Washington Open Set to Start

With a full field of 168 players, reigning champion Josh Immordino of Auburn, Wash., has his work cut out for him to defend his title in the 2007 Washington Open. As an amateur last year, Immordino defeated Tony Robydek in a playoff at Canterwood Golf and Country Club. Immordino has now turned pro and is employed as an assistant at Riverbend Golf Course in Kent, Wash. The event will be played May 19-23 at the par-71, 6,582-yard Glendale Country Club in Bellevue.

This year's field includes four-time champion Todd Erwin of Performance Golf Center in Gig Harbor (1992, '93, 2000 and '03), Ryan Benzel of Seattle GC, the Pacific Northwest Section PGA 2005 Player of the Year, and Keith Coleman of Harbour Pointe Golf Club, who won the event in 1997 as an amateur and again in 2004 as a professional. Other past champions in this year's event include Chuck Milne (1973, '76), Fred Haney (1975), Mike Gove (1985), and amateur Jim Strickland (1990, '91). Kelly Walker and Ashworth are returning as sponsors for this year's championship along with Sterling Savings Bank, Northwest Cable News, KOMO 1000, King County Publications, and Pyramid Ales.

The Washington Open Invitational will begin with the Sponsor Pro-Am on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. The championship will start on Monday, May 21, with tee times ranging from 7:30 am - 2:30 pm off the No. 1 and No. 10 tees. The Washington Open is a 54-hole individual competition

History of the Championship

The Washington Open was established in September 1922 at Yakima Country Club. When the championship was created it was tied in with the Washington State Amateur, giving professionals and amateurs the chance to play with one another. The two events remained together until the 1950s.

The Washington Open boasts an impressive list of champions over the years. History was made back in 1978 at Glendale Country Club when Fred Couples of Seattle became the youngest champion of the event. That year Couples beat Haney, the 1975 champion, by a stroke. Couples later went on to PGA Tour fame and became a Masters champion. Charles Congdon won five titles over four decades. Al Mengert won four times, including three in a row from 1963-65. Long-remembered standouts Bud Ward and Bob Duden also garnered their fair share of Open titles. Recent repeat winners include 2006 Player of the Year Jeff Coston, the late Rick Acton, Strickland, Milne, Don Bies, and Erwin.

Glendale Country Club

Glendale was designed in 1956 by Al Smith, with play beginning in 1957. The course incorporates two creeks that are in play on many holes, while the trees planted back in 1957 now result in narrow fairways. The well-conditioned layout can be attributed to the efforts of award-winning superintendent Steve Kealy. Recent course renovations have been overseen by Tacoma-based architect John Harbottle III. This will be Glendale's ninth time hosting the Washington Open. Most recently, in 2003, Erwin won his fourth Washington Open title.

For tee times and scoring updates on the championship, visit www.pnwpga.com.