GOLF COLUMN: Sequim grad headed to the NCAA Championship

NOT TOO MANY area athletes are talented enough or consistent enough to claim multiple All-Peninsula MVP awards — the honor voted on by the Peninsula Daily News sports staff and area coaches.

And the only four-time winner I’ve ever covered is Sequim’s Alex McMenamin, the All-Peninsula Girls Golf MVP in each of her standout prep seasons from 2014 to 2017.

Now a sophomore for the powerhouse George Fox University women’s golf team, McMenamin is still piping drives and sinking putts.

She recently shot identical rounds of 6-over-par 78 to finish second as an individual at the Northwest Conference Championships at Wine Valley Golf Course in Walla Walla.

McMenamin finished five strokes back of conference champion Shiyang Fan of Whitman College.

She and the No. 2-ranked Bruins captured their second consecutive Northwest Conference Co-Championship after a runner-up finish at the championships.

George Fox already claimed the Fall Classic and Spring Classic, so a playoff for the conference’s automatic NCAA tournament berth was held with Whitman.

McMenamin was one of four Bruins golfers to make par on the first playoff hole against the Blues to secure the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

“That’s a really tricky par-5, and we played it brilliantly for the win which is a credit to our team,” coach Mary Jo McCloskey said after the playoff.

The Bruins have now won 10 consecutive Northwest Conference titles — shared or outright — and have qualified for 10 straight trips to the NCAA Championships.

McMenamin and the Bruins will head to Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston for the NCAA Championship Tuesday through Friday, May 17.

The trip will cap an outstanding season for McMenamin.

She won the 36-player Culterame Classic at Williamette Valley Country Club, with rounds of 76 and 74 to finish at 6-over-par 150 back in October.

McMenamin tied with teammate Iris Kawada but sank a 20-foot putt for birdie to win the event and also earn Northwest Conference Women’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Week honors.

McMenamin also finished second at the Northwest Conference Spring Classic and tied for third at the California State Intercollegiate while shooting her lowest round of the year, a 3-under-par 69.

Lady Niners Memorial

The Cedars at Dungeness Lady Niners’ 10th annual Memorial Tournament will honor the memory of women’s golfers who have passed away while raising funds for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.

Men also are welcome to participate in the event which will be held at The Cedars at Dungeness on Thursday, May 16.

Check-in time for the four-person scramble format tournament is 9 a.m. with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.

Attendees can bid on silent auction baskets. There will be a raffle for a special tree drawing and for garage sale items.

Registration is $40 for breakfast and a veggie lasagna, salad and dessert lunch.

Green fees are another $17, with carts another $11.

Call the Cedars at Dungeness pro shop at 360-683-6344 to get in the game.

Donation checks should be made out to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.

For more information on joining the Lady Niners’ Thursday morning golf outings, email Captain Kathy Benedict at kathy@hvalley.net.

No Streeter events

Unfortunately for area prep golfers, the annual Duke Street boys and girls golf invitationals won’t be held this season.

“Due to low participation we have had to cancel the Duke Streeter,” Peninsula Golf Club head pro and Port Angeles girls golf coach Chad Wagner said.

“We are trying to find a date that will work better for all schools next year.”

Three North Olympic Peninsula prep golfers did win Olympic League titles at the league championship meets held last week at The Cedars at Dungeness.

Sequim’s Blake Wiker won the Class 2A boys title, edging teammate Paul Jacobsen with a par in a one-hole playoff after each player shot 3-over-par 75.

Chimacum’s Logan Storm shot 78 to win the 1A boys title and Port Townsend’s Mackenzie Lake claimed the 1A girls title (and shot the low girls round) with an 85.

Congrats to those players on their wins and a big thank you to all the North Olympic Peninsula courses that host our prep players during the season.

Demo days/clinic

The Cedars at Dungeness has a packed demo day planned May 22 with Titleist, Ping, TaylorMade and Mizuno reps on hand from noon to 4 p.m.

A short game clinic with Cleveland Golf also is planned from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Those interested in the clinic must register in advance in the pro shop or by calling 360-683-6344.

Peninsula College tourney

The annual Pirate Golf Tournament benefits Peninsula College athletic scholarships and will be held at The Cedars at Dungeness on Saturday, June 1.

The event format is a four-person scramble.

Cost is $100 per player or $400 per team and includes green fees, cart, lunch and two drink tickets.

Mulligan packages, which include two mulligans, two raffle tickets and three putt for wine tickets for $20 a person or $60 a team, also are available.

Games also will be held on specific holes.

Players will have a shot to win a car provided by Wilder Auto and to split a $10,000 hole-in-one prize with the Pirate Athletic Association.

Sponsors also are sought for tee signs ($250); tee signs and foursomes ($500) and as course-game sponsors ($1,000).

For more information, call Peninsula men’s basketball coach Donald Rollman at 360-417-6467 or email drollman@pencol.edu.

Discovery Bay

Discovery Bay pro Jeff Kent opened up his weekly Tuesday afternoon golf clinics yesterday.

The clinics will be held at 3 p.m. each week. The cost is $10 per clinic and clinics are open to the first eight golfers that sign up.

The Disco Bay League opens play at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 16.

Teams and individuals are sought to play in the weekly league.

Kent also said the course is offering a great deal on yearly memberships with unlimited golf available for $1,500.

Other deals at Discovery Bay in May: two players can play for $59 with cart included and a two-for-one Tuesday deal is now $14.50 per player. Mention the specials at check-in or bring along a coupon found in the Peninsula Daily News Wednesday sports page to get the deals.

For more information, phone the golf shop at 360-385-0704.