Bellingham, Wash. – Colten Kleis of Seattle, Dane Renkert of Bellingham, Drew Halili of Port Orchard and Conrad Brown of Burlington all shot scores of 4-under-par 68 today to earn co-medalist honors in Washington Men’s Amateur qualifying today at North Bellingham Golf Course in Bellingham, Wash.
Kleis, the 28-year-old former Bellevue College and Chico State College golfer went 4-under through 12 holes, stumbling with two bogeys on the par-4 13th and 18th holes, but did enough by posting an overall six birdies to qualify.
Renkert, a former Washington State University baseball pitcher and 2005 draft pick for the Milwaukee Brewers minor league organization, also posted six birdies on the day with just two bogeys. The pitcher-turned-golfer’s athleticism was on full display today as Renkert birdied every par-5.
Halili, a Western Washington sophomore, had himself a round that was as unconventional as it was incredible as no birdies and no bogeys were posted, but instead made two eagles at the par-5 ninth and 17th holes.
Brown didn’t start the way he wanted, making a bogey on the par-3 fifth hole, but turned his day around as he went bogey-free through the last 13 holes while posting five birdies along the way. Brown is a high school graduate and has committed to playing for Western Washington University for the 2021-2022 season.
A full field of 66 competitors teed it up today at North Bellingham, with 16 players from this qualifier advancing to the championship proper.
Click here for complete final scoring.
Qualifying for entry into the championship proper was held this week at five locations – Gold Mountain Golf Club (Cascade), Kalispel Golf and Country Club, The Home Course, Wine Valley Golf Club and North Bellingham Golf Course.
A total of 403 players over the five qualifying locations were vying to fill the field of 120 competitors who will compete in the 100th Washington Men’s Amateur Championship, which is set to take place July 6-8 on the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash. There are 25 players already exempted into the championship proper, through criteria previously set forth.
The championship will consist of 54 holes of stroke play, with the field cut to the low 60 players and ties after 36 holes. The five qualifying events and three-day championship are being conducted by Washington Golf (WA Golf).
Last year, Sean Kato of Redmond, Wash. shot rounds of 65-69-73 to go wire-to-wire in winning the championship, which was held at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.