PGA Professional Brian Thornton of Meridian Valley CC and amateur Todd Densley won the Pro-Amateur Championship by seven strokes over first round leaders PGA Professional Mike DeLong of Coeur d’Alene Resort with his amateur Bob Christensen. Thornton and Densley fired a nine under par 63 at the new Rope Rider course at Suncadia Resort. Click here to view the Pro-Amateur Championship final results!
The history of the Pacific Northwest Professional-Amateur Championship has been timeless. It all started when a young head professional named John Junor and his amateur partner won back to back titles at the magnificent Seattle Golf Club in 1924 and 1926 (no championship in 1925). Professional Walter Pursey and amateur Harry Givan topped Junor in the late 30’s with a three-peat victory at Seattle GC twice and Alderwood GC once. As the years went on, many great players etched their names into the record books as champions of this event. Long time professional Don Bies and his partners have seen numerous championships winning three of them in 1961 at Glendale CC, 1964 at Seattle GC, and in 1966 at Yakima CC. Other greats such as Bunny Mason (1963) and Jerry Mowlds (1969, 1978) have all had their share of the title.
The Pacific Northwest Pro-Amateur Championship is a two-man team competition with one professional and one amateur playing a four-ball format. CLICK HERE to view past team champions of this event.
Tumble Creek Club at Suncadia is a private community set on 2600 acres of woodlands, meadows, streams and an exceptional golf course. It is situated 80 miles east of Seattle in a sunny, mountain climate, adjacent to the four-season resort community of Suncadia. Tumble Creek Club was designed by Tom Doak, one of the finest golf designers in the world. Golf Digest has ranked three of his courses (Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes, Cape Kidnappers and Barnbougle) among the top 50 in the world in 2005. Tumble Creek Club has been named one of the top private courses in America by Golf Digest.
Roper Rider at Suncadia was built along the site of historic Roslyn Mines No. 9, No. 10 and Tipple Hill, an impressive 120′ coal tailings rise, this Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design is named in honor of the miners who precariously balanced themselves on the roped coal cars that maneuvered the steep mine shafts. Rope Rider opened in the summer of 2011.