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AMBLER, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Golf Association's (PAGA) 21st Art Wall Jr. Memorial Championship at Old York Road Country Club featured a dramatic finish, with a playoff between two players who have had plenty of prior success in the event. 2022's overall champion and two-time Senior Division titlist Rick Stimmel (Connoquenessing CC) faced off against Kevin Fajt (Hannastown GC), a four-time Art Wall runner-up (2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023) after both competitors finished 36 regulation holes tied at even par with totals of 142.
It took until the third playoff hole, but Stimmel was able to earn a birdie and subsequently capture medalist honors.
"I'd like to start by saying that the venues that the PAGA select are fantastic," said Stimmel. "There are a lot of us from Western PA that hadn't heard of this place but this is as good as it gets. I managed to make a couple birdies mid-round and had a couple hiccups at the end, because your mediocre shots out here turn out to be really bad. You have to be spot on. I was lucky to come out on top in the playoff because Kevin and I didn't have our best stuff for the first couple holes but then I finally hit a good shot in on 18. I had 119 the first time in, then I had 117 the second time in. I hit the same identical shot both times and one time I flew the green and the other I hit it to five feet. Since everything has a false run out here if you're a hair off you have a 30 yard chip shot from the front of the green--so your distance control has to be impeccable.
Fajt, whose final round 70 (-1) was the lowest of the day, sprinted out early in his round, with five birdies in the first 10 holes (on 1, 4, 6, 9, and 10) counterbalanced by only two bogeys (on 2 and 7). After five straight pars beginning on 11, bogeys on 16 and 18 brought Fajt back down to the field and tied him with Stimmel to force the eventual playoff.
In regulation, Stimmel had bogeyed hole No. 2 but birdied 9 to card an even-par 36 on the front nine, then tallied three birdies and three bogeys on the back to remain even for the tournament.
Lancaster Country Club's Brian Groff finished in third place at one-over for the week, while round one leader and four-time Art Wall champion Arnie Cutrell (Greensburg CC) placed fourth at two-over.
Fajt finished atop the Pre-Senior (40-54) Division, while Stimmel naturally was at the top of the Senior (55-64) standings. Over in the Super-Senior (65+) Division, Glenn Smeraglio (LuLu Country Club) earned a three-stroke victory. He was tied for the lead after Monday's first round at four-over, and added a three-over 74 in today's final round finish ahead of runners-up Joseph Weiscarger (Wyoming Valley CC) and Gary Daniels (Applebrook GC.) Despite holding a share of the lead after Monday, Smeraglio needed to switch things up a bit.
"I bought a new putter last night because this place drives you nuts with the putting," said Smeraglio. "I had a little bit of a rough start today but held it together and shot four over on the front. Then I had a really solid back nine--probably from the eighth hole on I hit every green and only chipped twice today, and that was on the front. I finally made a birdie on 15 but was hitting it close a lot, so it wasn't that stressful."
Next up on the PAGA schedule is the penultimate event of 2025, the 32nd Middle-Amateur Championship, scheduled for September 15-16 at Butler Country Club.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Old York Road Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week's Championship. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.
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