The Pennsylvania Golf Association

Quartet tied at 3-under-par 68 after
Day One of Amateur Championship

PAOLI, Pa.–A former winner, a talented collegiate and a pair of teenage upstarts sit atop the 96th State Amateur Championship leaderboard after Monday’s first round. Zachary Herr, 14, of Jericho National GC; Michael Kania, 18, of Overbrook GC; Tony Perla, 21, of Radnor Valley CC and 2002 champion Nathan Smith, 31, of Pinecrest CC, all carded 3-under-par 68s at Waynesborough CC (par 71, 6,918 yards) on a picture perfect summer day. In all, 20 of the 110 players competing carded rounds of even par or better.

Zach Herr putts through
the fringe on No. 10.

Round 2 of the Amateur Championship begins at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow. The field will then be cut to the low 40 players and ties for Wednesday’s third and final day.

“It’s a really tough course. If [the course] keeps drying out, scores will go through the roof,” said Smith, a runner-up in the last two Amateurs and three times overall. “You had to take advantage today. It’s one of those 54-hole tournaments that’s such a sprint. Everybody gets bottled up. It’s always pretty exciting.”

A total of 40 players stand within five shots of the lead.

“I wasn’t thinking about going and winning it in the first two days,” said Kania, a soon-to-be freshman at the University of Kentucky. “You want to put yourself in a good spot so Wednesday you can have a chance.”

All four leaders did the things needed to be in front of a tournament, especially at a place like Waynesborough CC with its large and challenging undulating greens.

MICHAEL KANIA

Smith, of Pittsburgh, Pa., opened with four birdies and a bogey on his first nine holes – he started on the back – and registered zero three putts. Kania, of Haverford, Pa., too, didn’t record a three putt en route to five birdies and two bogeys and Herr, of New Hope, Pa., hit 17 of 18 greens and 12 of 14 fairways. He had five birdies and one double bogey. Perla, of Collegeville, Pa., didn’t post a three putt either and netted six birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.

“My plan was to go out and hit fairways and greens and the putts will fall,” said Herr, an incoming freshman at Council Rock High School North.

Smith, competing in his first event since a Top 12 finish in the prestigious Porter Cup last week, opened his day with a bogey on No. 10 (par 4, 457 yards) when he pulled an 8-iron into the left greenside bunker. However, the smooth-swinging Smith registered four birdies in his next five holes to make the turn at 3 under. He hit a 30-yard chip on No. 12 (par 4, 341 yards) to eight feet; knocked a 100-yard sand wedge on No. 13 (par 4, 401 yards) to 10 feet; got up-and-down after coming up just short in two shots on the par 5, 15th hole (554 yards) and sent a 9-iron from 160 yards to 10 feet on No. 16 (par 4, 436 yards). Smith birdied No. 2 (par 4, 407 yards) with a 9-iron from 145 yards to 15 feet to get to 4 under, but missed a short par chance on No.3 (par 4, 441 yards) to give the shot back. He finished with six straight pars.

“I got some nice looks and was able to make a couple of putts,” said Smith. “I made bogey on No. 10 from the middle of the fairway and was like oh boy. I made birdies on Nos. 12-13 and Nos. 15-16 and all of a sudden I was off and running.”

Nathan Smith sends a chip shot toward No. 3.

Kania, a recent graduate of the Haverford School and a two-time Inter-Ac League champion, carded three birdies on his front nine – a 9-iron from 143 yards on No. 2 (par 4, 407 yards); a nice 10-foot downhill sliding putt on No. 5 (par 4, 420 yards) and a short putt on No. 7 (par 4, 547 yards) after almost reaching the green in two – before finding the rough off the No. 9 (par 4, 447 yards) tee for bogey. Kania hit a 9-iron on No. 13 from 135 yards to 10 feet for birdie but knocked his 7-iron over the green on No. 14 (par 3, 175 yards) and failed to get up-and-down for a bogey. He birdied No. 15 when he two putted after just reaching the very front before finishing with three straight pars.

