THE U.S. Junior Amateur tournament is underway this week on the Olympic Course at Bremerton’s Gold Mountain Golf Club.
Free all week for spectators, this USGA tournament offers a chance to get a potential glimpse of future PGA Tour stars.
Past winners of the U.S. Junior Amateur include Johnny Miller, David Duval and three-time champion Tiger Woods.
The tournament committee will hand out a raffle ticket to fans each day, and fans can win a flip video camera (today), a three-wheel pull cart and bag (Thursday), a golf rangefinder (Friday) and two tickets to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in 2015 (Saturday).
Free shuttles from the Square Dance Center at 6800 West Belfair Valley Road in Bremerton are available between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.
Parking on site will be limited to players, officials, volunteers and golfers playing the Cascade Course, which will remain open during the tournament.
The Kitsap Sun has a page dedicated to the event, so if you are looking for more information, visit www.kitsapsun.com/2011-junior-am/.
Husky dinner slated
The first Sonny Sixkiller Husky Celebrity Golf Tournament presented by Wilder Auto on July 29 at Sequim’s Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course is a sell-out, according to Olympic Medical Center Foundation director Bruce Skinner.
But don’t fret Husky fans, you’ll still have the opportunity to meet the 32 Husky legends who will participate in the tournament at a dinner and auction prior to the event at 7 Cedars Casino at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 28.
Husky legends scheduled to be at the dinner include former football head coach Don James, 2001 Rose Bowl MVP Marques Tuiasasopo, Bob Schloredt, Nesby Glasgow, Jim Mora, Jim Lambright, Steve Emtman, Dane Looker and many others.
Three Port Angeles High School graduates — UW running backs coach and former Roughrider and University of Idaho running back Joel Thomas, Scott Jones, a Husky tight end and offensive tackle who is the only Rider to play in the NFL, and Bernie Fryer, a former Rider and collegiate basketball star who played and refereed in the NBA.
Robb Weller, a former Husky Yell King credited with inventing the “Wave” at Husky Stadium in the early 1970s and who later co-hosted “Entertainment Tonight” with Mary Hart, will serve as the emcee for the dinner.
Several items — including autographed Husky memorabilia, trips to Mariners spring training in Arizona, Indianapolis 500 trips and dinner with Sixkiller prior to a Husky game, will be auctioned off.
Tickets are $75 each and can be purchased by calling the Olympic Medical Center Foundation office at 360-417-7144.
Cedars youth camps
Dungeness will hold golf camps for kids ages 5 to 9 and 10 to 16 from Monday to July 27.
The 5-9 camp will run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the first two days and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A five-hole tournament capped off by a pizza party and awards presentation will be held the final day.
For the older players, the camp will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 27.
A four- to nine-hole tournament based on age will be held on the final day followed by a cookout and awards presentation.
Cedars staffers will instruct golfers in both age groups on putting, chipping, the full golf swing and course etiquette.
Cost for either camp is $75 and includes teaching fees, green fees, the party and awards, snacks and a gift.
To sign up, phone 800-447-6826 or 360-683-6344.
Space is limited to 45 students per camp on a first-come, first-served basis.
PT junior golf camp
Port Townsend Golf Club assistant pro Gabriel Tonan will host junior golf camps on Tuesday through Thursday and Aug. 23-25.
The camps will run from 9 a.m. to noon each day and include lunch from the course’s Hidden Rock Cafe.
Clinics are $45, and those interested can phone the golf course at 360-385-4547.
Ralley for the Cure
Just a shade under $10,000 was raised for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation during the 12th annual Rally for the Cure Golf Tournament held recently at Port Ludlow Golf Club.
Fifty-six women with pink shirts hidden under slickers and rain gear played in foggy and rainy conditions during the tournament.
Ray Grove of Port Ludlow Golf Maintenance decorated each tee box with pink tee markers and a teed-up pink ball.
Nineteen local businesses and individuals sponsored the holes and other local businesses donated materials and refreshments.
The luncheon following golf was held at the Bay Club with Betty Cragoe and her committee doing another outstanding job.
The tables were decorated by Beth Weaver and Judy Smith with pink birdhouses set on clear plastic cake stands that held pink frosted cupcakes.
Peggy Selby oversaw the raffling off of numerous theme baskets and events that ranged from a night at the Inn with breakfast and golf to a pin flag autographed by Tiger Woods.
Winners of the tournament had their choice of several gifts ranging from Jim Selby’s original birdhouses to gloves donated by Ludlow assistant golf pro Darren Posey.
The tournament winning team was Linda Bloemeke, Shannon McCaslin, Sheila Schoen and Sharon Zablotney.
Carol Katuzny, rally ambassador, closed the luncheon by recognizing cancer survivors with a pink carnation and urging all attendees to support the many businesses and individuals that lend support to this event.
Add this to the $6,000 recently raised during the Jefferson County YMCA Tournament at Port Townsend Golf Club and you can really see the power of playing golf for a purpose.
Thanks to the donors, participants and support staff who planned and participated in these good works!
RBC in Vancouver
Golfers willing to travel up to Vancouver can take in the RBC Canadian Open at Shaugnessey Golf & Country Club this week.
Stuart Appleby, David Duval, European Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal and John Daly are some of the big names playing.
Others include UCLA sophomore Patrick Cantlay, the World’s No. 1 ranked amateur who will play on a sponsor’s exemption.
Cantlay has been putting in some great performances on the PGA Tour since school let out for the summer, including taking Low Amateur honors at the U.S. Open.
Congratulations to Clarke
A hearty round of applause to yet another Northern Ireland major golf champion, Darren Clarke.
He became the third major winner from Northern Ireland in the past six major championships and the first over 40 winner of a major since Mark O’Meara at the Masters in 1998.
Something must be in the water in that country of 1.7 million people.
Or in the case of Clarke, who’s been known to have a pint or shot or two in his time, in the water they brew the Guinness or distill the whiskey!
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. He can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.