Brook dazzles early to lead PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur; Choi leads Women’s Mid-Amateur alone
Yakima, Wash. – Wyatt Brook of Heffley Creek, B.C. shot a 9-under par 63 to lead after the first round of the PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur, while Aram Choi of Surrey, B.C. shot a 3-under par 69 to lead the PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Both championships are being held this week, August 26-28, at Apple Tree Resort in Yakima, Wash.
Championship Links:
Men’s:
Women’s:
With the first 18-hole rounds complete, two more will follow for each championship. If necessary, a hole-by-hole playoff will determine the champion following the final rounds.
Due to fairway conditions, the opening round was played with preferred lies. In the men’s championship, Brook’s 63 was bogey free. Recording six birdies on his first nine holes, he made the turn in 29, and later birdied holes 16-18 to complete a 9-under day.
Brook won the 2024 BC Mid-Amateur and placed third in the same championship this year. He is looking for his first PNGA title.
The second-lowest men’s morning round belonged to Taylor Lansford of Post Falls, Idaho. After steadily going 1-under through his first nine holes, Lansford picked up his pace and played a bogey-free second nine with five birdies, all adding up to a 6-under par 66.
Three back of Brook, Lansford is also in search of his first PNGA title. Originally from Tulsa, Okla., he is a graduate of Missouri Southern State University.
In the women’s championship, Choi had an adventurous but eventually fruitful first nine. Going bogey-birdie-birdie-bogey through her first four, she completed no more holes over par after that and added on three more birdies to complete a relatively clean round. She was the only championship player to break 70.
A win this week would mark Choi’s first PNGA title. She placed third in the 2024 PNGA Women’s Mid-Am.
One back of Choi is Jessica Mangrobang of Portland, Ore. Mangrobang had a slightly tricky opening to her round, bogeying the first two holes, but eventually settled into her 2-under score by way of five more birdies to just one more bogey. She and Choi were the only women’s players to break par.
Mangrobang, a graduate of Gonzaga University, is also in search of her first PNGA title. She qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in each of the previous two years.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, Lansford will tee off at 11:10 a.m., with Brook’s group following at 11:30. Choi and Mangrobang are set for a 12:30 p.m. start time.
These championships are two of 11 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors and senior conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.
