Yardley’s Ault takes 100th Amateur Championship A bogey set Chris Ault free.

The long-hitting 27-year-old turned the final round of the 100th Amateur Championship at 2 under for the day and 2 over for the tournament when, on No. 10, he flared an 8-iron into no man’s land some 60 feet right of the cup. Saucon Valley’s Old Course greens were unrepentant on Wednesday and Ault’s ensuing three putt was an expected result.

“I was trying to hit a little draw in there and chickened out and hit it right. It reminded me I needed to be aggressive,” said Ault, a longtime member of Yardley Country Club. “You are only going to two putt that maybe half the time anyway. [After that] I said to myself ‘What are you worried about. You are 3 over for the tournament. You are not even in it.’”

Two hours later, Ault’s internal pep talk resulted in the round of a lifetime.

Ault birdied four of his final six holes for a tournament-best final-round 67 and winning 54-hole even-par total. His 213 score was two shots clear of co-runner-ups David Denlinger of and Brandon Matthews of Glenmaura National Golf Club. Overnight leader Greg Jarmas of Overbrook Golf Club finished with a closing 76. He held the lead heading to the tourney’s back nine but watched his flat stick falter.

“It feels like a huge burden has been lifted off of me,” said Ault of Yardley, Pa. on winning. “For so many years I knew I could win, and everyone else thought I could, but it just hasn’t happened. So to break through is such a relief. Now, if I get in those situations again, I can play with nothing to lose because you’ve won the Amateur before.”

Ault has been a Pennsylvania Golf Association and Golf Association of fixture the last decade plus. He's been a contender in a number of events but this is his breakthrough victory.

Ault’s sterling late-round push started on No. 13 (par 4, 310 yards). He ripped driver onto the putting surface and two-putted from 30 feet for a 3. On the par 5, 615-yard 15th, Ault lifted a wedge from 125 yards to five feet for another birdie.

“I wanted to get to even [for the tournament],” said Ault of his mindset. “I felt if I could get it to even I would have a good chance.”

Ault’s mojo was temporarily halted on the gargantuan par 4, 500-yard 16th when he missed a 20-footer for par. However, he responded in true championship form on No. 17 (par 4, 422 yards) by lofting a precise 9-iron from 150 yards to 15 feet to a difficult back left hole location. The birdie kept Ault’s even-par target in sight.

“I knew I needed to birdie the last two to get to even and I couldn’t get to even without birdieing that hole,” said Ault.

The tees were pushed forward on No. 18 (par 4, 305 yards) hoping to entice players to drive the green. Ault bit and ripped 3-wood 15 yards to the right of the putting surface. His short chip was almost perfect and stopped three feet left of the hole.

“I went to my caddie [my uncle Andy Muzyka] and told him to tell me a joke. He had nothing,” said Ault of his thoughts before the final putt. “I said ‘Left edge. He said ‘Inside left.’ I said ‘Are you sure it’s not left edge.’ He said ‘Inside left.’ It was funny.”

Ault, who graduated from East Carolina University in 2008, is a financial analyst in the health care industry.

His top Amateur finish was a tie for fifth in 2009 at Waynesborough Country Club.

“I really worked on my game in the winter,” said Ault. “I knew something good was going to happen this summer.”

Jarmas, who led the field by two strokes entering the back nine, three putted Nos. 10 and 11 and never recovered.

“I was really happy with the way I was playing at the turn. I just made a couple mistakes at the wrong time,” said Jarmas, 21, of Wynnewood, Pa. “You have to hand it to Chris. That’s a really good round.”

Jarmas is a senior at Princeton University.

Name, club Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Total Christopher W. Ault, Yardley Country Club 76 70 67 213 Brandon M. Matthews, Glenmaura National Golf Club 72 71 72 215 David L. Denlinger, Lancaster Country Club 76 67 72 215 Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club 75 71 70 216 Matthew E. Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club 74 74 69 217 Brandon Dalinka, PAGA Individual Member 72 70 75 217 Christopher Crawford, Spring Mill Country Club 73 75 70 218 Greg Jarmas, Overbrook Golf Club 72 70 76 218 Justin P. Miller, 72 70 76 218 Arnie Cutrell, Greensburg Country Club 72 71 75 218 Brady M. Goodling, Lebanon Country Club 71 75 73 219 Glenn Smeraglio, PAGA Individual Member 74 73 72 219 Ronald DeNunzio, Greensburg Country Club 70 76 74 220 Oliver White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club 68 77 75 220 Zachary C. Herr, Jericho National Golf Club 71 72 78 221 Easton P. Renwick, Punxsutawney Country Club 73 78 71 222 JD Dornes, Meadia Heights Golf Club 69 79 74 222 Patrick D. Ross, Glenmaura National Golf Club 72 76 75 223 Frank Fairman, Punxsutawney Country Club 74 75 74 223 Joseph T. Fabrizio Jr., 75 73 75 223 Ben M. Feld, Green Valley Country Club 73 76 74 223 Michael R. Brown, Philadelphia Publinks GA 75 73 76 224 Cory M. Siegfried, Philadelphia Country Club 78 73 73 224 Adam Hofmann, Fox Chapel Golf Club 75 74 75 224 Kevin Conners Jr., Whitford Country Club 74 72 80 226 Spencer R. Mellon, Oakmont Country Club 71 78 77 226 Daniel Costenbader, Blue Ridge Country Club 76 74 76 226 Michael F. Johnson, Commonwealth National Golf Club 71 78 77 226 James Kania Jr., Overbrook Golf Club 74 75 77 226 Scott J. McNeil, Bala Golf Club 72 80 75 227 David DeNunzio, Greensburg Country Club 75 73 80 228 Brian P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club 77 74 77 228 Andy Butler, Meadia Heights Golf Club 77 70 81 228 Thomas E. Timby Jr., The Bucks Club 75 75 79 229 Ed Gunkle, Bucknell Golf Club 75 77 77 229 Benjamin Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club 79 73 79 231 Artie Fink Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club 77 75 80 232 Chris Lange Jr., Overbrook Golf Club 77 75 80 232 Cameron T. Liebert, White Manor Country Club 74 74 84 232 P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club 78 73 83 234 Sean Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club 77 75 83 235

