ALEXS PRUGH WINS 39TH PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

 

BANDON, Ore., August 5 – Alex Prugh of Spokane fired a nearly flawless 3-under-par 69 today and came from behind to win the 39th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.  The 20-year-old University of Washington student joined his sibling, Corey, who won in 2001, as the only brothers to win the prestigious title. 

 

Prugh’s four-round total of 72-70-70-69 -- 281 was 5 under par over the Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes layouts (the four rounds alternated between the two courses).  He finished three shots ahead of UNLV student Andres Gonzales of Olympia, Wash., medalist in last week’s Western Amateur, who also shot 69 today, and four better than U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Clay Ogden of West Point, Utah, who had led after each of the first three rounds but faded on the back nine in the stiff winds that have raked both courses all week. 

 

University of Oregon student Greg Lavoie of Pasco, Wash., and Stanford student Robert Grube of Hillsdale, Ill, shot two of the day’s best rounds, 67 and 69, respectively, and tied for fourth at 288, 2 over par.  Lavoie’s 5-under-par 67 was the best round of the tournament.  UCLA student Kevin Chappell of Fresno finished sixth at 4 over par.

 

Prugh was the only person not impressed with his round, which included four birdies, one lone bogey and 13 pars.  “It was kind of a mediocre round today,” said Prugh after his round.  I didn’t hit the ball all that well but I didn’t get into trouble and made a lot of six-to-seven foot par putts.”

 

Ogden, who began the day with a two-shot lead, jumped out fast with three birdies in the first four holes, but Prugh remained in sight by birdieing two of his first three holes. Ogden could not sustain his early momentum.  He followed up his birdie run with three bogies on the front nine and then imploded with consecutive double-bogies on the back nine to fall four shots behind Prugh.  On the 359-yard 14th hole, Ogden drove into a fairway bunker, hit his approach into a greenside bunker, exploded long and three-putted.  Another three-putt on the par-three 15th hole effectively ended his chances.

 

Meanwhile, Prugh, who earlier this summer won the Washington State Amateur, continued his relentless march to the title, making two birdies and 11 pars after three-putting for his only bogey on the 400-yard fifth hole.  Gonzales tried to keep pace, but to no avail.  “I tried my best,” he said later, “but he just kept making putts all day.”

 

Prugh’s win marks the fourth year in five years that the title has been won by a Washington resident and the other winner, James Lepp of Abbotsford, B.C. (2003) attends the University of Washington.  Lepp made an early run today when he shot 2-under-par 34 on the front nine but staggered home with a 43 on the back and ended up tied for 13th.  Defending champion Michael Putnam had a 1-over-par 73 today and finished tied for 26th.

 

Prugh won despite having time for only one practice round at the seaside Oregon resort, after arriving late from the Western Amateur last week.  “Fortunately,” he said, “I’ve played the courses many times so that wasn’t as big a problem as might have been.  And I’m glad I made the trip.”

 

RESULTS:

 

Pacific Coast Golf Association

 

39th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship

 

at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort; Bandon, Oregon

Bandon Dunes Golf Course

6,876 yards; par 72

 

FINAL 72-hole results:

 

281 -- Alex Prugh, Spokane, Wash., 72-70-70-69.

 

284 -- Andres D. Gonzales, Olympia, Wash., 74-71-70-69.

 

285 -- Clay Ogden, West Point, Utah, 68-72-70-75.

 

288 -- Gregg LaVoie, Pasco, Wash., 75-73-73-67; 288 Robert P. Grube, Hillsdale, Ill., 75-70-74-69.

 

290 -- Kevin Chappell, Fresno, Calif., 69-77-72-72.

 

291 -- Jonathan Moore, Vancouver, Wash., 69-75-73-74; Ryan Keeney, Redmond, Wash., 70-78-71-72.

 

292 -- Madalitso Muthiya, Lusaka, Zambia, 71-72-76-73; Michael Wilson, Pacific Grove, Calif, 77-72-74-69.

 

293 -- Drew Stoltz, Fort Collins, Colo., 71-72-72-78; HoChul (Kevin) Kim, Jamul, Calif., 74-71-76-72.

 

294 -- James Lepp, Abbotsford, BC, 72-77-68-77; Joe Panzeri, Boise, Idaho, 72-75-72-75; Kris Wasylowich, Lethbridge, AB, 71-73-74-76.

 

295 -- Brady Exber, Las Vegas, Nev., 71-76-74-74; Brian Edick, Valencia, Calif., 75-75-69-76; Elliott Wainwright, Hillsborough, Calif., 73-74-73-75; Joe Lanza, Bainbridge Island, W, 73-73-77-72; David Schultz, Calgary, AB, 73-74-74-74; Louie Bishop, Murrieta, Calif., 69-73-76-77.

