Consistent champ
CRANBERRY TWP — A consistent round enabled Rob Voltz to top an 88-golfer morning field Sunday in the 22nd annual Butler County Eagle Amateur at Cranberry Highlands.
Consistent rain and occasional lightning defeated everyone else.
A third lightning delay late Sunday afternoon forced cancellation of the 1:15 p.m. round of the tournament, leaving Voltz and his 3-under-par 67 as the winning score.
“It's disappointing,” Voltz said of the afternoon field of golfers being unable to finish its round. “We had them lined up to start right at 1:15 p.m. when the horn sounded.
“We had to wait until 2 p.m. to get them started and more lightning was spotted after a couple of holes or so.”
The golfers tried one last time at approximately 4 p.m., but were called back less than 20 minutes later. Tournament money will be refunded to the afternoon golfers, who also received a voucher to play another round at the golf course.
Voltz shot a 35 on the front nine before picking up birdies on No.'s 10 and 11 to go 2-under-par. He said the shot that won him the tournament was on the par-3 No. 15 hole.
“That was a 183-yard hole and my tee shot got me within six inches of the hole,” Voltz said. “I hit 18 greens in regulation today. That enabled me to make four birdie putts.
“This was as consistently solid I've struck the ball in quite a while.”
Voltz became the third two-time winner of the Eagle Amateur since it became an annual event in 1995. He joins Mark Young (1995, 2002) and Sean Knapp (2008-10, 2012-13). Voltz also won the event in 2007.
Bob Yuhas, who lives only two miles from Cranberry Highlands, finished one stroke back despite shooting a blistering 30 on the front nine. He started on No. 13.
“I had six birdies on the first nine holes,” Yuhas said. “I've never shot 30 for nine holes anywhere in my life. Six birdies in nine holes? A PGA pro would be happy with that.
“I figured a 66 or 67 would win today. I wasn't real confident leaving the course with a 68.”
Yuhas bogeyed his final hole of the round, the 320-yard No. 12.
“It went through my mind as soon as I got that bogey, that it might cost me the tournament,” Yuhas said. “This is a beautiful course, though. I should play it more often than I do.”Yuhas said he plays Cranberry Highlands “maybe five times a year.” He is a member at Oak View Golf Club in Slippery Rock.Seven golfers shot par or lower during the morning round. Tucker Skerbetz and Sean Wright both shot 69 while Jon Pratkanis, Stefan Carlsson and Tom Senka were at even-par 70.“The greens were rolling good and the course was in terrific shape this morning,” Wright said. “It was very score-able. I'm not surprised there were so many low scores.“It was too bad the rains came. If the (weather) conditions had held, it really would have been interesting. But it was a good tournament.”Evan Hangliter won the first flight with a 2-over-par 72. Tyler Friel claimed the second flight with a career-best 74 and Karen Perry took the third flight with a 90. Only four golfers in the third flight got their round in.“This was the first time I've ever broken 80 in an actual golf event,” said Friel, who finished second in the second flight with an 83 at last year's Eagle Amateur. “Everything just came together for me today.“I played today like I dream I'll play every time I go to a golf course. Hit it straight, get it up and get it in.”Paige Scott won the women's championship with an 82. Yuhas won the seniors championship. He has played in the Eagle Amateur in each of its 22 years. This was the first year he qualified for the seniors division as he turned 50 in June.There were 166 golfers registered. Rain had never shortened the event in its previous 21 years.