Herr, the youngest competitor in the field, birdied No. 6 (par 3, 195 yards) when he hit a 5-iron to five feet; No. 8 (par 4, 373 yards) with a gap wedge from 126 yards to 10 feet and No. 9 with a 9-iron from 145 yards in the right rough to three feet. He double bogeyed No. 11 (par 4, 420 yards) when his approach landed over the green and subsequently three-putted from 70 feet but answered with birdies on No. 16 (par 4, 436 yards) with an 8-iron from 160 yards to a foot and a 30-yard flop shot on the final hole, No. 18 (par 5, 539 yards), that also stopped a foot away.

Earlier this year, Herr finished second in the Junior Boys’ Championship, falling to Tucker Koch of RiverCrest GC & Preserve, in a one-hole playoff.

Herr, Kania and Smith all began their rounds in the morning.

Perla, off in the second wave of the day, was the lowest afternoon finisher.

The Northwood University senior recorded three birdies on the front side – he hit wedges on No. 3 (par 4, 441 yards) and No. 5 to a foot and drained a 35-footer on No. 7 before getting a little wild on the back nine.

On No. 10, he recorded his first bogey of the day when his drive found the right trees. On No. 11 (par 4, 420 yards), his 6-iron from 195 yards stopped eight feet away but in a difficult sidehill position, yet he still made the birdie try. He hooked his drive left on No. 12 into the fescue and never found it before recording a double bogey but carded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to get back to 3-under par. He made a nice 15 footer on the par 3, 14th after just missing the green left and chipped up his third shot on the par 5, 15th to a foot for another red figure.

“I’ve led after 18 holes in a college event before,” said Perla, “but this is just more of a positioning day.”

Perla said he played better in the spring semester for his NAIA school located in West Palm Beach, Fla., and was in contention for his conference title until the final day.

This is the first Amateur Championship for Herr, Kania and Perla.

Last year’s champion, Michael Van Sickle of Treesdale G&CC, is not defending his title. He is competing in the Nationwide Tour event in Columbus, Ohio, this week.

