NEWS
Dave Blichar rallies on the back nine to win record third Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur title
September 20, 2018
UPPER SAUCON TWP. — Dave Blichar rallied on the back nine Friday, July 6 to win the 23rd annual Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur Championship at Wedgewood Golf Course.
Trailing leader Tom Egolf of Allentown (7-under-par) by three strokes, and Jason Wilson of South Whitehall Township (6-under-par) by two shots through 11 holes during Friday afternoon’s second round, Blichar played steady 1-under-par golf the last seven holes to overtake Egolf and Wilson for the victory.
With the win, Blichar became the first golfer to win three Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur titles: 2005, 2011, and 2018.
Blichar, 54, finished with a 36-hole score of 5-under-par 70-67-137 to edge Wilson ( 67-72–139) by two strokes.
Wilson, 44, won the 2017 Pennsylvania Middle-Amateur and Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship events. Wilson lost in a sudden-death playoff in 2017 for the Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur title to Joe Coulson of Upper Saucon Township.
Bob Beck of Salisbury Township was third at 72-68–140. Beck and Blichar are Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inductees.
Egolf finished in fourth place at 68-73-141.
Blichar began his back nine charge to victory with birdies in the oar-4 12th and 14th holes to get to 6-under-par.
Meanwhile, Egolf double bogeyed the par-3 13th hole and the par-4 15th hole to drop out of title contention.
Wilson bogeyed the par-4 14th and 15th holes to fall two strokes behind Blichar.
While Wilson and Egolf did not make a birdie the last three holes, Blichar parred the 15th, 16th, and 18th holes (he bogeyed the 17th hole) to secure the victory.
“I had a feeling (leading the tournament) when I teed off 17,” Blichar said. “I was 6-under total. I thought if I parred in I might have an outside shot. After a bogey on 17, I thought I was done. I was as surprised as I was at the senior medal play (at Green Pond in June).”
“I didn’t expect it at all,” Blichar continued. “The one’s really special for the year. To beat everybody here; you have a stacked field this year.”
Blichar is enjoying a big 2017 season. He has a big lead in the 2018 Lehigh Valley Senior Player of the Year points race. This season, Blichar has also won the Lehigh Valley Senior Inter-Club Championship and Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Medal Play Championship.
23rd annual Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur Championship
Wedgewood Golf Course (par 71)
Final 36-Hole Scores:
1. David Blichar 70-67-137 (5-under-par); 2. Jason Wilson 67-72-139; 3. Bob Beck 72-68-140; 4-T. Tom Egolf 68-73-141, Mark Coassolo 67-74-141; 6-T. Dominic Carr 73-69-142, Jeff Hudson 67-75-142; 8-T. Chris Stager 73-72-145, Andrew Frank 72-73-145; 10. Dominic Schiavone 72-74-146; 11. Dave Fardon 72-76-148; 12. Bryan Beck 74-75-149; 13-T. James Boburka 74-76-150, Joseph Jasinski 73-77-150, Phil Ries 71-79-150; 16-T. Brian Egan 77-75-152, Sal Picone 74-78-152; 18-T. Andrew Lykon 78-75-153, Leo Fischl 77-76-153; 20-T. Coley Burke 78-76-154, Frank Betz, Jr. 77-77-154; 22. Fred Greene 78-77-155; 23. Michael Bernhard 79-77-156; 24. Tom Soares 82-76-158; 25. Robert Schubach 80-79-159; 26. Rob Johnson 80-80-160; 27-T. Sean Lenhart 80-83-163, Ed Schulz 84-79-163, Chris Trotta 78-85-163; 30. Josh Keyser 96-83-179; 31. Clovis Williams 109-105-214.
NOTE: Dave Blichar won a record third Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur title.
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