Bellingham, Wash. – Jace Minni of Spokane, Wash. shot a 5-under par 67 to earn medalist honors in topping the field at Washington Men’s Amateur qualifying held today at North Bellingham Golf Course in Bellingham, Wash.

Minni, along with Ryan Ho of Sammamish, Wash., are the only two players in today’s field of 66 who scored under par. There are 16 players from today’s qualifier who are advancing to the championship proper.

View final scoring from today’s qualifier.

On his front nine, Minni had two birdies and an eagle (on the 530-yard par-5 ninth hole) to make the turn at 4-under. He had it to 6-under after 17 holes before his lone bogey of the day on the 445-yard par-4 18th.

Minni is a rising junior on the Gonzaga University men’s golf team. He grew up in Delta, B.C., and in 2018 won the BC Juvenile Boys’ Championship. In 2020 he was selected for the Canadian National Junior Squad. Minni’s dad Scott is a noted PGA of BC golf instructor.

Ho is a redshirt freshman on the Western Washington University men’s golf team.

Qualifying for entry into the championship proper was held this week at five locations – Lake Spanaway Golf Course, Kalispel Golf and Country Club, The Home Course, Wine Valley Golf Club and North Bellingham Golf Course.

A total of 408 players over the five qualifying locations vied to fill the field of 120 competitors who will compete in the 101st Washington Men’s Amateur Championship, which is set to take place June 28-30 at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland, Wash.

There are 19 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, RJ Manke of Lakewood, Wash. shot rounds of 66-67-68 to win the championship, which was held on the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.