Name, club	Score
Zachary C. Herr, Jericho National Golf Club	68
Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club	68
Nathan Smith, Pinecrest Country Club	68
Tony R. Perla, Radnor Valley Country Club	68
Chad N. Warmbein, Rolling Hills Country Club	69
James P. Bea, Spring Mill Country Club	69
Christopher W. Ault, Yardley Country Club	69
Daniel R. Charen, Yardley Country Club	69
Conrad Von Borsig, Concord Country Club	70
Nathan Sutherland, Golden Oaks Golf Club	70
Eric W. Williams, Honesdale Golf Club	70
Brandon Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club	70
Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve	70
Chad A. Bricker, Waynesboro Country Club	70
Matt Moot, Windber Country Club	70
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club	71
Robert T. Rohanna, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort	71
Cory M. Siegfried, Philadelphia Country Club	71
Matthew E. Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club	71
Jeffrey L Griest, Waynesborough Country Club	71
Chris G. Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club	72
Brian Belden, Jr., Brookside C.C. of Allentown	72
Matt Vogt, Connoquenessing Country Club	72
Michael J. Vassil, Country Club of Scranton	72
Jon Pratkanis, Kittanning Country Club	72
Zak Drescher, Lancaster Country Club	72
Timothy L. Hager, Lookaway Golf Club	72
Anthony D. DeGol, Scotch Valley CC	72
Artie Fink, Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club	72
William Miller, St. Clair Country Club	72
Andrew Guaraldo, Waynesborough Country Club	72
Brian C. Creghan, Blue Bell Country Club	73
Jeff L. Frazier, Carlisle Country Club	73
Travis J. Howe, Corey Creek Golf Club	73
Adam Hofmann, Fox Chapel Golf Club	73
Christian S. Davis, Glenmaura National Golf Club	73
Ryan Schneiter, Lebanon Country Club	73
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club	73
James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club	73
Kevin J. Reiber, Penn National Golf Club	73
Christopher L Schultz, Squires Golf Club	73
Brian P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club	73
Stephen Dressel, St. Davids Golf Club	73
Matt Smith, Whitford Country Club	73
James M. Gardas, Honesdale Golf Club	74
Sean Sweithelm, Indiana Country Club	74
Kevin Huntington, Penn Oaks Golf Club	74
Jeff Benton, PGA Individual Member	74
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club	74
Sam Pancoast, Radley Run Country Club	74
Gregor A. Orlando, The Kahkwa Club	74
Frank Fairman, Totteridge Golf Club	74
Mark D. Miller, Yardley Country Club	74
Arnie Cutrell, Greensburg Country Club	75
Joe Bevevino, Huntsville Golf Club	75
Scott R. Klee, Indian Valley Country Club	75
Pierce Dever, Jericho National Golf Club	75
David DeNunzio, Latrobe Country Club	75
Christopher Storck, Moselem Springs Golf Club	75
Clayton C. Rotz, Penn National Golf Club	75
Dan Brown, Pine Meadows Golf Complex	75
Scott McNeil, Scranton Municipal Mens Golf Association	75
Eric A. Plisko, Wyoming Valley Country Club	75
Alexander Maguire, Jr., Brookside Country Club	76
Anthony J. DeNicco, Brookside Country Club	76
Al R. Kline, Jr., Bucknell Golf Club	76
Glenn Smeraglio, Commonwealth National Golf Club	76
Ryan P. Castanet, Hickory Heights Golf Club	76
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club	76
John A. Brennan, Spring Ford Country Club	76
Kevin M. Genuardi, Cedarbrook Country Club	77
Matthew Rebitch, Hannastown Golf Club	77
Brendan M. Borst, Hickory Heights Golf Club	77
Robert B. Galbreath, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club	77
Brian T. Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club	77
Arthur J. Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club	77
C.G. Mercatoris, IV, Pinecrest Country Club	77
Drew Panebianco, Talamore Country Club	77
Andrew Boyle, Dauphin Highlands Golf Course	78
Edward H. Knoll, Deer Run Golf Club	78
Byron W. Whitman, Golden Oaks Golf Club	78
Nicolas Milito, Greensburg Country Club	78
Thomas Hyland, Moselem Springs Country Club	78
Patrick C. O'Brien, North Hills Country Club	78
Ben Wolfe, Sunnehanna Country Club	78
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club	78
Patrick H. Serfass, Allentown Municipal Golf Club	79
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club	79
Kyle T. Davis, Philadelphia Publinks GA	79
Colin P. Smith, Radley Run Country Club	79
Patrick Welsh, Huntingdon Valley Country Club	80
Jim Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club	80
Christopher Zamias, Sunnehanna Country Club	80
Ronald DeNunzio, Latrobe Country Club	81
Marc A. Mandel, White Manor Country Club	81
Richard W. Graf, Allegheny Country Club	82
James D. Bohn, Bucknell Golf Club	82
L.J. H. Scurfield, Carlisle Country Club	82
JC Cardamone, Elmhurst Country Club	82
James J. Bryan, Latrobe Country Club	82
Ron A. Weaver, Meadia Heights Golf Club	82
Brad Flickinger, Country Club of Scranton	83
Rodney L. James, Five Ponds Golf Club	83
Joe Corsi, Hannastown Golf Club	83
Samuel F. Hockfield, White Manor Country Club	83
Lynn T. Kilduff, Huntsville Golf Club	84
Thomas Hart, PGA Individual Member	84
Kevin R. Melnick, Jr., Plymouth Country Club	84
Dave Caldwell, Hickory Valley Golf Club	86
Christopher D. Reedman, Makefield Highlands Golf Club	WD

WD-withdrawal

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Quartet tied at 3-under-par 68 after Day One of Amateur Championship

Quartet tied at 3-under-par 68 after
Day One of Amateur Championship