothing,” said Ault of his thoughts before the final putt. “I said ‘Left edge. He said ‘Inside left.’ I said ‘Are you sure it’s not left edge.’ He said ‘Inside left.’ It was funny.”
Ault, who graduated from East Carolina University in 2008, is a financial analyst in the health care industry.
His top Amateur finish was a tie for fifth in 2009 at Waynesborough Country Club.
“I really worked on my game in the winter,” said Ault. “I knew something good was going to happen this summer.”
Jarmas, who led the field by two strokes entering the back nine, three putted Nos. 10 and 11 and never recovered.
“I was really happy with the way I was playing at the turn. I just made a couple mistakes at the wrong time,” said Jarmas, 21, of Wynnewood, Pa. “You have to hand it to Chris. That’s a really good round.”
Jarmas is a senior at Princeton University.
|
Name,
club |
Rnd 1 |
Rnd 2 |
Rnd 3 |
Total |
|
Christopher
W. Ault, Yardley Country Club |
76 |
70 |
67 |
213 |
|
Brandon
M. Matthews, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
72 |
71 |
72 |
215 |
|
David
L. Denlinger, Lancaster Country Club |
76 |
67 |
72 |
215 |
|
Michael
Kania, Overbrook Golf Club |
75 |
71 |
70 |
216 |
|
Matthew
E. Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club |
74 |
74 |
69 |
217 |
|
Brandon
Dalinka, PAGA Individual Member |
72 |
70 |
75 |
217 |
|
Christopher
Crawford, Spring Mill Country Club |
73 |
75 |
70 |
218 |
|
Greg
Jarmas, Overbrook Golf Club |
72 |
70 |
76 |
218 |
|
Justin
P. Miller, Oakmont Country Club |
72 |
70 |
76 |
218 |
|
Arnie Cutrell, Greensburg Country Club |
72 |
71 |
75 |
218 |
|
Brady
M. Goodling, Lebanon Country Club |
71 |
75 |
73 |
219 |
|
Glenn
Smeraglio, PAGA Individual Member |
74 |
73 |
72 |
219 |
|
Ronald
DeNunzio, Greensburg Country Club |
70 |
76 |
74 |
220 |
|
Oliver
White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
68 |
77 |
75 |
220 |
|
Zachary
C. Herr, Jericho National Golf Club |
71 |
72 |
78 |
221 |
|
Easton
P. Renwick, Punxsutawney Country Club |
73 |
78 |
71 |
222 |
|
JD
Dornes, Meadia Heights
Golf Club |
69 |
79 |
74 |
222 |
|
Patrick
D. Ross, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
72 |
76 |
75 |
223 |
|
Frank
Fairman, Punxsutawney Country Club |
74 |
75 |
74 |
223 |
|
Joseph
T. Fabrizio Jr., Aronimink
Golf Club |
75 |
73 |
75 |
223 |
|
Ben
M. Feld, Green Valley Country Club |
73 |
76 |
74 |
223 |
|
Michael
R. Brown, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
75 |
73 |
76 |
224 |
|
Cory
M. Siegfried, Philadelphia Country Club |
78 |
73 |
73 |
224 |
|
Adam
Hofmann, Fox Chapel Golf Club |
75 |
74 |
75 |
224 |
|
Kevin
Conners Jr., Whitford
Country Club |
74 |
72 |
80 |
226 |
|
Spencer
R. Mellon, Oakmont Country Club |
71 |
78 |
77 |
226 |
|
Daniel
Costenbader, Blue Ridge Country Club |
76 |
74 |
76 |
226 |
|
Michael
F. Johnson, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
71 |
78 |
77 |
226 |
|
James
Kania Jr., Overbrook Golf Club |
74 |
75 |
77 |
226 |
|
Scott
J. McNeil, Bala Golf Club |
72 |
80 |
75 |
227 |
|
David
DeNunzio, Greensburg Country Club |
75 |
73 |
80 |
228 |
|
Brian
P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club |
77 |
74 |
77 |
228 |
|
Andy
Butler, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
77 |
70 |
81 |
228 |
|
Thomas
E. Timby Jr., The Bucks Club |
75 |
75 |
79 |
229 |
|
Ed
Gunkle, Bucknell Golf
Club |
75 |
77 |
77 |
229 |
|
Benjamin
Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
79 |
73 |
79 |
231 |
|
Artie
Fink Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club |
77 |
75 |
80 |
232 |
|
Chris
Lange Jr., Overbrook Golf Club |
77 |
75 |
80 |
232 |
|
Cameron
T. Liebert, White Manor Country Club |
74 |
74 |
84 |
232 |
|
P.
Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club |
78 |
73 |
83 |
234 |
|
Sean
Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
77 |
75 |
83 |
235 |
|
Failed
to qualify |
||||
|
Alex
Blickle, LedgeRock Golf
Club |
78 |
75 |
153 |
MC |
|
Sean
A. Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club |
74 |
79 |
153 |
MC |
|
Kyle
Martin, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
77 |
76 |
153 |
MC |
|
R.
Morgan Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
76 |
77 |
153 |
MC |
|
James
Braunsberg, Blue Bell Country Club |
79 |
74 |
153 |
MC |
|
David
R. West, Whitford Country Club |
75 |
78 |
153 |
MC |
|
Thomas
A. Bartolacci Jr, Saucon Valley Country Club |
72 |
81 |
153 |
MC |
|
Jack
Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
76 |
77 |
153 |
MC |
|
Jim
Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club |
78 |
75 |
153 |
MC |
|
Todd
Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club |
77 |
77 |
154 |
MC |
|
John
A. Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
75 |
79 |
154 |
MC |
|
Dave
M. Fardon, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
76 |
78 |
154 |
MC |
|
Austin
M. Smith, Huntsville Golf Club |
75 |
79 |
154 |
MC |
|
Nicholas
Joseph, The ACE Club |
80 |
74 |
154 |
MC |
|
Oscar
L. Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club |
77 |
77 |
154 |
MC |
|
Doug
Gradwell, Indiana Country Club |
78 |
76 |
154 |
MC |
|
Joe
April, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
81 |
73 |
154 |
MC |
|
Kevin
T. Haag, Deer Run Golf Club |
75 |
80 |
155 |
MC |
|
William
A. Betts, Longue Vue Club |
75 |
80 |
155 |
MC |
|
Brian
T. Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club |
78 |
77 |
155 |
MC |
|
Matthew
Maurer, Bent Creek Country Club |
79 |
76 |
155 |
MC |
|
Tucker
Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve |
76 |
79 |
155 |
MC |
|
Richard
Baloh, South Hills Country Club |
80 |
75 |
155 |
MC |
|
Austin
E. Green, Chambersburg Country Club |
77 |
78 |
155 |
MC |
|
Raleigh
T. Chapin, Jericho National Golf Club |
78 |
77 |
155 |
MC |
|
Nicolas
Milito, Greensburg Country Club |
78 |
77 |
155 |
MC |
|
Ryan
Kline, PAGA Individual Member |
79 |
77 |
156 |
MC |
|
Scott
McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
77 |
79 |
156 |
MC |
|
Robbie
J. Seebold, Frosty Valley Country Club |
76 |
80 |
156 |
MC |
|
Zach
Fischl, Allentown Municipal G C |
76 |
80 |
156 |
MC |
|
Cole
Miller, Blue Ridge Country Club |
80 |
76 |
156 |
MC |
|
Chris
G. Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club |
76 |
81 |
157 |
MC |
|
Ryan
J. Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
79 |
78 |
157 |
MC |
|
Doug
Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club |
80 |
77 |
157 |
MC |
|
Tim
