Washington Rallies Past Oregon in PNGA Cup

The final round of the PNGA Cup on the Jack Nicklaus Signature course at Pronghorn Club in Bend, Ore., began with an unlikely leader and 24 points up for grabs in singles matches. As play began it seemed as if first-day leader Idaho would be competing with the defending champion Oregon team for the title in the third annual version of the tournament.

The Ryder-cup style contest boasts some of the best amateur golfers in the Northwest, with the 12-member teams representing the regional golf associations that comprise the PNGA including British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Teams play four-ball, foursome and singles matches to determine a champion. Each team has eight men and four women, with the men's contingent comprised of four mid-amateurs (25 years or older), two men at 40 years or older, and two senior men of 55 years or older. The women's delegation includes two mid-amateurs and two women 50 or older. With both men's and women's scores used to determine the team result, it's the only such event of its kind in the U.S.

The team from Washington, trailing the field with only 4.5 points after the first day, won seven singles matches and halved two others to earn eight points, creating a tie with Oregon. Before the competition took place, the PNGA Tournament Committee decided that a playoff would determine the champion.

In the event of a tie, the playoff field would consist of four players from each team including three men from each of the age divisions and a woman. With the possibility of a tight finish and a possible playoff, team captains huddled earlier in the day to pick players to represent their teams.

Representing Oregon in the playoff was Jim Dunlap of Tigard, Chris Maletis of Portland, Jeff Nielson of Gresham and Lara Tennant of Portland. The Washington team included Dan Whitaker of Cle Elum, Bob Burton of Everett, Kent Brown of Colville and Leslie Folsom of Seattle.

The Washington team beat Oregon in the playoff 2.5 points to 1.5.

Helping the Oregon team get a chance to defend their title in the playoff was Loree McKay of Portland, who won her match against Jean Smith of Eagle, Idaho, 6 & 4. While the match was initially close, the tide quickly turned when McKay aced the par-3 seventh hole with an 8-iron.

Day 1 Team Totals:

Idaho 7.5; Oregon 7; British Columbia 5; Washington 4.5.

Day 2 Singles Matches:

Jim Dunlap, Tigard, Ore. def. Marc Rhoades, McCall, Idaho 3 & 2
Chris Maletis, Portland, Ore. def. Joe Malay, Weiser, Idaho 2 & 1
Dan Whitaker, Cle Elum, Wash. def. Craig Doell, Victoria, BC 2 & 1
Lew Mullen, East Wenatchee, Wash. def. John Gallacher, Burnaby, BC 1up
Eric Peterson, Nampa, ID. Def. Tom Brandes, Bellevue, Wash. 1up
Brooks Newsom, Portland, Ore. def. Greg Koster, Courtenay, BC 7 & 5
Mike Mannion, Gibsons, BC def. George Walker, Portland, Ore. 2 & 1
Sandy Harper, Nanaimo, BC def. Bret Rupert, Boise, Idaho 6 & 5
Jonathan Edwards, Weiser, Idaho def. Brian Toth, Victoria, BC 1up
Erik Hanson, Kirkland, Wash. def. Tim Tucker, Coos Bay, Ore. 3 & 1
Jeff Nielson, Gresham, Ore. def Ed Johnson, Bainbridge Island, Wash. 2up
Matt Meador, Hailey, Idaho def. Eric Fiskum, Salem, Ore. 3 & 2
Jack Kelly, Seattle, Wash. def. Ben Griffin, Victoria, BC AS
Bob Burton, Everett, Wash. def. Bob Wheeler, Eagle, Idaho 4 & 3
Gudmund Lindberg, Port Moody, BC def. Denny Taylor, Gladstone, Ore. 2up
Kent Brown, Colville, Wash. def. Bob Lutz, Jerome, Idaho 4 & 3
Leslie Folsom, Seatlle, Wash. def. Charisse Spada, Portland, Ore. 3 & 1
Penny Baziuk, Victoria, BC def. Anne Carr, Renton, Wash. 1up
Loree McKay, Portland, Ore. def. Jean Smith, Eagle, Idaho 6 & 4
Allison Murdoch, Victoria, BC def. Karen Darrington, Boise, Idaho 2 & 1
Georgia Hutchinson, Sun Valley, Idaho vs. Holly Horwood, Vancouver, BC AS
Lisa Smego, Olympia, Wash.def. Kareen Markle, Eagle, Idaho 2 & 1
Lara Tennant, Portland, Ore. def. Jackie Little, Port Alberni, BC 4 & 3
Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. vs. Rachel Whittington, Lake Oswego, Ore. AS

Final Results:

Washington and Oregon Tied at 12.5 points; B.C. 12; Idaho 11

Playoff Results: Washington 2.5; Oregon 1.5