The Final Weekend of the 2024 WA Golf Men’s Net Four-Ball Match Play tournament takes place this weekend, October 11-13, at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Wash. The event, which began earlier this spring, featured over 252 two-person teams across four divisions.
The event started with Pod Play, where teams within each division were grouped into pods of four. Each team competed in a Net Four-Ball match play format, with the top team from each pod advancing to the single-elimination bracket stage.
Teams received their matchups at the beginning of each round and were responsible for scheduling their matches at a course and time of their choosing. Winning teams reported their results and advanced through the bracket in a March Madness-style format.
After over six months of competition, only eight teams remain. The quarterfinals will be played on Friday, followed by the semifinals on Saturday, and the final match on Sunday.
MEET THE FINALISTS:
Adam Hargrave + Chad Orvella
Adam Hargrave
- Hometown: Snoqualmie
- How long have you played golf: 20 years
- Club: The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge
- Relation to teammate: Played baseball together at N.C. State, college roommates and best friend.
Chad Orvella
- Hometown: Snoqualmie
- How long have you played golf: Since I was about 5 years old
- Club: The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge
- Relation to teammate: Met at N.C. State while playing baseball and were also roommates. He was the best man in my wedding and now lives down the street.
Dan Fabela + Tim Rowe
Dan Fabela
- Hometown: Seattle
- How long have you played golf: 25 years
- Club: Jackson Park Men’s Golf Club
- Relation to teammate: Ride or die golf partner
Tim Rowe
- Hometown: Seattle
- Club: Jackson Park Men’s Golf Club
Robert LaRue + Stephen Laughlin
Robert LaRue
- Hometown: Steilacoom
- How long have you played golf: 13 years
- Club: USGA/Washington Golf Club
- Relation to teammate: Friends
Stephen Laughlin
- Hometown: Lakewood
- How long have you played golf: 20 years
- Club: The Home Course Men’s Club
- Relation to teammate: Friends
Tom Diebolt + Bao Phan
Tom Diebolt
- Hometown: Maple Valley
- How long have you played golf: Started playing when I was 12, played for a number of years and quit due to kids and work travel. Picked it up again in 2020.
- Club: BEGA Men’s Club
- Relation to teammate: Met in a golf league in 2020 and became friends and started playing in tournaments together.
Bao Phan
- Hometown: Renton
- How long have you played golf: Six years
- Club: The Home Course Men’s Club
- Relation to teammate: We participated together in a weekly Boeing league at Maplewood golf course and have continued to enjoy playing together ever since.
Brian Mainstone + Jim Schultz
Brian Mainstone
- Hometown: Syracuse, New York
- How long have you played golf: Started when I was 14 years old hitting whiffle balls in the front yard.
- Club: USGA/Washington Golf Club
- Relation to teammate: We met at work and got to be friends and golf buddies. We threw an annual golf tournament together for about 10 years called the Hacker’s Invitational.
Jim Schultz
- Hometown: Mill Creek
- How long have you played golf: 38 years
- Club: Mill Creek Country Club
- Relation to teammate: I used to work for Brian about 10 years ago. We both realized we had a similar hobby in golf. Started hosting a tournament that went on for over 10 years before COVID hit and we stopped hosting it. Been golfing together ever since.
Charles Birnbach + Vamshidhar Reddy
Charles Birnbach
- Hometown: Seattle
- How long have you played golf: Too long, but not long enough
- Club: Sand Point Country Club
- Relation to teammate: We met at an annual golf event called Fellowship of the Dunes in Bandon Dunes.
Vamshidhar Reddy
- Hometown: Seattle
- How long have you played golf: 27 years
- Club: Aldarra Golf Club
- Relation to teammate: Friends
Kevin Branson + PJ Sanchez
Kevin Branson
- Hometown: Pullman
- How long have you played golf: 40 years
- Club: Lewiston Golf & Country Club
- Relation to teammate: He started as my banker, and how he is my friend who works at the bank.
PJ Sanchez
- Hometown: Pullman
- How long have you played golf: 32 years
- Club: Palouse Ridge Golf Club
- Relation to teammate: Friends
Canyon Rader + Kip Burns
Canyon Rader
- Hometown: Kalama
- How long have you played golf: 11 years
- Club: The Legacy Golf Course
- Relation to teammate: Grandson
Kip Burns
- Hometown: Othello
- How long have you played golf: 35 years
- Club: The Legacy Golf Course
- Relation to teammate: Grandfather