On top at last
SUMMIT TWP — Hiland Golf Course had already proven friendly to Rob Voltz this year.
The Penn Township resident buddied up to the course even more Sunday, shooting a 5-under-par 65 to walk away with the 13th annual Butler Eagle Amateur Open.
Voltz finished four strokes in front of runner-ups Larry McFeely and Steve Steighner in topping the 147-golfer field.
"This feels really good,"Voltz, 35, said. "I've been wanting to win this thing for so long."
A teacher and golf coach at Knoch High School, Voltz finished second in the Eagle Amateur in 2002 and 2003. He's finished among the top five on other occasions.
During a practice round Friday at Hiland, he shot a 68. Voltz carded a 64 on the course in May.
"I've played well here,"he said. "But I haven't done so well in tournaments until today."
Earlier this season, Voltz finished 40th in the Pennsylvania State Amateur Championship, 19th in the West Penn Mid-Amateur and 21st in the West Penn Amateur.
<table width="300" height="275" border="0" align="right" valign="top" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed src="/assets/mov/BE25482813.MOV " width="320" height="250" autostart="true" loop="false" ></embed></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/" target="_blank"><span class="style11">Requires Quicktime Media Player </a><br><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Times New Roman">Video by Brandon Gerthoffer</font></span><td></tr></table>He carded his 65 during the morning session of the Eagle Amateur, thus setting a difficult standard for the afternoon players."The time to play this tournament is during the morning,"Voltz admitted. "There are no expectations then, no score to beat, and the greens are in their best condition all day."As the afternoon wears on, the greens dry up and speed up. They play faster and that affects your approach shots and your putting."Still, McFeely and Steighner gave Voltz a run for his money during the afternoon session. Roy Dougherty's 70 was the second lowest score posted in the morning round.McFeely started on No. 10 and carded a 31 over the back nine holes. but failed to maintain that pace over the front nine."I had a couple of bad lies, hit a couple of bad shots and that was it,"McFeely said.McFeely birdied holes 12,13 and 14 before scoring an eagle on No. 17."It's tough coming in knowing what the leading score is,"McFeely said. "It can't help but affect how you play because you know the level of golf you have to play."I got my game to that level. Then I just blew it."Steighner eagled No.'s 1, 2 and 10 to put himself in the running."I'd never had three eagles in one round in my life,"he said. "I hit my driver within 20 feet of the hole on No. 1 and sank the putt. I hit it within five feet onNo. 2 and sank it again."OnNo. 10, I drove one up the hill, then used my nine-iron to hit it 140 yards on to the green. I just had a good round, way over my head. There are a lot of golfers out here better than I am."Eagle Amateur committee member John Carpenter said he was surprised no one challenged Voltz's 65 during the morning round."There were at least a dozen golfers out there then who were capable of shooting that,"Carpenter said. "It just didn't happen."Rob shot a great round. And I give (greenskeeper)Chuck Young and his crew a lot of credit, too, because they worked overtime to keep this course in excellent shape."Consistency proved the key to Voltz's victory. He eagled No. 2 and birdied holes 3, 6, 10, 12 and 16. He only had two bogies all day — on No.'s 9 and 15."I was 5-under after nine holes,"Voltz said. "From there, all I wanted to do was avoid the stupid mistake."My best shot was on the par-three No. 3. I hit a seven-iron that wound up an inch and a half from the cup. That was the closest I've come to a hole-in-one in years."Voltz became the Eagle Amateur's 12th different champion in as many years.John Plunkard won the first flight with a 73, two strokes better than Frank Rice. Beaner Scott won the second flight with a 78, one stroke in front of Pat Seybert. Frank Hawryliak and Ron Vodenichar carded 83s to tie for the top spot in the third flight.Hawryliak won the senior division (age 50-older) with a handicap score of 62, one stroke better than Vodenichar.
