IMPRESSIVE DISPLAYS OF talent from amateurs to the professional ranks were offered at North Olympic Peninsula golf courses in the last week.
The largest, and arguably most talented, field in Clallam County Amateur history, 111 strong, came together (via socially distanced tee times) for three days of play at Peninsula Golf Club, Sunland Golf & Country Club and The Cedars at Dungeness.
Western Washington redshirt junior Devin Andrews had the hot hand all weekend, finishing the three rounds 7-under par to knock off Auburn-Riverside High School senior Cole Reynolds by two strokes.
Andrews was 10 strokes better than his Western Washington teammate Ethan Casto, the Vikings’ No. 1 player during the COVID-19-abbreviated spring season, so you can imagine there will be some good-natured ribbing between that duo.
Last year’s champion, Sequim’s Eric Bower, a member of Cedars’ Men’s Club, was again the low local, tied for fourth at 8-over par.
Congratulations to Andrews on the big win and all who competed in the event.
Stableford shooter
It wasn’t quite the course record, but Shane Prante, PGA Pro at The Home Course in Dupont, lapped the field at the Western Washington Chapter of the PGA’s Pro-Member Series at Port Ludlow Golf Course last Thursday.
Prante went out in 33 strokes and came home with 31 shots on the back nine, birdieing eight of 18 holes, to post a clean card of 8-under-par 64 and earn 44 points in the Stableford Scoring System event.
Prante was just three strokes off the Port Ludlow course record of 61 set by Chimacum’s Eric Nelson back on Feb. 9, 2013.
Cedars head pro Garrett Smithson recorded four birdies in five holes on the front nine, but cooled off and finished fourth with a 1-over-par 73 good for 35 points.
Port Ludlow head pro Tyler Sweet posted three birdies on his way to a tie for sixth with 33 points after posting a round of 3-over-par 75.
Ludlow team tourney
The Washington Junior Golf Association recalibrated its season schedule after the pandemic hit, and Thursday’s School Team Event at Port Ludlow seeks to restore a little bit of what was lost for high school golfers who saw their spring seasons end abruptly in March when in-person instruction ended and schools were closed.
Originally set to host the WJGA’s Best Ball tournament, Port Ludlow will instead welcome players for an individual stroke-play format event that combines three players’ scores to arrive at a team score in boys and girls gross competitions.
Tee times begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
Sequim High School golfers Ben Sweet, Drew Riccobene and Garret Hoesel will represent the Wolves in Thursday’s match.
Sweet is part of a 9:27 a.m. group that includes the Clallam Amateur runner-up, Reynolds.
SkyRidge Gut Buster
Top-level amateur players can continue to test themselves when SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim hosts what the course calls its toughest tournament of the year, The Gut Buster, on Saturday.
Golfers will play from the tips (the Black tees at 6,529 yards for men and the Silver tees, a 5,772-yard test for women) and putt to the most difficult pin placements Jeff Pedersen and SkyRidge staffers can devise.
Tee times begin at 9 a.m. Saturday for the individual medal play event.
The $75 entry fee includes green fees, including a Friday practice round, along with range balls, three KP prizes, a longest putt competition and lunch Saturday.
A $25 per person honey pot also will be up for grabs.
Men’s gross and net divisions are planned and if at least six women sign up to play, a Women’s Division also will produce a champion.
Tip and Tuck tourney
Peninsula Golf Club plans its “most challenging course layout ever” for the inaugural Tip & Tuck Tournament set Saturday, Aug. 1.
Players are invited to set up a tee time between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. for the 18-hole individual stroke play tournament.
There will be handicap and Callaway flights, so players of all abilities can participate and be challenged.
The entry fee is $65 for the public, $40 for members and employees.
To register and set up a tee time, call 360-582-4917.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
