Paul Ajak III, Sean Knapp tired but triumphant at Tri-State Amateur

Paul Ajak III and Sean Knapp played in the 36-hole U.S. Amateur qualifier Wednesday at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, so they were dragging a bit when they teed it up Thursday at the Tri-State Amateur.

Their bodies had to catch up with their mental acceleration.

“It was really hot up there, and you had to grind through it,” Ajak said of the qualifier. “I was tired today, for sure. I didn’t even hit range balls today, just a few putts before I teed off.”

Said Knapp: “I was like a zombie there for awhile today. I was beat. I probably shouldn’t have played.”

Ajak, a 28-year-old third-generation funeral director from Aspinwall, and Knapp, the ageless veteran from Oakmont who qualified for another U.S. Amateur at 59, negotiated another 36-hole event and captured victories at Hannastown Golf Club.

Ajak won the main championship at 2-under-par 138, which included a 3-under 67 in the second round, and Knapp, a Hannastown member, somewhat begrudgingly won the 50-and-up title by five shots to repeat as senior champion.

“My dad is great giving me time to play in this kind of stuff,” said Ajak, who works at Weddell-Ajak Funeral Home in Aspinwall. “(Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur qualifier) my putts weren’t falling, and I kind of pind-ponged it on the back nine. Today, everything kind of fell my way. I could tell you where the ball was going to go before I hit it.”

Ajak, who was cut from the golf team at Central Catholic, played at CCAC before attending mortuary school.

Ajak rallied past Fox Chapel’s Scott Bitar, who had the lead after the first round with an even 70. Ajak followed a 71 with a five-birdie, two-bogey final round to clinch his most significant win. The three-time club champion at Connoquenessing Country Club in Ellwood City birdied Nos. 3, 5, 6, 13 and 14.

“I slammed the door with a 12-foot birdie on No. 3,” said Ajak, who opened his second round on No. 4 with the shotgun start. “I felt like I put the pedal down early. I just told myself to swing smooth through everything instead of going after it.

“It’s one thing to go out and beat it around with your friends. This is different. You’re not X-ing out holes here. This is a nice win for me.”

Bitar finished at 1-over 141, and Murrysville’s Michael Wareham and Hannastown member Kevin Fajt of Greensburg tied for third at 2-over.

Washington’s Hunter Donahue was third at 3-over, and Tom Ballinger of Pittsburgh was 4-over.

Donahue matched Jas Fuhrer and J.F. Aber with a 69 in the second round.

“I played bad at Sunnehanna,” said Bitar, who also tried his hand at the U.S. Amateur qualifier. “The course was wet and played long, but I had several wedges spin off the greens. I had three birdies and three bogeys. If I erase those bogeys, it’s a different story.”

Knapp, who joined fellow Hannastown members Palmer Jackson, Mark Goetz and Jimmy Meyers as U.S. Amateur qualifiers, was hoping to compete in the main event Thursday but viewed the “senior moment” as a break from the grind, something to which Knapp is not accustomed to doing.

He shot 71, 69 from the senior tees to finish at even 140 — a day after carrying his own bag for 36 holes.

“I’m tired of these young guys beating up on me,” Knapp said with a smile. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to play in this, but it’s here (at Hannastown). I knew Rick (Stimmel) was playing, and he encouraged me to play. It was strange playing from the senior tees.”

Knapp, a financial advisor, signed up for the senior division but was feeling confident enough to want to switch and play in the main flight. But the tournament had already started when Knapp went to officials to make the switch, so he had to stay on the senior side.

“I keep grinding because it produces results,” Knapp said. “This isn’t a big deal. The story was (Wednesday) with a 59-year-old qualifying for the Amateur. I am always building to a bigger picture.”

Stimmel led after the first round after a 2-under 68, but struggled to an 81 in the afternoon.

Adam Rossi of Jefferson Hills had the wildest turnaround in the first round in the main tournament. He went out in 48 but played the back nine in 4-under 31. Rossi tied for 25th.