THREE TIED FOR LEAD AT MIDPOINT OF
40th PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
SAN FRANCISCO, CA., August 2, 2006 -- Two Californians building impressive college resumes, Eddie Olson of Aptos (UNLV) and Kevin Chappell of Fresno (UCLA), and Josh Immordino of Kent, Wash., who is playing his final amateur tournament, share the halfway lead at the 40th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship being played at The Olympic Club.
Olson had the day’s best round on the club’s Lake Course, 2-under-par 68, while Immordino shot 69 and Chappell fired his second consecutive even-par round with a 70. All three finished at even-par 141 for two rounds (the first round was played on the Ocean Course) and are a shot in front of a quartet that includes co-first round leader Ben Fox of Studio City, Calif.
The third round will be played tomorrow on the Ocean Course and the final round is Friday on the Lake Course, site of eight USGA national championships including four U.S. Opens. Gallery is welcome to attend the tournament at no charge. Live scoring each day will be available at www.pacificcoastamateur.com.
Immordino played an integral role as the Pacific Northwest Golf Association captured the annual Morse Cup competition, held in conjunction with the first two stroke-play rounds. It was the PNGA’s first Cup win since 1989. With the best two of three individual scores counting in each round, PNGA totaled 286, 4 over par, and finished three shots in front of first-round leader Northern California and Oregon. Two-time defending champion Washington State GA finished tied for fourth, seven shots behind PNGA.
Immordino, a recent graduate of Western Washington University who won the 2006 Washington State Open, opened quickly today with birdies on the par-5 first and treacherous par-3 third hole, sandwiched around a bogey 6 on the second. After shooting 2-under-par 33 on the front nine, Immordino struggled in with two bogies on the back nine and finished at even-par 70 on a course he had never played until today. “This is my last tournament as an amateur,” said Immordino after his round, “and I just came here wanting to enjoy everything. To be leading is a bonus.”
The 20-year-old Chappell, a rising senior at UCLA, began play on the ninth hole today and bogied the 16th and 17th holes to finish the back nine at 2 over par 37. Chappell then jump-started his round by hitting his six-iron approach to within 18 feet on the 533-yard first hole and draining the putt for an eagle 3. He gave those shots back with bogies on the second and third hole, but closed with birdies on the seventh and eighth holes for a front-nine 33, good for an even-par 70.
By contrast, Olson, 19, the 2004 California state high school champion, finished strong with birdies on Nos. 16 and 18 to complete his 68. Earlier he had birdied the seventh and bogied the 11th, setting the stage for his powerhouse finish. His birdie 4 on the 609-yard 16th hole was one of just 10 birdies in the field of 90.
Both first-round leaders slipped a bit today. Fox birdied his first hole, which turned out to be his only birdie on the day. “I played solid all day and hit a lot of fairways,” said Fox after his round, “but I missed three birdie putts inside 10 feet. It was tough out here today.” Matt Savage of Scottsdale, AZ who attends Stanford, also struggled with his putting and chipping and finished with a 76 today. “This course is two or three shots harder than the Ocean Course but I should have been around even par today,” he said later, “I just didn’t get it done.”
RESULTS:
PACIFIC COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION
40th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship
at The Olympic Club; San Francisco, CA
Lake Course
6,790 yards; par 70
36-hole results:
141 -- Eddie Olson, Aptos, CA, 73-68; Josh Immordino, Kent, WA, 72-69; Kevin Chappell, Fresno, CA, 71-70.
142 -- Adam Hagen, Scappoose, OR, 71-71; Ben Fox, Studio City, CA, 69-73; Erik Hanson, Kirkland, WA, 70-72; James Love, Calgary, AB, 70-72.
143 -- Charlie Beljan, Mesa, AZ, 71-72; Patrick Nagle, Pacifica, CA, 70-73.
144 -- Brady Exber, Las Vegas, NV, 74-70; Zack Miller, San Rafael, CA, 71-73.
145 -- Elliott Wainwright, Hillsborough, CA, 72-73; John Pate, Santa Barbara, CA, 70-75; Joseph Bramlett, Saratoga, CA, 71-74; Matt Savage, Scottsdale, AZ, 69-76; Michael McCoy, West Des Moines, IA, 71-74; Ryan Thornberry, Ceres, CA, 70-75.
146 -- Matt Williams, Las Cruces, NM, 72-74; Cameron Tringale, San Juan Capistrano, CA, 71-75; Chris Heintz, Brea, CA, 71-75; Henry Liaw, Rowland Hts, CA, 74-72; J.J. Wood, Yuma, AZ, 72-74; Joe Sanders, Incline Village, NV, 74-72; Kris Wasylowich, Lethbridge, AB, 73-73; Tye Alexander, Los Angeles, CA, 74-72; Zach Bixler, Richland, WA, 74-72.
147 -- Adam Hadwin, Abbotsford, BC, 76-71; Blake Moore, Monrovia, CA, 72-75; Drew Stoltz, Ft Collins, CO, 75-72;
Jeff Wilson, Fairfield, CA, 75-72; Michael Wilson, Pacific Grove, CA, 71-76; Mitchell Gillis, Williams Lake, BC, 73-74; Scott McGihon, Bermuda Dunes, CA, 76-71; Steve Woods, Cupertino, CA, 71-76; Travis Esway, Granite Bay, CA, 72-75.
148 -- Brian Edick, Valencia, CA, 73-75; Clayton Ogden, North Salt Lake, UT, 74-74; Dustin Pimm, Sandy, UT, 72-76; Tim McKenney, Scottsdale, AZ, 74-74.