E. Novic, Southpointe
Golf Club |
80 |
77 |
157 |
MC |
|
Carey
C. Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club |
78 |
79 |
157 |
MC |
|
Michael
S. Braniff, Mountain View Country Club |
79 |
78 |
157 |
MC |
|
Grant
N. Skyllas, Moselem Springs Golf Club |
80 |
78 |
158 |
MC |
|
Dan
Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club |
80 |
78 |
158 |
MC |
|
Joshua
J. Isler, Chester Valley Golf Club |
78 |
80 |
158 |
MC |
|
Richard
J. Marabella, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club |
76 |
82 |
158 |
MC |
|
Matthew
Hardman, The Links At Gettysburg |
79 |
79 |
158 |
MC |
|
Marc
Oliveri Jr., Lancaster Country Club |
81 |
77 |
158 |
MC |
|
Jeremy
Merich, Scenic Valley Golf Club |
80 |
79 |
159 |
MC |
|
Aaron
J. Burton, Applecross Country Club |
83 |
76 |
159 |
MC |
|
Len
W. Coleman, Emanon Country Club |
82 |
77 |
159 |
MC |
|
Garrett
D. Browning, PAGA Individual Member |
79 |
80 |
159 |
MC |
|
Al
Kline Jr., Bucknell Golf Club |
81 |
79 |
160 |
MC |
|
Rodney
L. James, PAGA Individual Member |
80 |
80 |
160 |
MC |
|
Robert
V. Stoops, Butler Country Club |
76 |
84 |
160 |
MC |
|
Mariano
G. Medico, Fox Hill Country Club |
83 |
77 |
160 |
MC |
|
Shamus
Gartley, Fox Hill Country Club |
82 |
78 |
160 |
MC |
|
Patrick
Rohrbaugh, Colonial Golf & Tennis Club |
81 |
80 |
161 |
MC |
|
Dave
W. Long, Honeybrook Golf Club |
80 |
81 |
161 |
MC |
|
Trevor
G. Pope, Honeybrook Golf Club |
77 |
84 |
161 |
MC |
|
Zachary
Falone, Rolling Green Golf Club |
77 |
84 |
161 |
MC |
|
Robin
S. McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club |
80 |
81 |
161 |
MC |
|
Dan
Brown, Pine Meadows Golf Complex |
83 |
79 |
162 |
MC |
|
Gregory
a. Goodreds, Talamore
Country Club |
79 |
83 |
162 |
MC |
|
Jimmy
Pokorny, Golf Course at Glen Mills |
82 |
81 |
163 |
MC |
|
James
m. Bromwell, PAGA Individual Member |
84 |
79 |
163 |
MC |
|
Charles
W. Dennis, Glenmaura National Golf Club |
86 |
78 |
164 |
MC |
|
Michael
E. Faleski, PAGA Individual Member |
78 |
86 |
164 |
MC |
|
Kurtis A. Straw, Sunnehanna Country Club |
77 |
88 |
165 |
MC |
|
Oscar
M. Neubauer, Saucon Valley Country Club |
81 |
84 |
165 |
MC |
|
Eric
Urda, Allegheny Country Club |
84 |
81 |
165 |
MC |
|
Anthony
D. Sebastianelli, Glen Oak Country Club |
82 |
84 |
166 |
MC |
|
John
Samaha, Old York Road Country Club |
81 |
86 |
167 |
MC |
|
Michael
S. Boden, Aronimink Golf
Club |
85 |
83 |
168 |
MC |
|
Matthew
Anderson, PAGA Individual Member |
86 |
84 |
170 |
MC |
|
Travis
J. Gahman, Philadelphia Publinks
GA |
83 |
WD |
WD |
MC |
|
Gary
Stewart, Jr., Country Club of York |
77 |
WD |
WD |
MC |
|
Rick
Stimmel, Diamond Run Golf Club |
80 |
WD |
WD |
MC |
|
WD-withdrawal;
MC-miss cut |
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