Knouse ends title drought with senior triumph
By RYAN VANDERSLOOT 854-1575 x455 / @YAIAAscoresyorkdispatch.com
Updated: 06/10/2013 11:53:35 AM EDT
WRIGHTSVILLE -- It had almost gotten to the point where Scott Knouse was wondering if, and not when, he would win another golf championship. Knouse, a three-time York County Amateur Golf Association Amateur and Senior Championship winner, hadn't claimed a title in the YCAGA or at his club course since 2010.
While still competitive during that time, Knouse decided a change was in order. He felt he was over-thinking his shots too much. So the Out Door Country Club golfer switched his focal point prior to Sunday's McClarin Plastics, Inc. Senior Championship at Cool Creek Golf Course. And it worked.
Knouse was the only player in the field of 32 senior golfers to shoot an even par 70, a score good enough to earn him the fourth Senior title of his career. John Lowder, Jr., who finished second to Jeff Poet in last year's event, was once again the runner-up with a 1-over 71.
"I made up my mind today," Knouse said. "All year I've been playing golf swing. Too much technical thoughts about how to swing the club. So today I came out with the commitment that I was going to look at targets. I was going to focus on a specific target and swing the club."
Knouse, who golfed at Cool Creek for over 20 years before switching clubs over the past handful of years, was 1-under through the front nine. That put him a stroke behind his good friend and seven-time Senior Championship winner Bill Brenner at the turn.
Brenner, who finished in a three-way tie for third with Poet and William Lynch at 2-over, and Knouse have historically been paired up in the same foursome on many occasions, but were separated on Sunday. That made it a bit more difficult for the friends to compare and compete against one another directly. "It was kind of a surprise," said Knouse, who shared a hug with Brenner in the clubhouse.
Knouse's experience at the club proved to be mighty valuable when play moved on to what has been dubbed 'Amen corner.' The challenges of playing holes 10, 11 and 12 did a number on a lot of scorecards. But not for Knouse. He finished with two pars and a birdie over those holes which ultimately put him out in front.
"The back (nine) is always tougher here," Knouse said. "Scoring is done on the front. In that back you have to hit a lot of good shots. You have to hit good tee-balls, you have to hit good irons and the greens are more severe." It was that latter part -- putting -- which Knouse felt was right in his wheel-house at his former club. With the exception of No. 18, Knouse was steady and proficient with the putter throughout the day.
"I putted well," he said. "The nice thing down here for me is that I don't even have to look at the putts. I know how it will break and there are others who play here who cannot read these greens. You have to know and learn them."
The only negative part of Knouse's day came after he found the green on No. 18, where he left two putts short. "I three-putted that last hole," said a clearly disappointed Knouse. "I know that hole and I thought I killed it and I left it six feet short. And I left the next one short, too."
Despite that flub, which had him worried he might end up in a playoff, Knouse was able to walk off the course with a big victory, and a boost to his confidence, in tow.
"It's been awhile," he said. "I haven't won a club championship in a while or any big tournament. A couple of years go by and you begin to wonder if it's going to happen again. Then you get to that stage that I am and I'm no young pup anymore. But this is great."
Ron Duff of South Hills captured the Super Senior Division with a 1-over par 71 against a field of 13 golfers. Bob Meckley finished with the same score but was unavailable to compete in a playoff, thereby officially earning Duff the title.
-- Reach Ryan Vandersloot at sports@yorkdispatch.com
