Sports - Sports News

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

GOLF NOTEBOOK: Local golfers gear up for top PNGA tournaments

Four of Whatcom County's top amateur golfers hope to put their names among some of golf's greats by winning the 108th Pacific Northwest Golf Association's Men's Amateur Championship this week at The Home Course in Dupont.

Matt Rawitzer, who was a two-time state champion at Squalicum High School, leads the way along with his chief Northwest Conference rival over the past four seasons, Will Holdridge, who led Lynden to the Class 2A team title in May. Bellingham's Bryant Dhondt and Martin White are also entered in the tournament, which begins Monday, July 6, with the first of two days of a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier to set the field for the 64-player match-play bracket.

Former Western Washington University All-American Jacob Koppenberg also is entered in the field.

The Whatcom County players will be facing the likes of 2008 U.S. Junior Boys' Champion, Cameron Peck, West Coast Conference player of the year, Andrew Putnam, and Pac-10 Conference Champion and All Pac-10 first team member Darren Wallace.

Each player in the 168-golfer field hopes to put their name alongside former winners such as Tiger Woods, Ben Crane, Jeff Quinney, Nick Flanagan, and Danny Green.

Claire Rachor, who won two Class 2A individual girls' state championships before graduating from Bellingham High this spring, is the only Whatcom County golfer in the field for the 108th PNGA Women's Amateur, which also begins Monday at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore. The Women's Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play qualifying to determine the 32 contestants that will advance to match play. Cyna Rodriguez, from Manila, The Philippines and a member of the USC Women's golf team and the Philippine national squad, looks to defend her title in the event.

Bellingham's Catherine Allen will be playing in the PNGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championship in Molalla. The Women's Mid-Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying to determine the flights for match play - the top 16 will advance to the championship flight. Defending champion Alison Murdoch, one of British Columbia's best women amateurs, will look for her third PNGA Mid-Amateur title.

ESPN NATIONAL GOLF CHALLENGE

The local qualifier for the ESPN National Golf Challenge will be held on Saturday, July 11, and Monday, July 13, at North Bellingham Golf Course.

There are still openings for the 2-person, best-ball event.

A minimum of one team from each division - including a senior division this year for those over 55 - will qualify for the regional final and get a chance to move on to the national event in Las Vegas. The winner in each of the gross, net and senior divisions of the local qualifier also is guaranteed at least a $300 payout.

The cost to enter ranges from $60 to $90 and includes a dozen CA Tour IX balls per player and a one-year subscription to Golf Magazine.

For more information, contact North Bellingham Golf Course at 398-8300.

SAHALEE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Bellingham's Chris Killmer tied for 38th place at the Sahalee Players Championship at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish this week.

Killmer shot a 75 on Friday, July 3, to wrap up a four-day total of 303, which was 21 strokes off the lead.

Killmer's University of Washington teammate Nick Taylor, of Abbotsford, B.C., was the tournament winner with a 282, 1 stroke in front of Australia's Danile Nisbet.

Jacob Koppenberg, who recently completed an All-American playing career at Western Washington University, led the first round of the tournament and finished tied for 12th, 10 strokes off the lead.

WSWPLA WOMEN'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Lake Padden Golf Course will be the site for the 76th Washington State Women's Public Links Association State Championship on July 13-15.

The event will be hosted by the Lake Padden Women's Golf Club and the Lake Padden Ladies Twilight League. More than 120 women from all over the state are expected to be competing for the championship, which is the highlight to the WSWPLA's tournament season.

Bellingham's Catherine Allen is the defending champion of the event, and former winners also include JoAnne Carner, who had 43 wins on the LPGA tour.

WHATCOM SENIORS TOURNAMENT

Jim Rasset was the champion of the 2009 Whatcom Seniors Tournament on June 22 at Eaglemont Golf Course in Mount Vernon.

In Flight A, the top 3 in gross were Jim Toomey (78), Bill Cartwright (79) and Matt Kok and Ray Flynn (tied with 81), and the top three in net were Steve Brand (66), Jack Larson (69) and Raphael Ness (73)

In Flight B, the top 3 gross were James Smith (84), Neal Holleman and Don Popescul (tied with 85) and Jack Thompson (91), and the top three in net were Michael Thompson (68), Dave MacAuley and Eddie Gotto (tied with 70) and Bill Quick (73)

In Flight C, the top three in gross were Bill Huntington (88), Harry Allison and Keith Bakker (tied with 96) and Michael Butschli and Ben Evanson (tied with 102), and the top three in net were Darrell Darnell (71), Gus Niemela (76) and Conrad Leer and Glen Mooney (tied with 81).

In Flight D, the top three in gross were Matt Jones (94), Don Olson (99) and Ken Williams (100), and the top three in net were Charles Gorrell (72), Mike Bame (73) and Tom More (74).

In Flight E, the top three in gross were Don Hubert (95), Dale Wagner (103) and Ian Stanford (109, and the top three in net were Alan Parker (68), Charles Husel (77) and Bob Simpson and T. J. Smolik (tied with 80).

In Flight F, the top three in gross were Bob Bryant (105), Thomas Hadd (109) and Dick Farmer (111), and the top three in net were Len Mannon (71), Ueli Nussbaum (74) and Waren Rice (75).

The next tournament is scheduled for Monday, July 6, at Sudden Valley Golf and Country Club.

Hole in one: Bellingham Golf and Country Club member Brant Davis had a hole in one on Wednesday, July 1, on the 16th hole. The shot was witnessed by Dave Berg.