Championship Flight Scorecards
Trifecta! Knapp Wins Third Title of 2013 at Art Wall, Jr. Memorial
The Clubhouse at Allegheny Country Club
SEWICKLEY, PA – Believe it or not, Sean Knapp, Pittsburgh National Golf Club, pondered the feat of winning three Pennsylvania state championships in one season prior to his win two weeks ago at the 20th Middle-Amateur. By early Tuesday afternoon, Knapp was on cruise control strolling down the fairways at Allegheny Country Club in the 9th Art Wall, Jr. Memorial. For the 36-hole championship, Knapp posted 25 pars, nine birdies, and one eagle to just one lone bogey en route to back-to-back 5-under-par 65s and a record total of 130. Not only was it his third title of the 2013 season, it was also his third time winning the Art Wall, Jr. Memorial, also a Pennsylvania Golf Association record.
The final tournament field of the 2013 PAGA season consisted of 110 players, and thanks to Superintendent David Dickson, the Donald Ross design, with recent touches from Gil Hanse, was in perfect condition. Allegheny CC is the oldest 18-hole course in Western Pennsylvania, and the championship golf course played firm and fast and the greens were tough, but fair. In addition to the course, contestants were treated to one of the most incredible clubhouses in the world, one loaded with amateur golf history from one room to the next.
Through 18-holes of play, Knapp’s opening 65 gave him a four shot lead over Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club, and Bob Crnjarich, Diamond Run Golf Club. Ben DelBaggio III, Sinking Valley Country Club, and Frank Fairman, Punxsutawney Country Club, were each at even-par 70.
The pursuers warmed up for the final round hoping to get off to a fast start and give the leader a run for his money. However, Knapp would put the pedal to the metal right from the start and birdied hole 1 (par 4, 349), hole 3 (par 3, 208 yards), hole 5 (par 4, 291), and hole 6 (par 5, 500 yards) to go out in a blistering 31 strokes and take a ten-shot-lead into the final nine holes. Just for good measure, he birdied the 10th (par 5, 532 yards) to leave no doubt, and put it on autopilot coming down the stretch.
Sean Knapp with his third Art Wall, Jr. Championship
Fairman and Fedoryshyn would each post one-over-par totals of 141 to share runner-up honors. Artie Fink, Jr. and DelBaggio, each from Sinking Valley Country Club, tied for fourth at 144.
Senior Division (Age 55-64)
Don Erickson III, Indiana CC, was coming off a strong quarterfinalist performance in the USGA Senior Amateur and picked up right where he left off. Erickson was joined at the top of the leaderboard by his good friend and PA golf fixture, John Benson, Punxsutawney CC. Before starting his first round, Benson, who must be some sort of prophet, proclaimed this event to be his triumphant return to championship golf. It looked like his title for the taking as he made the turn with a three shot lead in the final round, however, Erickson would come back to the clubhouse in one-under 34 to tie Benson, who shot a back nine 38.
John Benson (above) tied with Don Erickson, III for the Senior Flight Championship
Both players posted five-over par totals of 145, which was also good enough to share sixth place in the championship flight. Erickson carded rounds of 74-71 to Benson’s 73-72.
Joe Corsi, Hannastown Golf Club, finished in third place at 148.
Super-Senior Division (Age 65+)
Dave DeNezza and Mike McGuire are no strangers to each other on the golf course. The fellow Hannastown Golf Club members shot matching rounds of one-under-par 69 in the first round. Hot on their heels, just one shot behind, was two-time defending Art Wall, Jr. Super-Senior champion Lee Lykens, Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club.
As they teed it up in the final Super-Senior pairing at 8:06a.m. Tuesday morning, all three competitors knew it would be a battle. Lykens and DeNezza opened up their rounds with a steady string of five pars in a row, but McGuire posted two pars and two birdies against one bogey to grab a one shot lead. DeNezza birdied the 6th (par 5, 470 yards) to get even with McGuire while Lykens would take a double-bogey and fall off the pace.
Dave DeNezza won the Super-Senior Flight
It was now down to McGuire and DeNezza as each made the turn at 2-under-par for the championship. A birdie on 10 (par 5, 492 yards) would give McGuire another one shot lead, but a quick bogey at 11 (par 4, 380 yards) would allow DeNezza to draw even yet again. The two would trade pars on hole 12 (par 4, 365 yards), and after a bogey on 13 (par 3, 165 yards) by McGuire, a DeNezza birdie on 14 (par 4, 364 yards) gave him a two shot lead standing on the 15th tee. DeNezza made two solid pars on 15 (par 3, 132 yards), and 16 (par 4, 375 yards) as McGuire couldn’t get off the bogey train. Just to keep it interesting going into the final hole, DeNezza made a double-bogey on 17 (par 4, 414 yards). After a routine par on 18 (par 4, 379 yards), the title belonged to DeNezza at one-under-par 139. McGuire would finish Runner-Up at 143, followed by Lykens in third place at 144.
A huge thank you goes out to the board and entire membership at Allegheny Country Club for being such gracious hosts for the 9th Art Wall, Jr. Memorial Championship. Special thanks also go to Golf Professional John Aber and Superintendent David Dickson and their phenomenal staff. As this closes the 2013 championship season for the Pennsylvania Golf Association, we thank all our participants and volunteers for their continued strong support of the Association. We’ll see you in 2014.