Moses Lake, Wash. –Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash. tamed the demanding layout at Moses Lake Golf Club to win the 3rd Washington State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, and of Seattle, Wash. survived a stiff test from Sandra Turbide of Maple Ridge, B.C. before pulling away to win the 3rd Washington State Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Brandes entered the final round Wednesday in a tie for first place with Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash. but finished with a flurry with birdies on holes 17 and 18 to finish the day at 1-under-par 71, good enough for a three stroke victory. Brandes and Hanson had entered the 17th hole tied at 1-under-par. “We were tied heading to 17 but I made a really good birdie on 17 and then finished with the birdie on 18, so it was good.”
This was the second time that Brandes and Hanson battled in the final round of a championship at Moses Lake Golf Club. “Erik (Hanson) and I have a little bit of history here. He beat me in the finals of the 2007 Pacific Northwest Master-40 Amateur Championship,” Brandes said. This time, Brandes sealed the deal. (Watch Brandes’ interview here.)
The win is Brandes’ third victory of the year, having won the Washington State Champion of Champions in May and the Pacific Northwest Senior Men’s Amateur Championship in June. His 3-under-par 141 total was good enough for a three-shot cushion over Steve Rude of Graham, Wash. and Alex Stamey of Mill Creek, Wash. Rude tied for low round of the day after firing a 2-under-par 70 to finish at even par 144 for the championship. Defending champion Stephen Lee of Everett, Wash. finished in a tie for 16th at 7-over-par 151.
In the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, Folsom and Turbide separated themselves from the field early in the final round and battled back and forth for much of the day. Turbide pulled even with Folsom through the front nine with a 3-over-par 39, but Folsom took over on the back nine, rattling off birdies on 10 and 12 to take a four stroke lead through 13 holes. “I played much better on the back nine,” she said after the round. “I hit the ball better, putted better. My experience on the challenging greens at Rainier (Golf and Country Club) was a big help.”
Once she took the lead, Folsom never let up as she cruised to a final round 4-over-par 76, a two day total of 9-over-par 153, and a six stroke victory over Turbide, who finished alone in second place at 15-over-par 159. Folsom, the 8-time champion in the Washington State Women’s Best-Ball Championship, finally earned her first individual championship, and it was a relief. “I finally got the monkey off my back,” she said. “This is huge and great to have my name alongside Lisa (Smego).” (Watch Folsom’s interview here.)
Two-time defending champion Lisa Smego of Olympia, Wash. finished in a tie for third with Ginny Burkey of Fircrest, Wash. at 19-over-par 163 for the championship, 10 strokes off the pace set by Folsom.
The field is made up of 52 participants in the Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and 16 in the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Both championships feature Washington State’s top mid-amateur competitors. To be eligible to compete in the WSGA Mid-Amateur Championships, players must belong to a WSGA Member Club, be 25 years of age or older, and carry a 16.4 or less handicap index for men and 24.4 or less for women.
For more information about the 3rd Washington State Men’s and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships, including final results, go to www.thewsga.org.
Washington State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Moses Lake Golf Club
6,432 yards Par 72