The Washington State Golf Association's (WSGA) Championship Selection Committee has announced its team to represent the Association at the 11th PNGA Cup, to be held at Richmond (B.C.) Country Club May 5-6, 2016.
Having won the event in 2015 when it was held at Portland's Columbia Edgewater Country Club, the WSGA will be attempting to defend its title. The WSGA also won the title in 2008.
The Men's Mid-Amateur selections include Sean Packer of Seattle, who was a runner-up at the 2015 Tacoma City Amateur, a top-5 finisher in the WSGA Men's Mid-Amateur Championship, and a top-10 finisher in the PNGA Men's Mid-Amateur Championship; Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake, Idaho, who had four top-5 finishes in 2015, including the WSGA Men's Amateur, and was named the 2015 WSGA Men's Mid-Amateur Player of the Year; Erik Heggelund of Seattle, who made the Round of 32 at the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur; and Jake Koppenberg of Bellingham, who was a qualifying medalist for the 2015 U.S. Amateur and last week won the WSGA Champion of Champions men's title. Hatley and Packer also made the PNGA Cup team last year.
The Master-40 Men's selections are Erik Hanson of Kirkland, whose 2015 accomplishments included winning the PNGA Master-40 Amateur and the Seattle Amateur, as well as top-10 finishes in the Washington Open and Senior Washington Open, and also qualified for the 2015 U.S. Senior Open; and Scott Johnson of Richland, who finished runner-up to Hanson in the PNGA Master-40.
Representing the team in the Senior Men's category are Tom Brandes of Bellevue, who was runner-up in the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur, champion of the WSGA Men's Mid-Amateur, and was named the 2015 WSGA Senior Men's Player of the Year, the sixth consecutive year he has earned that honor; and Paul Houvener of Mill Creek, who was runner-up at the 2015 PNGA Senior Men's Amateur.
In the Women's Mid-Amateur division, selections include Yasue Alkins of Steilacoom, who won both the WSWPLA Championship and TWGA Championship in 2015; and Amanda Jacobs of Seattle, the 2015 WSGA Women's Mid-Amateur champion and runner-up at the 2015 PNGA Women's Mid-Amateur, who was named the 2015 WSGA Women's Mid-Amateur Player of the Year. Jacobs also was named to the team last year.
The Senior Women's team includes Lisa Smego of Olympia, who had top-5 finishes in both the WSGA Senior Women's Amateur and Senior Women's Champion of Champions; and Karen Madison of East Wenatchee who won both the WSGA Senior Women's Champion of Champions and PNGA Super Senior Women's Amateur, and was named the 2015 WSGA Senior Women's Player of the Year.
For a complete list of WSGA player accomplishments, click here.
The PNGA Cup was created in 2006 by past PNGA President Dr. Jack Lamey as a way of continuing the friendship and partnership of the region's allied associations under the PNGA umbrella - British Columbia Golf, Idaho Golf Association, Oregon Golf Association and Washington State Golf Association. The annual competition consists of 48 of the finest amateur golfers in the region. Each association will send a 12-person team consisting of eight men and four women. The representation includes four mid-amateur men of 25 years of age or older, two men of 40 years or older, two senior men of 55 years or older, two mid-amateur women of 25 years or older and two senior women of 50 years or older.
The Ryder Cup-style format includes four-ball and foursome matches the first day and singles matches on the second and final day. With three matches for each player, the championship allows each competitor to compete against players from each of the other associations. With both men's and women's scores used to determine the team result, it is the only known event of its kind in the U.S.
For a complete roster of players competing in the 11th PNGA Cup, please click here. Visit www.thepnga.org for information.