Failed to qualify Alex Blickle, LedgeRock Golf Club 78 75 153 MC Sean A. Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club 74 79 153 MC Kyle Martin, Commonwealth National Golf Club 77 76 153 MC R. Morgan Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club 76 77 153 MC James Braunsberg, Blue Bell Country Club 79 74 153 MC David R. West, Whitford Country Club 75 78 153 MC Thomas A. Bartolacci Jr, Saucon Valley Country Club 72 81 153 MC Jack Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club 76 77 153 MC Jim Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club 78 75 153 MC Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club 77 77 154 MC John A. Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club 75 79 154 MC Dave M. Fardon, Philadelphia Publinks GA 76 78 154 MC Austin M. Smith, Huntsville Golf Club 75 79 154 MC Nicholas Joseph, The ACE Club 80 74 154 MC Oscar L. Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club 77 77 154 MC Doug Gradwell, Indiana Country Club 78 76 154 MC Joe April, Philadelphia Cricket Club 81 73 154 MC Kevin T. Haag, Deer Run Golf Club 75 80 155 MC William A. Betts, Longue Vue Club 75 80 155 MC Brian T. Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club 78 77 155 MC Matthew Maurer, Bent Creek Country Club 79 76 155 MC Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve 76 79 155 MC Richard Baloh, South Hills Country Club 80 75 155 MC Austin E. Green, Chambersburg Country Club 77 78 155 MC Raleigh T. Chapin, Jericho National Golf Club 78 77 155 MC Nicolas Milito, Greensburg Country Club 78 77 155 MC Ryan Kline, PAGA Individual Member 79 77 156 MC Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club 77 79 156 MC Robbie J. Seebold, Frosty Valley Country Club 76 80 156 MC Zach Fischl, Allentown Municipal G C 76 80 156 MC Cole Miller, Blue Ridge Country Club 80 76 156 MC Chris G. Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club 76 81 157 MC Ryan J. Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club 79 78 157 MC Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club 80 77 157 MC Tim E. Novic, Southpointe Golf Club 80 77 157 MC Carey C. Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club 78 79 157 MC Michael S. Braniff, Mountain View Country Club 79 78 157 MC Grant N. Skyllas, Moselem Springs Golf Club 80 78 158 MC Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club 80 78 158 MC Joshua J. Isler, Chester Valley Golf Club 78 80 158 MC Richard J. Marabella, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club 76 82 158 MC Matthew Hardman, The Links At Gettysburg 79 79 158 MC Marc Oliveri Jr., Lancaster Country Club 81 77 158 MC Jeremy Merich, Scenic Valley Golf Club 80 79 159 MC Aaron J. Burton, Applecross Country Club 83 76 159 MC Len W. Coleman, Emanon Country Club 82 77 159 MC Garrett D. Browning, PAGA Individual Member 79 80 159 MC Al Kline Jr., Bucknell Golf Club 81 79 160 MC Rodney L. James, PAGA Individual Member 80 80 160 MC Robert V. Stoops, Butler Country Club 76 84 160 MC Mariano G. Medico, Fox Hill Country Club 83 77 160 MC Shamus Gartley, Fox Hill Country Club 82 78 160 MC Patrick Rohrbaugh, Colonial Golf & Tennis Club 81 80 161 MC Dave W. Long, Honeybrook Golf Club 80 81 161 MC Trevor G. Pope, Honeybrook Golf Club 77 84 161 MC Zachary Falone, 77 84 161 MC Robin S. McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club 80 81 161 MC Dan Brown, Pine Meadows Golf Complex 83 79 162 MC Gregory a. Goodreds, Talamore Country Club 79 83 162 MC Jimmy Pokorny, at Glen Mills 82 81 163 MC James m. Bromwell, PAGA Individual Member 84 79 163 MC Charles W. Dennis, Glenmaura National Golf Club 86 78 164 MC Michael E. Faleski, PAGA Individual Member 78 86 164 MC Kurtis A. Straw, Sunnehanna Country Club 77 88 165 MC Oscar M. Neubauer, Saucon Valley Country Club 81 84 165 MC Eric Urda, Allegheny Country Club 84 81 165 MC Anthony D. Sebastianelli, Glen Oak Country Club 82 84 166 MC John Samaha, Old York Road Country Club 81 86 167 MC Michael S. Boden, Aronimink Golf Club 85 83 168 MC Matthew Anderson, PAGA Individual Member 86 84 170 MC Travis J. Gahman, Philadelphia Publinks GA 83 WD WD MC Gary Stewart, Jr., Country Club of York 77 WD WD MC Rick Stimmel, Diamond Run Golf Club 80 WD WD MC

WD-withdrawal; MC-miss cut