Knapp Closes in Style, Claims Record 5th Mid-Am Crown
Sean Knapp collects the hardware for a record fifth time
Nevillewood, PA – It wouldn’t be a 2013 Pennsylvania Golf Association Championship without a little rain. On what had been a firm-and-fast track, early Monday morning showers softened the 6,900 yard course at the impeccably-conditioned Club at Nevillewood. Fortunately, the rain moved out of the area prior to the first starting time, and players were met with clear, cool conditions for both rounds of the championship, which was won by Sean Knapp for a record fifth time.
It was a regular who’s who of West Penn golf after round one. David DeNunzio of Greensburg Country Club shared the lead with David Brown of St. Clair Country Club, after both shot sparkling rounds of 3-under-par 69 (tied for low round of the championship). DeNunzio benefitted from a hole-in-one on hole 5 (par 3, 155 yards) during the first round of competition.
A slew of veteran competitors were hot on their heels one shot behind, including Jeff Frazier of Carlisle Country Club, Michael Carr of Plymouth Country Club, Frank Fairman of Punxsutawney Country Club, and four-time champion Knapp of Pittsburgh National Golf Club.
Recent Walker Cup hero and four-time US Mid-Am champion Nathan Smith of Pinecrest CC, is never one to count out in Pennsylvania Championships. After an even-par round one, Smith charged up the leaderboard in the final round by firing a low-round tying 69 and posted the clubhouse lead at 3-under-par 141. Smith posted four birdies in the final round including one on the toughest hole on the course, hole 14 (par 4, 423) against one bogey on hole 2 (par 4, 433 yards). All he could do was wait to see if it would be good enough to claim the championship, or get into a playoff.
But it was Knapp who stole the stage while playing in the penultimate group. After a bogey-bogey start on holes 1 (par 4, 394 yards) and 2, Knapp got his round going with a bounce-back birdie on hole 3 (par 5, 522 yards). Making the turn at 2-under-par for the championship, Knapp took advantage of both par 5s on the back nine, making birdies on each (hole 12, 542 yards, and hole 15, 533 yards). He was one shot clear of the field before closing in style with a clubhouse birdie on hole 18 (par 4, 415 yards) to post the lead at 5-under-par 139, as a nice gallery looked on from the back patio.
DeNunzio and Brown each posted 3-under-par totals through 27 holes, and seemed poised to make a run at the championship. Brown, with son Marshall on the bag, carded two bogeys and two birdies against five pars to finish his final nine at even-par 36, and a 3-under-par total of 141.
DeNunzio surged to 4-under-par with a birdie on the par 5 12th hole. After stuffing his approach shot from 216 yards with a 7-iron to within four feet on hole 16 (par 4, 421 yards), his birdie attempt slid just past the hole and he had to settle for par. Another par on hole 17 (par 3, 168 yards) meant he needed some magic on the finishing hole to tie Knapp at 5-under-par to go to a playoff. DeNunzio found the middle of the fairway with his tee shot, and his iron approach covered the flagstick until going just over the back edge of the green. With the gallery looking on from above, his birdie chip rolled just past the hole, meaning the championship belonged to Knapp. DeNunzio would share Runner-Up honors with Brown and Smith at 3-under-par 141.
David DeNunzio chipping for a tie, narrowly misses
The Team Competition (Best 2 of 3 scores each day) was won by Frank Fairman and Justin Cameron of Punxsutawney Country Club. Fairman and Cameron combined for a 1-over-par total of 289 for the two rounds. Cameron also tied the low round of the championship with a 69 in the final round, good enough to place 6th.
A huge thank you goes out to the membership at The Club at Nevillewood for being such gracious hosts for the 20th Middle-Amateur. The PAGA will return to Nevillewood for the 2016 Open Championship. Special thanks to golf course superintendent Ken Flisek, and golf professional Jim Antkiewicz and their staff for all their hard work to help make the event a great success. Next year’s 21st Middle-Amateur will be held at Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood, PA.