Schlachter Wins 85th Pennsylvania Amateur Championship |
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B ent Creek Country Club anxiously anticipated the opportunity to display what golf is like in Litiz, Pennsylvania. Bent Creek made this years Amateur one to remember with membership sponsored lunches, dinners and refreshments. The course, a 6719 yard par 71, was tightly groomed with plush fairways and speedy greens, not to mention some difficult pin positions. High afternoon winds elevated first round scores, with only four of the 132 players able to shoot par or better. After one round of play three players were tied for the early lead at one under-par 70; David Hewett, Lake View; K.J. Stutz, Media Heights; and Jim Sullivan Jr., Huntingdon Valley. Defending champion Sean Knapp, St. Jude’s, finished with a two over-par 73.B lue skies greeted players for the second round of play. Bent Creek, however, refused to yield any low scores, with only one player able to break par, Robin McCool,70. After 36 holes, Jim Sullivan Jr. and K.J. Stutz remained on top of the leaderboard at level par 142. With two rounds complete the field was cut to the low 40 players and ties. It was determined that the 41 players at a score of 152 or better would return for final two rounds the next day.A t the midday lunch break on day three, this years Amateur looked like a four man race. Robin McCool, Saucon Valley, shot a two-under par 69 to take a one shot lead at 216. Paul Schlacter, Nevillewood, also shot 69 positioning himself at 217 along with 36 hole leader Jim Sullivan Jr. Sean Knapp, defending champion, was planning his final round attack only two shots back at 218.W ith a final round one under-par 70, Paul Schlacter posted a clubhouse leading 287. Standing on the 18th tee, only a few groups behind, Sean Knapp needed to make birdie to force a sudden death playoff. Even though tension was high, Sean was able to guide in a birdie four and force extra holes. On the first hole of sudden death, hole #10, Knapp’s approach shot missed the green allowing Schlacter to take the advantage by placing his ball 20 feet from the pin. Knapp was unable to get up and down after an aggressive chip shot. After cuddling his first putt close to the hole, Schlacter was able to make the longest three foot putt of his life for the title. A 49 year-old school teacher with dreams of playing on the senior tour, Schlacter nearly collapsed with joy when his ball toppled into the cup. |
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Name |
Club |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
RD 4 |
Total |
Paul Schlachter |
Club at Nevillewood |
74 |
74 |
69 |
70 |
287* |
Sean R. Knapp |
St. Jude GC |
73 |
73 |
72 |
69 |
287 |
Robin McCool |
Saucon Valley CC |
77 |
70 |
69 |
72 |
288 |
Nathan Smith |
Pinecrest CC |
73 |
76 |
72 |
72 |
293 |
Jim Sullivan, Jr. |
Huntingdon Valley CC |
70 |
72 |
75 |
78 |
295 |
Greg Marshalek |
Whitford CC |
78 |
73 |
68 |
77 |
296 |
K.J. Stutz, II |
Meadia Heights GC |
70 |
72 |
77 |
78 |
297 |
William Lawler |
Fox Hill CC |
75 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
297 |
Todd Grassi |
Lawrence Park GC. |
75 |
75 |
77 |
72 |
299 |
Albert Hromulak |
Sunnehanna CC |
77 |
71 |
76 |
76 |
300 |
Jeffrey T. Hovanec |
Alcoma GC |
76 |
74 |
75 |
75 |
300 |
John King Sweeney |
Conestoga CC |
75 |
76 |
73 |
76 |
300 |
Robert Poore |
Penn Oaks GC |
75 |
71 |
76 |
79 |
301 |
Stephen Probst |
Old York Road CC |
75 |
76 |
77 |
73 |
301 |
James Bohn |
Shade Mt GC |
71 |
74 |
78 |
79 |
302 |
David Richards |
Bent Creek CC |
72 |
77 |
76 |
77 |
302 |
Craig Cochran |
Merion GC |
77 |
73 |
75 |
77 |
302 |
Guy Wuollet |
Merion GC |
76 |
74 |
73 |
79 |
302 |
David Brown |
St. Clair CC |
79 |
72 |
74 |
78 |
303 |
David Hewett |
Lake View CC |
70 |
80 |
78 |
76 |
304 |
Michael Korenoski |
Butler CC |
77 |
75 |
75 |
77 |
304 |
Chick Wagner |
Oakmont CC |
72 |
76 |
77 |
80 |
305 |
Vincent P Zachetti |
Hannastown GC |
77 |
74 |
75 |
79 |
305 |
John G Jones |
Oakmont CC |
77 |
74 |
80 |
74 |
305 |
Warren Choate |
Williamsport CC |
76 |
75 |
78 |
76 |
305 |
Paul Rogowicz |
Yardley CC |
78 |
72 |
81 |
76 |
307 |
Neil Gordon |
Philmont CC |
75 |
73 |
81 |
79 |
308 |
Brian Corbett |
Wyoming Valley CC |
74 |
73 |
80 |
82 |
309 |
Michael Ladden |
Waynesborough CC |
75 |
74 |
81 |
79 |
309 |
James J Bryan |
Latrobe CC |
72 |
80 |
79 |
78 |
309 |
Arnie Cutrell |
Greensburg CC |
74 |
74 |
90 |
72 |
310 |
James Gardas |
Honesdale GC |
78 |
71 |
79 |
82 |
310 |
Mark DiGiacomo |
Lebanon CC |
77 |
74 |
82 |
78 |
311 |
Gregory Ferguson |
Sinking Valley CC |
76 |
72 |
84 |
80 |
312 |
Andy Latowski |
St. Jude GC |
73 |
78 |
78 |
83 |
312 |
Brian Groff |
Bent Creek CC |
74 |
77 |
78 |
83 |
312 |
Scott Simonsen |
Lake Shore CC |
72 |
80 |
81 |
80 |
313 |
Jim Blinn |
Irem Temple CC |
75 |
76 |
78 |
85 |
314 |
Don H. Erickson, III |
Du Bois CC |
75 |
77 |
84 |
83 |
319 |
Andy Hay |
Shannopin CC |
74 |
77 |
87 |
83 |
321 |
Michael Gregor |
Huntingdon Valley CC |
73 |
73 |
DQ |
/ |
/ |
* won in playoff |
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