 

296 -- Erik Flores, Grass Valley, Calif., 75-72-72-77; Erik Olson, Renton, Wash., 74-76-72-74; Nick Becker, Provo, Utah, 71-73-74-78; Ryan Carter, Hacienda Heights, Ca, 76-75-73-72; Zach Bixler, Richland, Wash., 80-74-75-67.

 

297 -- Daniel Lim, Cupertino, Calif., 75-75-72-75; Edward McGlasson, Orange, Calif., 73-77-73-74; Michael Putnam, Tacoma, Wash., 75-74-75-73.

 

298 -- Patrick Nagle, Pacifica, Calif., 78-77-70-73; Travis Bertoni, Paso Robles, Calif., 76-76-75-71.

 

299 -- Liam Kendregan, Gresham, Ore., 75-74-74-76; Scott Hardy, Pleasant Hill, Calif, 72-73-77-77; Shane Prante, Tumwater, Wash., 70-75-75-79.

 

300 -- Brooks Newsom, Portland, Ore., 74-80-76-70; Craig Doell, Victoria, BC, 71-78-73-78.

 

301 -- Chad Fosburg, Las Vegas, Nev., 72-75-75-79; Charles Soule, Longmont, Colo., 74-76-78-73; Mark Baker, Scottsdale, Ariz., 75-79-75-72.

 

302 -- Craig Junio, Las Vegas, Nev., 72-78-79-73; Darren Wallace, Langley, BC, 77-78-75-72; Eddie Olson, Aptos, Calif., 80-74-75-73; Erik Hanson, Kirkland, Wash., 76-75-77-74; James Allenby, Langley, BC, 82-74-76-70; Marty Jacks, Kaysville, Utah, 79-76-76-71; Will Johnson, Fair Oaks, Calif., 73-75-82-72.

 

303 -- David Nelson, Reno, Nev., 72-75-84-72; Justin St Clair, Eugene, Ore., 71-73-84-75; Michael Jensen, Los Altos, Calif., 78-81-72-72; Tyler Ley, Santa Barbara, Calif, 73-73-80-77.

 

304 -- James Lee, La Habra, Calif., 81-77-74-72; Jordan Irwin, Calgary, AB, 73-74-78-79; Michael Turner, Sherman Oaks, Calif., 77-71-81-75.

 

305 -- James Love, Calgary, AB, 78-81-72-74; Marc Rhoades, McCall, Idaho, 77-76-76-76; Scott McGihon, Bermuda Dunes, Calif., 75-74-80-76.

 

306 -- Andrew Putnam, Tacoma, Wash., 73-80-74-79; Barrett Jarosch, Edmonton, AB, 76-78-80-72; Michael Baird, Castle Rock, Colo., 76-77-82-71; Rafael Lee, Burnaby, BC, 75-76-77-78; Riki Kauika, Wanganui, New Zealand, 80-72-80-74.

 

307 -- J.J. Wood, Yuma, Ariz., 74-78-81-74; Tim McKenney, Scottsdale, Ariz., 77-74-82-74.

 

308 -- Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch, Col, 80-77-75-76.

 

309 -- Kyle Stanley, Gig Harbor, Wash., 78-80-73-78.

 

310 -- Keith Kinsel, Glendale, Calif., 79-75-80-76; Taylor Wood, Laguna Niguel, Calif, 81-75-76-78.

 

311 -- Ashdon Woods, Lander, Wyo., 74-82-77-78; Michael McRae, Salt Lake City, Utah, 83-78-75-75.

 

312 -- Randy Mahar, Portland, Ore., 79-78-71-84.

 

315 -- Matt Williams, Holton, Kan., 77-80-79-79.

 

316 -- Greg Wenzel, Sparks, Nev., 82-81-78-75; Ryan Fery, Beaverton, Ore., 86-80-76-74; Travis Gibbens, Caldwell, Idaho, 76-81-83-76.

 

318 -- John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo., 84-80-77-77; Seth Cotter, Sparks, Nev., 80-81-77-80.

 

319 -- Patrick Carrigan, Walnut, Calif., 77-79-83-80.

 

320 -- Joe Sanders, Incline Village, Nev, 73-89-80-78; Larry Gilhuly, Gig Harbor, Wash., 78-74-83-85.

 

321 -- Craig Reasoner, Casper, Wyo., 82-75-84-80; Dustin Mills, Arvada, Colo., 79-75-87-80.

 

323 -- Todd Points, Payette, Idaho, 77-89-75-82.

 

324 -- John Pate, Santa Barbara, Calif., 81-83-82-78.

 

329 -- Lee Sanchez, Jr., Santa Fe, N.M., 84-77-84-84.

 

NOTE:  Individual scorecards and photos may be found at www.pacificcoastamateur.com.