149 -- Bryan Toth, Victoria, BC, 75-74; Daniel Summerhays, Provo, UT, 75-74; Gary Vanier, Pleasant Hill, CA, 71-78; Graham DeLaet, Weyburn, SK, 77-72; Keegan Bradley, Jackson, WY, 77-72; Kevin Larsen, Santa Barbara, CA, 78-71; Nick Travers, Boise, ID, 77-72; Randy Haag, Burlingame, CA, 76-73; Ryan Keeney, Redmond, WA, 71-78; Scott Hardy, Pleasant Hill, CA, 73-76; Steve Saunders, Albuquerque, NM, 74-75.
150 -- Adam Tebbs, Henderson, NV, 77-73; Michael Barbosa, St Petersburg, FL, 76-74; Ryan Kelley, Phoenix, AZ, 74-76.
151 -- Craig Doell, Victoria, BC, 76-75; Scott Hval, Portland, OR, 78-73.
152 -- Andrew Putnam, University Place, WA, 75-77; Brendon Ehlers, Evanston, WY, 74-78; Brett Smith, Boise, ID, 75-77; Greggory LaVoie, Pasco, WA, 72-80; Joe Sawaia, Henderson, NV, 72-80; Michael Knight, Calgary, AB, 74-78; Seth Cotter, Sparks, NV, 77-75.
153 -- Dan Horner, Salt Lake City, UT, 77-76; Jordan Nasser, Anaheim Hills, CA, 78-75; Nick Becker, Boise, ID, 72-81; Roberto Galletti, Jr, Clayton, CA, 77-76; Tim Hogarth, Northridge, CA, 75-78; Will Johnson, San Francisco, CA, 77-76.
154 -- David Nelson, Reno, NV, 76-78; Paul Welle, Scottsdale, AZ, 73-81; Riki Kauika, Wanganui, New Zealand, 83-71; Steven Fink, Las Vegas, NV, 72-82.
155 -- Alex Prugh, Spokane, WA, 78-77; Todd Griffin, Casper, WY, 77-78; Zen Brown, Arvada, CO, 79-76.
156 -- Anton Salome, Socorro, NM, 79-77; George E. Marucci, Jr, Wayne, PA, 79-77; Robert Funk, Canyon Lake, CA, 76-80; Todd Halpen, Calgary, AB, 77-79.
158 -- Alex Stamey, Mill Creek, WA, 74-84; Charles Soule, Longmont, CO, 79-79.
159 -- Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch, CO, 79-80; Don DuBois, Newport Beach, CA, 83-76.
160 -- Ed Susolik, Newport Beach, CA, 75-85; Jay Snyder, Vancouver, BC, 76-84; Ken Kellaney, Phoenix, AZ, 78-82; Tony Finau, Salt Lake City, UT, 79-81.
163 -- Jake Ellison, Provo, UT, 81-82.
164 -- Carl Jensen, Salt Lake City, UT, 81-83; Greg Wenzel, Sparks, NV, 82-82.
Morse Cup Team Competition
(best two of three scores each day count for team total)
Final 36-hole results:
286 -- Pacific Northwest GA, 146-140
Josh Immordino, 72-69--141;Zach Bixler, 74-72--146;Adam Hadwin, 76-71--147
288 -- Northern California GA, 141-147
Patrick Nagle, 70-73--143;Joseph Bramlett, 71-74--145;Scott Hardy, 73-76--149
288 -- Oregon GA, 144-144
Adam Hagen, 71-71--142;Mitchell Gillis, 73-74--147;Scott Hval, 78-73--151
293 -- Public Links GA of Southern California, 146-147
Tye Alexander, 74-72--146;Blake Moore, 72-75--147;Ed Susolik, 75-85--160
293 -- Washington State GA, 144-149
Erik Hanson, 70-72--142;Alex Prugh, 78-77--155;Alex Stamey, 74-84--158
294 -- Sun Country GA, 146-148
Matt Williams, 72-73--145;Steve Saunders, 74-75--149;Anton Salome, 79-77--156
295 -- Arizona GA, 145-150
J.J. Wood, 72-74--146;Ryan Kelley, 74-76--150;Paul Welle, 73-81--154
296 -- Idaho GA, 147-149
Nick Travers, 77-72--149;Brett Smith, 75-77--152;Nick Becker, 72-81--153
297 -- Southern Nevada GA, 144-153
Adam Tebbs, 77-73--150;Joe Sawaia, 72-80--152;Steven Fink, 72-82--154
298 -- Alberta GA, 147-151
Kris Wasylowich, 73-73--146;Michael Knight, 74-78--152;Todd Halpen, 77-79--156
298 -- Northern Nevada GA, 151-147
Joe Sanders, 74-72--146;Seth Cotter, 77-75--152;Greg Wenzel, 82-82--164
300 -- British Columbia GA, 151-149
Bryan Toth, 75-74--149;Craig Doell, 76-75--151;Jay Snyder, 76-84--160
301 -- Wyoming GA, 151-150
Keegan Bradley, 77-72--149;Brendon Ehlers, 74-78--152;Todd Griffin, 77-78--155
305 -- Southern California GA, 154-151
Jordan Nasser, 78-75--153;Robert Funk, 76-80--156;Don DuBois, 83-76--159
313 -- Colorado GA, 158-155
Zen Brown, 79-76--155;Charles Soule, 79-79--158;Derek Tolan, 79-80--159
313 -- Utah State GA, 156-157
Dan Horner, 77-76--153;Tony Finau, 79-81--160;Carl Jensen, 81-83--164
NOTE: The third round is Thursday, on Olympic Club’s Ocean Course. The final round will be Friday on the Lake Course.
Eddie Olson of Aptos, Calif. is one of three players tied for the lead at the midpoint of the 40th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
Photo by Robert D. Thomas