Sean Knapp wins record 9th West Penn Amateur

If there is one thing you must know about Sean Knapp, it’s that he knows how to win championships.

The 61-year-old Oakmont native captured a record ninth West Penn Amateur on Tuesday at Hannastown Golf Club by outlasting 37-year-old Darin Kowalski with a simple game plan: keep it close until the final nine holes, and keep the pressure on.

The ageless one has won the title in five different decades and passes William C. Fownes, who has eight. This was the 123rd Amateur Championship, and Knapp has competed in more than 40 of them.

Knapp hardly made a mistake during the final round. He had four birdies (Nos. 2, 9, 12 and 16) and no bogeys. He finished with an 8-under-par 202 after a final round 4-under 66.

His first win came in 1988. He then ran off six consecutive titles from 1999 to 2003. He added his eighth in 2018.

“I don’t think I’ll make it six decades,” Knapp said.

Knapp pulled even with Kowalski, the Day 1 leader, on No. 13 with a par after the Bethel Park native’s tee shot plugged in the bunker.

“That was the turning point, in my eyes,” Kowalski said. “I had opportunities with putts on Nos. 15 and 16 to regain the lead, and then he drops a birdie putt on No. 16 to go up one.”

Knapp said he had that same putt, a 15-footer that curled to the right, earlier this year and hit off the green.

After looking at it a couple times, Knapp calmly sank the putt and gave a fist pump. He went up by two shots on No. 17 after Kowalski three-putted.

“I can’t believe they pushed the tee back to Rt. 819,” Knapp said, jokingly, about the distance on No. 17. “Darin is a tremendous player, and he drugged me around on the front nine. I was like a gnat, he kept trying to swat me away and I hung around.”

The wily veteran said a big up-and-down on No. 7 was the key in his eyes. He said walking up No. 14 that he was happy that he gave himself a chance to win.

“I knew Sean was going to hang around,” Kowalski said. “This is his home course, and I knew he was going to play well no matter what.

“I just didn’t feel comfortable with my game. I just blocked out who he was. I’ve played enough golf against him. This is two consecutive second place finishes in the West Penn Amateur. I’m bummed. Hopefully the third time will be the charm.”

Knapp got emotional addressing the crowd after the match.

“This is my home club now, and you’ve adopted me and made me feel like family,” Knapp said. “There are so many people to thank. The membership of Hannastown and the guys I play with are very special to me.

“Two years ago, I came here with the desire to prolong my career but also to play a great golf course. There are so many great players who play here like Mark Goetz and Palmer Jackson. They just wanted a little advice, and I wanted them to pull the load for me and they’ve done that.”

Kowalski shot a 1-under 69 to finish at 6-under 205. Austin Lemieux, who shot three consecutive under-par rounds, finished third at 5-under 205. Gregor Meyer and Nathan Piatt tied for fifth at 3-under.

Knapp, who missed his first Sunnehanna Amateur this year, gets an automatic berth in the 2024 tournament.