Kevin Fajt wins Westmoreland County Amateur in playoff
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Sunday, July 10, 2022 | 10:13 PM
Ryan Sikora watches his shot on No. 16 during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Kevin Fajt watches his ball on No. 16 during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Ryan Sikora watches his chip on No. 16 go in from the fairway for an eagle during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Ron DeNunzio blasts out of a greenside bunker on No. 16 during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Kevin Fajt eyes up his shot on No. 16 during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Kevin Fajt reacts to his ball rolling right on No. 16 during the final round of the Westmoreland County Amateur.
Kevin Fajt has played golf long enough to know you’re never out of a match even if things look bleak.
Through 27 holes of the Westmoreland County Amateur on Sunday at Greensburg Country Club, Fajt was down four shots to first-round leader Ron DeNunzio.
But when DeNunzio bogeyed No. 11 and Fajt had consecutive birdies on Nos. 12 and 13, the race tightened up quickly.
And when DeNunzio bogeyed No. 16 and Fajt made par, things were tied.
They finished tied at 1-under-par 139 and headed for a sudden-death playoff.
DeNunzio sank a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 1, which forced Fajt to make a 4-footer.
“I was nervous, for sure,” Fajt said.
But he made the putt, and the pair headed for No. 2, a par-5 downhill to an elevated green.
Both attempted to reach the green in two. DeNunzio landed a little short on the steep bank. Fajt hit it over.
Both golfers reached the green in three.
Fajt had a birdie from 8 feet lip out. He settled for par.
But DeNunzio three-putted from 20 feet to give Fajt the win, his fifth county title and second in a row.
“It was a battle,” Fajt said. “It always fun to battle Ron and David (Ron’s twin brother).
“It’s always fun to win the county because there are so many good golfers. It was a lot of fun.”
Sean Knapp finished third with 143 after shooting even-par 70 during the final round. Brian Fajt finished fourth at 144. He shot 1-under 69 in the final round.
Michael Robb and Cade Patterson tied for fifth at 146, Brady Pevarnik was seventh at 148, and Arnold Cutrell, David DeNunzio and Ryan Sikora tied for eighth at 149.
There were 35 golfers in the field.
“The competition in this county is unbelievable,” Kevin Fajt said. “It all depends who is hot that weekend.”
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
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