Entries are still available for the Northwest Open at Wine Valley GC on August 20-22, 2012. We are accepting late entries, so click here to visit the Northwest Open page and enter today!
History of the Northwest Open
The history of the Northwest Open is as significant as the history of golf in the Pacific Northwest. The list of past champions reads like a who’s who in Pacific Northwest Golf. In fact, fifteen members of the Pacific Northwest Section’s Hall of Fame are Northwest Open Champions.
The early years were dominated by Seattle Golf Club’s Robert Johnstone (who won 8 of the first 10 events) and “Long Jim” Barnes. Barnes, the professional at Tacoma C&GC from 1911 – 1915, won the first two PGA Championships (1916, 1919) in addition to the 1921 U.S. Open and the 1925 British Open! Spokane’s Marvin “Bud” Ward captured six championships over a 22 year span, five as an amateur and his last as a professional. Bud was also a National Amateur champion and may have won a few more but for the lack of championships during WWII.
Last year, Corey Prugh, PGA Assistant Professional from Manito G&CC won the Northwest Open Invitational at Wine Valley GC at 10 under par 206. Prugh’s final round 34-36—70 was good enough for a five shot win over defending champion Brian Thornton of Meridian Valley CC and amateur Dan Whitaker of Ellensburg G&CC.
Wine Valley Golf Club
Wine Valley Golf Club, which opened in April of 2009, has been rated 5th on Golfweek’s Best New Courses. To produce Golfweek’s Best New Courses list, a nationwide team of more than 475 evaluators rated the layouts on the basis of 10 criteria, including routing, conditioning, variety and memorability of holes. The result is an average of scores, which then dictates a course’s overall ranking.
This stunning Dan Hixson design unfolds on a grand scale, playing over rolling hills in the shadow of the Blue Mountains. Wine Valley GC has broad fairways, dramatic bunkers, and bold, undulating putting surfaces.