THE WASHINGTON HUSKIES earned an impressive victory last week.
No, I’m not talking about Washington’s football program.
This Cougar alum would like to avoid the topic of college football altogether after last weekend’s results, and is instead referring to the come-from-behind finish the Huskies men’s golf team authored to beat four American universities and five Japanese colleges in the Topy Cup in Tanagura, Japan.
Washington, ranked No. 2 in “Golf World’s” college rankings, looks to harness the momentum from their winning performance by playing host to a fun golf event on this side of Puget Sound on Sept. 27-28, the Ping/Golfweek Invitational on the Olympic Course at Bremerton’s Gold Mountain Golf Club.
Spectators will have the ability to glimpse future PGA Tour professionals in action during the tournament, including Washington’s Nick Taylor, the top-rated amateur player in the world, and North Carolina State’s Matt Hill, the defending NCAA individual champion.
The reigning NCAA champion Texas A&M Aggies will also compete along with No. 1-ranked Oklahoma State and the Cowboys’ Walker Cup winner Morgan Hoffman, and No. 4 Alabama and its Walker Cup winner Bud Cauley.
The field also features six other teams ranked in the top 20.
You can’t beat the price of the tournament, both days are free.
The collegians will play 36 holes on Sunday, Sept. 27, and finish with an 18-hole final round on Sept. 28.
I will attend next Monday’s media day at Gold Mountain and will have a chance to meet the Huskies’ team at a press conference.
If there are any burning questions for last year’s NCAA quarterfinalists, send me an e-mail at pdn golf@gmail.com and I will ask the team at the event.
Three worthy tourneys
Yes, the leaves are turning and fall is at the doorstep, but there are still plenty of warm temperatures and low scores available at our local golf clubs and courses.
As mentioned last week, the Citizens for Sequim Schools are hosting a fundraising tournament at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course on Sept. 26.
For $75, golfers receive 18 holes of golf, a cart with GPS, and a catered lunch plus the chance to win a new car and other prizes.
Most importantly, players will be supporting a noble cause: education.
For more information, contact the Dungeness pro shop by e-mailing emichael@olypen.com or by phone at 360-460-2839.
Elks best ball
That same day in Port Townsend, the annual Elks best-ball tournament occurs at Port Townsend Golf Club.
The Elks Tournament is a two-person best ball format with individual medalist winners.
Entry fee is $40 for club members, $45 for non-members ($35 of entry fee is tax deductible.)
Contact the golf club for more information at 360-385-4547.
Port Townsend Golf Club also plays host to an intriguing event on Saturday, Oct. 3.
That’s the Sunrise Rotary Club’s fourth annual Driving in the Dark Golf Tournament.
For this five-person scramble format, the course is outfitted with glow sticks to illuminate tee boxes, fairways, greens and pins while duffers play with glow-in-the-dark golf balls.
“Playing on a decorated golf course at night while illuminated golf balls arc across the night sky is almost too much fun to be true,” Rotarian Curtis Stacey said.
“The circumstances of the event leads to lots of laughs and golfer camaraderie.”
Cost for the tournament is $325 for a team, $70 for an individual. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m. with a 5 p.m. shotgun start.
Nine holes will be played in daylight/twilight with dinner at the turn, while the back nine takes place in complete darkness.
There is a $10,000 prize for a hole-in-one on the seventh hole, a $1,000 skins competition and putting, football toss and horseshoe contests.
To sponsor or play in the tournament, contact the club or Stacey at curtisstacey@hotmail.com, or by phone at 360-302-0979.
The Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club will donate proceeds from the event to the continued funding of the global attempt to eradicate polio.
Cases of that disease have dropped from 1,000 new cases a day in 1988 to fewer than 1,000 a year worldwide thanks to the help of Rotary clubs all over the planet.
Area results
Cedars at Dungeness Men’s Club member Dick Thompson passed along a recent accomplishment.
Thompson, along with Richard Sumida and David Yasamura, were witness to a noteworthy feat by fellow men’s club member Paul Ryan during the club’s two-man best ball competition on Sept. 9.
Ryan, 75, carded a 75 to shoot his age for the eighth time in his golfing career.
A well-deserved tip of the cap to Ryan’s round.
Soroptimist tourney
Discovery Bay Golf Club recently hosted the Soroptimist International of Port Townsend-East Jefferson County Soroptimist Golf Tournament to benefit foster families and victims of domestic abuse.
In Division A play, the Chimacum High School team of Adam Barrows, Kyle Doucette, Eric Nelson and longtime Cowboys head coach Mitch Black fired a 56 in the scramble format to defend their 2008 title by two strokes over the rival Port Townsend High School team of Ronnie Harrell, Mike Lux, Sean Anderson and Redskins head coach Gabriel Tonan.
Jeremy Vance, Scott McKeag, Jim Holt and Ed Kraft won Division B with a 63.
Discovery Bay women
The Discovery Bay Ladies Club played Hidden Holes on Sept. 9.
Nine holes are selected blindly from the normal 18 holes, and half the player’s handicap is subtracted to determine a net score.
Irene Helander earned first prize with a 34.5.
The women will play on Thursdays for the rest of the month before a luncheon and awards ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Peninsula women
The Peninsula Golf Club of Port Angeles lady golfers hosted the 2009 Red, White and Blue Invitational on Sept. 9.
Thirteen teams representing golfers from Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, SunLand and Dungeness participated in a 1-2-3 best ball game.
The team made up of Peninsula’s Lori Oakes and Dungeness’ Pat Charters, Virginia Dvorshak and Carol Inglesby claimed first place.
After the event, the ladies dined at Peninsula’s Clubhouse while being entertained by a string quartet comprised of members of Port Angeles High School’s Chamber Orchestra.
This was the final nine-hole invitational of the 2009 season. The other area clubs all take turns in hosting the events and enjoying golf and companionship throughout the spring and summer.
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. He can be reached at pdngolf@gmail.com or 360-504-0181.