Pevarnik wins 122nd West Penn Amateur
By Mike Dudurich • July 19, 2022
Mike is a freelance writer and host of The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan Saturday mornings from 7-8 AM. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeDudurich.
BUTLER – It wasn’t exactly a walk down the golden highway, but it may have been the closest Brady Pavernik has ever been to a stress-free final round in a big golf tournament.
The senior-to-be at Bowling Green, entered the final round of the 122nd West Penn Amateur in a tie with Darin Kowalski with both hoping to win their first Amateur title.
It certainly wasn’t easy, but Pervanik put on a clinic of consistency to post a four-shot victory over Kowalski and J.F. Aber to win his third WPGA event.
“I think that might be the most calm I ever been,” Pevarnik said. “I never really felt pressure at all. I knew I just had to keep making pars.”
And he did just that, making a par of birdies on the front side to shoot 33 while Kowalski posted a pair of bogeys and one birdie to shoot 36. Aber doubled the first and made the turn with a 37.
“Golf is hard and I just didn’t play well today,” Kowalski said. “I couldn’t put any pressure on Brady and hats off to him. I didn’t lose today I got beat.”
Pevarnik added birdies on 11th and 17th before making his only bogey of the day on the 18th. His long drive on the 450-yard par four found the last bunker on the left side of the fairway. He wasn’t able to make par from there.
“I knew there were a lot of people behind me and that’s why getting those birdies on 3 and 6 were so important,” Pevarnik said.
He nearly produced a spectacular result on the 451-yard 16th hole. After hitting a pair of tee shots into the trees that guard the right side of the fairway in the first two rounds, he decided to change the way he attacked the hole by hitting his tee shot far right into the fairway of the adjacent 17th hole, giving himself an easier path to the green. It didn’t help all the much on his scorecard as he made four in all three rounds, but it definitely injected a bit of excitement into his round.
Pevarnik has now won the C.R. Miller Invitational, the Junior Boys Championship and the Amateur. He also finished second in the 2017 Amateur played at Fox Chapel Golf Club.
“I had so many chances to win. In 2015, 2017 and 2018 for sure, and last year, too,” Pevarnik said. “It’s just great to finally get this win.”
Pevarnik’s round of 67 was the low one of the day.
Jimmy Meyers of Oakmont Country Club and Justin Griffith of Wildwood Country Club posted 68s and Amani Dambrosio of Wildwood had a 69.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and 33,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.