Rosauers Open/2023
Robbins Wins 36th Rosauers Open Invitational
by Grant Tribolet, Tournament Intern
The 36th annual Rosauers Open Invitational was held at the iconic Indian Canyon Golf Course, providing an excellent venue for our complete field of 168 players. Offering undulating terrain and blind tee shots, this exciting course once again served as an exceptional test of skill and patience for all participants.
The first round began Friday, July 14. It started hot and temperatures remained warmer than average throughout the week. However, players still posted low scores, with PNW Golf Academy's Derek Berg leading by three shots after the first round with a score of 63.
With Berg’s score being the best of round one, an interesting story was developing quietly during the second round. After a first-round 67, that included a hole-in-one on the par three 11th, North Shore Golf Course PGA Professional Conner Robbins was expertly plotting his way around Indian Canyon. His second-round 61 catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard in a tie with Derek Berg.
There’s a saying that The Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday, and the 36th Rosauers Open Invitational exuded a similar energy. Conner Robbins held a sturdy lead going into the back nine of the third round, but an unfortunate bounce that yielded a double bogey on the par four 14th gave the field a chance and amateur Zachary Stoker was the one who took the jump. Stoker posted a back nine -5 with a dramatic birdie on 18 that eliminated Robbins’ lead and gave Stoker a seat at the top, tied with Robbins.
The tournament came down to the final hole. Conner Robbins made a ten-foot putt on the 54th hole of the tournament for a walk-off eagle, a two-stroke victory, and the first victory of his PGA Pacific Northwest career!
Robbins said that he enjoyed the anxiety of being in the mix on the final holes. "When you are in the mix with a few holes left, there is an adrenaline nervous feel that you get to experience," he said. "There is no other feeling in sports that compares, and it heightens your 'in the moment' brain…Whenever I get that feeling, I just have a blast hitting each shot."
Preceding the 36th Rosauers Open Invitational, the Franz Bakery Pro-Am supporting Vanessa Behan took place. The overall winners of the team event were the BUNZL #1 team, consisting of PGA Professional Bo Baker with amateurs Doug Titus, Bill Kodama, Joe Tappan, Rick Sorenson, and Bob McClure, who posted an excellent combined two-day score of 241, 47-under. This year's event raised $170,000 for the charity, with donations totaling $3,650,000 over the 36 years of the tournament.
Congratulations to BUNZL #1 for the Pro-Am victory and Conner Robbins for his flagship PGA Pacific Northwest victory! We thank Indian Canyon GC Head PGA Professional Doug Phares for providing a beautiful venue for the 36th Rosauers Open Invitational. Thanks to Superintendent Josh Harty and his staff for their tireless effort to prepare the course. We would also like to thank Rosauers Supermarkets, Franz Bakery, and all the various sponsors and volunteers for continuing to make this event so special!
Final results: https://2023secrosauersopen.golfgenius.com