2024 PA Amateur Day 3 Recap
Patrick Sheehan wins 111th Pennsylvania Amateur
HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. – For the second time this summer, Talamore Country Club’s Patrick Sheehan is a Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) champion. Sheehan put together an incredibly solid week at the 111th Pennsylvania Amateur and was the only golfer to finish under-par for the tournament at Huntingdon Valley Country Club, putting together a three-round total of 207 (-3) — which included an even-par 70 in the final round.
“It was a great week,” said Sheehan. “It was a grind today and definitely hard out there. I knew I was hitting it well so it was just a matter of getting the ball in the hole and I did make some nice putts today. Overall, I’m really happy with how I’m playing and it’s given me a lot of confidence. I think that’s one of the things that showed this week. Being the only one under par shows how much of a hard test this was, because there were a lot of good players in the field."
Sheehan’s front nine included a single birdie (on hole No. 5) and two bogeys (on 3 and 7). He turned things around a bit on the back nine with birdies on 10 and 15, and even a late bogey on 17 could not deny him the top spot as he finished the day four strokes clear of the competition.
Sheehan finished eighth at last year’s PA Amateur Championship, and with this year’s victory earns an exemption for the 124th US Amateur, which this year is held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Sheehan, a recent Penn State University graduate where he was a member of the golf team, has also competed at the US Amateur for the past three years and must now delay turning professional for a few more weeks.
“I was looking forward to the State Open to turn professional but I am excited to be back in the US Amateur again,” said Sheehan. “Maybe this time I’ll make match play and maybe fourth time’s the charm! It’ll be good and I’m looking forward to it.”
LuLu Country Club’s Jon Rusk, who had shot even-par 70’s on the first two days, stayed consistent on Wednesday with a one-over 71 and finished as runner-up. He birdied hole No. 7 but bogeyed 8, 9, 14, and 17—but rallied with birdies on 15 and 18 to close his round and finished one-over for the week with a combined 211.
Patrick Isztwan, a member of Huntingdon Valley CC who had been tied with Sheehan at the top of the leaderboard after both the first and second rounds, was five-over-par with a 75 on Wednesday to finish in third place with a three-day total of 212 (+2).
A trio of players tied for fourth place, with John Aber (Allegheny CC), Andrew Mason (Huntingdon Valley CC), and Amani D’Ambrosio (Longue Vue Club) all finishing the week with a four-over-par total of 214.
Evan Barbin of Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association claimed sole possession of seventh place with a three-round total 215 (+5). Beyond that comes another logjam of players tied for eighth place with totals of 216 (+6): Ricky Calve (Philadelphia Publinks GA), Benjamin Feld (Green Valley CC), Scott Jordan (PAGA Individual Member), and Karl Frisk (Out Door Country Club).
Next up on the PAGA schedule is the 65th Senior Amateur Championship, scheduled for August 5-6 at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pa.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Huntingdon Valley Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship. Additional thanks, as always, go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.