2024 Art Wall Round 2 Recap
Davidson, Brown and Rothaus Win Art Wall Titles
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) 20th Art Wall Jr. Memorial Championship came down to the wire in multiple divisions on the final day at Centre Hills Country Club.
With low scores at a premium on a very tough course, West Shore Country Club’s Clay Davidson emerged to win the Overall Championship after shooting an even-par 71 in the final round. Davidson was runner-up on two previous occasions in the Art Wall—in 2022 and 2018 (which was also hosted at Centre Hills.) His solid back nine on Tuesday proved to be the difference, with just one bogey (on hole No. 12) and then a birdie on 17 to put him one stroke clear of the field for good. He finished the two-day Championship with a three-over-par 145.
“It’s always awesome whenever you win,” said Davidson. “The course was very challenging and the scores were much higher because the greens were so treacherous and deadly. They were really firm and rolling. You just have to hang in there. I had an eight on hole 17 yesterday because of some bad strategy and bad play but then I birdied it today – so I went from eight to four and almost saved an extra hole. The course was in really good shape and I can’t say enough good things about the greens.”
Rolling Green Golf Club’s Rich Owsik was the runner-up to Davidson, just one stroke behind, totaling 146 (+4) for the tournament. Owsik was a co-leader after Monday’s round (where he fired an even-par 71) but a stretch of bogeys in the middle of his day (on 6, 11, and 13 in addition to a double on 9) proved to be too difficult to overcome. Two back-nine birdies on 14 and 17 were a glimmer of hope but he could not catch Davidson.
Glenmaura National GC’s Eric Williams was this year’s third-place finisher with a two-day total of 147 (+5), while Honeybrook GC’s Matt Dolinsky claimed fourth place with a 149 (+7).
Over in the Senior Division (ages 55-64), Manada Golf Club’s Dan Brown won his second Art Wall Championship (and first since 2017) with a one-stroke victory over LedgeRock Golf Club’s William Smith. Brown was a co-leader along with Owsik after yesterday’s first round but found things more difficult today, shooting an eight-over 79 to finish with a 150 (+8) for the tournament.
“Yesterday it seemed like I hit the ball under the hole every hole then today I hit it above the hole on every hole,” said Brown. “So it was like I could not make a putt. Putting downhill on these greens is really difficult if you’re above it. Hats off to the PAGA and Centre Hills, it was a great golf course and I’m proud of winning my second Art Wall title. As you get older it gets harder to win, and I’m just thankful I could hold on today and get the win.”
After four bogeys in his first five holes of the back nine on Tuesday, Brown birdied 15 and made par on the last three holes to secure his win. Runner-up Smith shot the lowest round of the day in the Senior Division with a three-over 74 and birdied 15 to draw within a stroke of Brown—but could not find another birdie on the last three holes that would have forced a playoff.
Bob Beck (Lehigh CC) was your third place finisher in the Senior Division with a two-day total of 153 (+11), followed by a pair of competitors tied for fourth in Steven Steighner (Kittanning CC) and Jason Barkley (Moselem Springs GC), who both shot 12-over 154’s.
Brian Rothaus (Five Ponds Golf Club) made it back-to-back Art Wall titles in the Super-Senior Division (ages 65+) by pulling away from the rest of the pack with his two-over-par 73 in the final round. Rothaus birdied holes No. 8 and 9 after a double bogey on 6 to go even on the front nine, with bogeys on 11 and 17 the only other trouble he ran into. His two-day total of 148 (+6) was three strokes better than runner-up Michael Vassil (Country Club of Scranton), who equaled Rothaus’ 73 on Tuesday (the lowest rounds of the Championship for the Super-Seniors.)
Behind the top two Super-Seniors was a group of four who finished tied for third place with two-day scores of 153 (+11): West Shore Country Club’s Scott Christie, Kahkwa Club’s Michael Capotis, White Manor Country Club’s Don Donatoni, and Nittany Country Club’s Vincent Scarpetta.
Next up on the PAGA schedule is the 31st Middle-Amateur Championship, scheduled for September 16-17 at Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood, Pa.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Centre Hills 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.