Cole Miller is the Pennsylvania State Amateur winner
7/27/2016 | by Pennsylvania Golf Association
see also: View results for Pennsylvania Amateur, Oakmont Country Club
Cole Miller outlasted his former Penn State teammate J.D. Dornes on the final day of the Pennsylvania State Amateur
FLEETWOOD, PA (July 27, 2016) -- Cole Miller of Blue Ridge Country Club outlasted his former Penn State teammate, J.D. Dornes of Lancaster Country Club, to win the 103rd Amateur Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network at Moselem Springs Golf Club (par 70, 6,801 yards). Miller, a rising junior for the Nittany Lions, fired a 3-under-par 67 in Wednesday’s final round en route to a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 200 and the Amateur crown.
“I would say this is my biggest win to date,” said Miller, who will celebrate his 21st birthday on Thursday. “It’s great to get out here because this is just a great tournament. You obviously have all the best guys in Pennsylvania here. To compete with them and pull of the win, that’s all you can ask for.”
Facing a three-shot deficit heading into the final round, Miller birdied six of his final 12 holes to better Dornes and the rest of the playing field. Once his first birdie of the day dropped from 17 feet on No. 2 (par 4, 404 yards), things “began to flow” for the champion. He continued to build on a hot start with birdies on Nos. 5 (par 3, 181 yards), 7 (par 5, 556 yards) and 8 (par 4, 474 yards). Dornes, however, would not back down. The good friends headed to the closing nine tied at 11-under.
When he needed it most, Miller played his clutch card, putting pressure on Dornes with birdie after birdie.
“I made a good one on No. 11 (par 4, 443 yards) that gave me a one-shot lead. Another [birdie] on No. 12 (par 5, 506 yards) gave me a nice two-shot cushion,” said Miller, of New Tripoli, Pa. “That certainly helped me calm down a little bit because adrenaline was really rushing through me.”
A jarred 16-foot birdie on No. 16 (par 4, 408 yards) clinched the title for Miller. His rounds of 65-68-67 matched the Amateur’s scoring record since becoming a three-day, 54-hole event in 2002.
After posting an 8-under 62 on Monday -- a competitive course record that matched a mark that was originally set by Miller himself -- Dornes posted a 2-under 68 on Tuesday. He entered the final round with a healthy three-stroke advantage over Miller. It wouldn’t be enough in the end. A four-over final nine, highlighted by a fescue-filled triple bogey on No. 17 (par 4, 406 yards), eventually spelled Dornes’ downfall.
“I honestly played really well today. There were some tough pins out there today, and I unfortunately missed some putts,” said Dornes, who graduated from Penn State in May. “The guy you’re going against makes them sometimes. That’s just how it goes.”
It was once again a strong showing for the 22-year-old, who placed tied for fifth in last year’s Amateur event at the Country Club of Scranton. His immediate future plans include an appearance in the upcoming Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Dornes will then make the call to go pro.
“Overall, it was nice to come out here and play well,” said Dornes, of Lancaster, Pa. “It was great to go toe-to-toe with [Cole]. It’s definitely cool to see Penn State kind of representing the state.”
playing alongside Dornes and Miller in today’s final group was Spring Mill Country Club’s Christopher Crawford, who finished at 5-under for the tournament, good for third place overall. Crawford, who appeared in this year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club and finished as runner-up in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Open Championship last week, fired rounds of 66-69-70 to continue his spectacular summer season.
About the Pennsylvania Amateur
First played in 1909, the Pennsylvania Amateur is 54- hole stroke play event open to any male amateur golfer who is a member of a club belonging to the Pennsylvania Golf Association. Non exempt players must qualify through a sectional qualifying even...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original