Right on course
SLIPPERY ROCK — Rob Voltz turned out to be right.
The 2007 Butler Eagle Amateur Open champion recently said Sean Knapp would not be denied a repeat title in the annual event held Sunday at Oakview Golf Club.
Knapp won last year's Eagle Amateur here with a 2-under-par 68. He won Sunday with a 5-under-par 65.
"I knew the course this time and that really helped," Knapp said. "I had a plan on how to play it."
Knapp, an Oakmont resident who is a member of St. Jude Golf Club in Chicora, played during the morning round. His closest competitor in that session was Bill Black, who carded a 69 to successfully defend his Senior (age 50-over) division title.
Marsha Green won the women's division in a one-hole playoff and Aaron Donahue produced a hole-in-one in other tournament highlights.
Voltz finished second overall with a 68. He played the afternoon session.
"I know how well Sean's been playing," Voltz said. "I finished second at our St. Jude Club Championship last week and still finished 16 strokes behind him.
"He is an outstanding player and he came in here on top of his game. I figured he'd shoot around a 65. He three-putted two of his last three holes or it wouldn't have been this close."
Knapp began his round on No. 6. He three-putted the par-five No. 3 for par and the par-three No. 5 for bogey.
He had six birdies on the day and the No. 5 hole was his lone bogey. Knapp finished a stroke shy of the unofficial course record of 64.
Knapp was also one stroke short of the 64 carded by Dave Hungerman in 1998 at Hiland for the lowest score in Eagle Amateur history.
"I had no idea what the course record was," Knapp said. "I figured it'd be around 62 or something.
"I never go into any round of golf looking to shoot a 65 or 69 or whatever. All I want to do is play well."
Knapp became the first golfer to win the Eagle Amateur in consecutive years since the event was resurrected under that name in 1995. Ray Weiland won in consecutive years when the tourney was known as the Butler County Open.Knapp is beginning play in the 54-hole Pennsylvania State Open at Oakmont Country Club today. He won the state's public links championship already this season."I haven't played a whole lot of golf this year, but I'm hitting the meat of my schedule now," he said. "Fortunately, I don't have to travel far (today)."His performance Sunday was worth the travel to Oakview."It's a bit of an advantage to play this tournament in the morning," Voltz said. "The greens are fresh and you're not shooting for a particular number."Playing this afternoon, knowing a 65 was on the board ... That put some pressure on everybody."While Knapp bogeyed the par-three No. 5, one golfer — Donahue of Butler — aced it.Donahue used a 5-iron on the 200-yard hole."I just hit it flush and it bounced in," Donahue said. "I'd never gotten a hole-in-one before."Donahue has been playing competitive golf for 13 years. He was on the course for last year's Eagle Amateur as a caddy for Mike Brady, Dave Matteoni, Ken Fair and Ron Vodenichar."He didn't think he was good enough to play in this tournament last year. This year, he goes out and gets a hole-in-one," Vodenichar said.Donahue carded a 76 for the day, three strokes behind 1st-flight winner Frank Lefever. Donahue's ace was the first in the Eagle Amateur since 1997's tourney at Hiland.Nathan Black won the 2nd flight with a 77, two strokes in front of Bill Uram. Keith Wilson carded an 82 to claim the 3rd flight, one stroke ahead of Shawn Manuel.The lone playoff of the day occurred in the event's first-ever women's division. Sharon Goncz, Linda Murrman and Green each shot an 84.
Green was crowned women's champion when she holed a birdie putt from 25 yards out on No. 1, the first playoff hole."I'm just thrilled about this," Green said. "That was definitely my longest putt of the day. Sharon, Linda and I are all good friends, too."One of 11 women in the field, Green played in the Eagle Amateur for the first time. She is a member at Oakview."A few more women signed up this year, so we decided to play," she said.There were 158 golfers in the overall field — 24 more than last year — including 58 Oakview members.
