The Washington State Golf Association has announced the 2010 Player of the Year recipients. The winners include: Andrew Putnam of University Place who received the Men’s award; Erynne Lee of Silverdale received the Junior Girls’ award as well as the Women’s award; Dominick Francks of Olympia received the Junior Boys’ award; Tom Brandes of Bellevue received the Senior Men’s award; and Anne Carr of Renton received the Senior Women’s award.
2010 was a comeback year to remember for Putnam. In June, the then Sophomore at Pepperdine University qualified for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach where he made an impressive showing as the second low amateur in the field. Putnam used this major momentum to finish runner-up at the Sahalee Players Championship in July, followed quickly by a seventh place finish at the prestigious Southern Amateur in Birmingham, Alabama week later. Putnam capped off his banner year by winning the 44th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club. The win was truly special as it marked the 6th anniversary of his older brother Michael Putnam’s victory at the same club with the same score.
Lee, now 17 years old, has been awarded her third consecutive Junior Girls’ Player of the Year honor and second Women’s Player of the Year honor in three years. Lee’s accomplishments on the national level as both a junior competitor on the AJGA tour and an amateur participant in USGA competitions have been nothing short of remarkable. Lee got off to a hot start in 2010 by winning the AJGA Laredo Energy Junior Championship in April and would go on to post five top-ten finishes on the junior tour. Lee also had a solid showing at the U.S. Girls’ Junior making the Round of 64. The most notable performance of Lee’s season came at the U.S. Women’s Amateur where she was the qualifying co-medalist and would go on to make the quarterfinals.
Francks made a big splash on the junior boys scene in 2010 which saw him capture two of the most coveted trophies in regional junior golf. In the span of one month, Francks won both the WJGA State Championship and the PNGA Junior Boys’ Championship. Francks would go onto play for team Washington at the Hogan Cup Matches where he finished in 3rd place as an individual.
Brandes had an inspiring year in the Senior Men’s division. He started his season with a 5th place finish at the Senior Washington Open, and then notched two runner-up finishes at the Royal Oaks Invitational and the PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur respectively. Brandes’ most extraordinary feat came in August when he qualified and played in his second consecutive U.S. Senior Open. This year’s Senior Open had a special touch for Brandes as it was played just miles from his home at Sahalee Country Club.
Carr made her mark on the 2010 season finishing runner-up at both the PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur and the PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur. Carr also made the quarterfinals at both the WSWGA Championship and the SWGA Championship. Carr’s award winning season was highlighted when she was the qualifying medalist at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifier and went on to make the Round of 64 at the championship proper at Fiddlesticks Country Club in Fort Meyers, Florida.
The WSGA Championship Committee meets annually in early October to vote and select the Players of the Year for the WSGA in the categories of Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, Junior Boys’, and Junior Girls’. The WSGA Performance Points list is used as the primary guide for the selection. Since the WSGA does not have a performance points list for juniors, the WSGA receives the nominations for selection from the Washington Junior Golf Association. Visit www.thewsga.org for more information.