Degrazia and Hickok Win 53rd Amateur Best-Ball Championship in Three Team Playoff; Lamey and Richards Claim Their 5th Title in 16th Senior Amateur Best-Ball Championship

DeGrazia and Hickok

Kingston, Wash. (May 29, 2009) – Chris DeGrazia of Lynnwood, Wash. and Mike Hickok of Kirkland, Wash. followed up their opening round of 5-under par 67 with a final round of 1-over par 73 to force a three team playoff. Also in the playoff were Michael Crow of Seattle, Wash., Brandon Roberts of Snoqualmie, Wash. and partners Derek Berg of Duval, Wash. and Jeff Williams of Sammamish, Wash. Crow and Roberts put together a solid round today of 4-under par 68 while Berg and Williams bogeyed the final two holes for a 1-under par 71 today.

 
The playoff commenced on the hole-18 the tough par-4 finishing hole. DeGrazia and Hickok both found the green in regulation and after a near chip in birdie from Berg and a lag putt from long distance for DeGrazia, Hickok stepped up and drained his 18-foot birdie putt for the victory in the 53rd Washington State Men’s Best-Ball Championship.

 

Richards and Lamey

In the Senior Division, Dr. Jack Lamey of Bellevue, Wash.and his partner Bruce Richards of Seattle, Wash.ran away with a six-stroke victory, marking the fifth time they have accepted the championship crystal together (’94, ’96, ’00, ’06, ’09). Following an opening round of 4-under par 68, Lamey came out firing with an opening birdie at the par-4 first hole and then Richards got involved with a birdie of his own at the par-4 second hole. The lone bogey of the day again came at the tricky par-4 ninth hole but was quickly offset with a Richard’s birdie at the par-4 tenth and then pars the rest of the way, good enough for a round of 2-under par 70 and the low round of the day honors along with Michael Robb of Bothell, Wash. and Roy Niznik of Lake Forest Park, Wash.

 

Don Balke of Kenmore, Wash.and Jim Griffin of Seattle, Wash.finished in second place after rounds of 2-under par 70 yesterday and a 2-over par 74 today.