NEWS
Chad Hess wins second straight Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur
March 26, 2018
Chad Hess wins second straight Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur
MOORE TWP. — On the brink of his senior year in college, former Parkland golfer Chad Hess has a sense of urgency.
Hess, a 21 year-old Old Dominion University golfer, had a strong final round start with three birdies on his first four holes Saturday at Southmoore Golf Course to key his second consecutive Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur victory.
An Upper Macungie Township resident, Hess finished with a 36-hole score of 4-under-par 69-70–139; four strokes better runner-up Kevin Scherr of Nazareth, who shot 72-71–143.
Jim Maru of Allentown, who lost a sudden-death playoff last year to Hess in the event, was third at 72-72–144.
Scherr, the 2016 PIAA state champion while a senior at Nazareth, is headed to Youngstown State University on a partial golf scholarship. Maru, 23, had a fine golf career at Moravian College.
Hess, who has now won four regional individual amateur golf tournaments over the past three years, wants to have a big collegiate senior season.
“I like to think that it is perspective,” said Hess, who plans to become a teacher. “I have only one year of eligibility left. The last four weeks I’ve been buckling down and practicing because there is not much time left as a college golfer.”
Hess, who shot an opening round 3-under-par 69 Friday at the neighboring Whitetail Golf Club, entered the final round with a two stroke lead over Grant Schumaker of Lower Macungie Township (71) and Bethlehem resident J.T. Barker (71).
Beginning Saturday’s final round on the tenth hole, Hess sank short a 7-foot birdie putt birdie on the par-4 tenth hole, and a pair of 12-foot birdie putts on the par-4 11th and 13th holes to build a four-stroke lead over Schumaker.
“I had a favorable start,” said Hess, fresh off an eighth place finish in the Pennsylvania Amateur. “I had a lesson last week from Paul Viola (Bethlehem Golf Club head pro). He fixed my putting, how to start it online.”
Hess shot 2-under-par 33 on the back nine to move to 5-under-par for the tournament; four strokes ahead of Scherr, and five shots over Schumaker.
On the final nine, Hess maintained at least a four stroke lead over the field.
The win for Hess adds to his career resume which also includes victories in the 2017 Bethlehem Golf Club Amateur Stroke Play Championship and the 2015 Allentown City Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
In the senior amateur division, Joe Coulson of Wedgewood Golf Course shot a final round 3-under-par 32-36–68 to win the title.
Like Hess, Coulson started with birdies on the 10th, 11th, and 13th holes en route to winning.
Coulson, a two-time Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur champion, had a 36-hole score of 3-under-par 72-68–140 to win by four strokes over three-time Bethlehem Golf Club senior stroke play champion Mike Guro (72-72–144), and Philadelphia resident Mark Czerniakowski, who shot 71-73–144.
26th annual Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur
Southmoore Golf Course (par 71)
Final 36-hole scores:
Amateur Division: 1. Chad Hess 69-70-139 (4-under-par); 2. Kevin Scherr 72-71-143; 3. Jim Maru 72-72-144; 4. John Dimler 73-72-145; 5. Grant Schumaker 71-75-146; 6. Riley Hogan 76-71-147; 7-T. Zachary Juhasz 76-73-149, Andrew Woolley 75-74-149, William Marquette 75-74-149, Steven Gonzales 74-75-149, J.T. Barker 71-78-149; 12-T. Dominic Schiavone 79-72-151, Joey Cappelli 79-72-151; 14. Frank Betz, Jr. 79-75-154; 15. Eric Balcik 80-77-157; 16. Cory Haldeman 77-86-163.
Senior Amateur Division: 1. Joe Coulson 72-68-140 (3-under-par); 2-T. Mike Guro 72-72-144, Mark Czerniakowski 71-73-144; 4. Christopher Clauson 71-74-145; 5. Shane Gunning 72-76-148; 6. Dylan Spadt 78-71-149; 7-T. Greg Buliga 80-72-152, Tom Egolf 79-73-152; 9. Mark Choi 83-71-154; 10. Tom Mallouk 80-76-156; 11. Tom Woodring 81-76-157; 12-T. Fred Lening 85-73-158, Andrew Lykon 78-80-158; 14. Rich Fryer 82-78-160; 15. John Hart 83-79-162; 16. Robert Schultz 82-81-163; 17. Owen Dunne 84-83-167; 18. Mike Reilly 88-87-175.
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