Bob Christensen Cruises to Victory in the 37th Pacific Northwest Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship
Pendleton, Ore. (August 31, 2012) – Bob Christensen of Post Falls, Idaho capped off an impressive week of golf with a 5&3 victory over Darren Kuhn of Pocatello, Idaho to take home the title at the 37th Pacific Northwest Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship at Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Pendleton, Ore.
Christensen’s ball-striking was the difference on Friday morning, as he peppered the fairways throughout the day. But Kuhn stayed with him in the early going, saving par on holes two and three. The match remained all square through four holes before Christensen made his first move. On the par-5 fifth hole, Christensen reached the green in two and two-putted for birdie to take his first lead, a lead that he would not relinquish the rest of the day. After the pair halved the next three holes, Christensen won the ninth hole to take a 2-up lead into the back nine.
Unlike earlier in the week, Kuhn could not recover from the early deficit. “I just could not get it going,” he said after the round. Christensen continually kept the pressure on Kuhn, as his championship caliber ball-striking was simply too much to overcome. He reached the par-5 13th hole in two shots and two-putted for another birdie to push his lead to 4-up with five holes to play. “I was just trying not to give any holes away,” said Christensen.
When Kuhn’s birdie putt on the 15th hole slid over the edge of the hole, Christensen’s birdie putt was conceded, giving him a 5&3 victory and his second championship in two weeks. “I hit a lot of drives down the middle, hit all the greens,” Christensen said, recapping his round. “I just tried not to make any mistakes.” (Watch Christensen’s post-victory interview here).
Christensen’s win at the Pacific Northwest Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship this week is all the more impressive considering it comes immediately on the heels of his victory at the Pacific Northwest Senior Men’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Post Falls, Idaho last week.
In the Flight 1 championship match, Tom Campbell of Port Orchard, Wash. defeated David Dines of Burnaby, B.C., 3&1, while Christopher Bisgaard of Eagle, Idaho outlasted David Nelson of Pendleton, Ore., 3&2, to take home the Flight 2 title.
Following the coming week off, the PNGA championship caravan will reappear in Portland, Ore. and Columbia Edgewater Country Club for the Pacific Northwest Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, to be held September 11-13.
