Liberty grad Knoll breaks course record held by Snead
Alex Knoll achieved the cool golf story Tuesday by breaking a 78-year-old course record held by Sam Snead. After that, he wanted the victory.
Knoll, a Liberty High graduate, held on for that Thursday in winning the 98th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship. As the marquee event of the Philadelphia Section PGA schedule, the Professional Championship brings together the region’s top club pros looking to qualify for next spring’s national PGA Professional Championship.
Knoll shot rounds of 62-69-78 to win the tournament by two shots and earn his sixth trip to the PGA Professional Championship. That event, to be held in April in Austin, Texas, serves as the national championship for club professionals and a qualifier into the 2020 PGA Championship.
“This solidified, in my opinion, that I’m a quality golfer in the tri-state area and, most important, allowed me to qualify for the National Club Pro [tournament],” Knoll said. “I feel I’m trending in the right direction.”
Knoll, a math teacher at Palmerton High and new assistant pro at Glen Brook Golf Club in Stroudsburg, shot a career-low round Tuesday at Union League Golf Club at Torresdale. He made seven birdies and an eagle in his 8-under 62.
After making birdie at No. 18, Knoll learned that he had broken the course record set by Snead in 1941.
“It was the best round of my life,” Knoll said. “To do it in competition was magical, to say the least.”
Knoll, 34, thought he played nearly as well Wednesday, shooting a 2-under 69 at Riverton Country Club. That gave him a 5-shot lead heading into Thursday’s final round at Union League, where he would need most of those shots.
Thursday’s round did not go as well as Tuesday. Knoll didn’t make a birdie and shot a 6-over 40 on the front nine to watch his lead winnow. But he corrected course on the back nine, making a few par saves to win by two shots.
“Obviously there were nerves involved with being in the lead in the biggest event of the year,” Knoll said “This was my tournament to lose, and that was a weird sensation that I’ve never felt before. And my score showed it, unfortunately.
“I knew I wasn’t playing well, but I had a cushion to use. You don’t want to use it, but in this case I did.”
Knoll, who tied for third at the rain-shortened Lehigh Valley Open in July, made a strong run at this year’s PGA Professional Championship. He shot an opening-round 67 in April and was in contention until late in the fourth round.
He’s pointed toward 2020 with even more confidence.
“I’m a big believer that experience helps gain confidence,” Knoll said. “I know how my body reacted in the spring in that position. Hopefully, if I can get into contention again, I can use that as some help.”