Hibler opens with 70 to lead PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur
Jesse Hibler of Meridian, Idaho fired a 2-under par 70 to grab the first-round lead at the 34th Pacific Northwest Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
The 54-hole stroke-play championship is being held this week at Crane Creek Country Club in Boise, Idaho and is being conducted Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).
Championship links:
In a round that consisted of four birdies against two bogeys, Hibler was the only player in the field to card an opening round score under-par on the 6,918-yard layout.
The 40-year old Hibler is a member at The Club at Spurwing in nearby Meridian, Idaho and played collegiately for the BYU Men’s Golf Team from 1996-2001. He won the 1993 and 1994 Idaho Junior Amateur and competed for the IGA team in the 2018 PNGA Cup.
In second place, just two shots back of Hibler is Don Bidinger of Bainbridge Island, Wash., followed closely by the trio of Matthew Plumb (Portland, Ore.), Colin Guhlke (Davenport, Wash.) and Reid Hatley (Hayden Lake, Idaho) who sit at 1-over par.
Crane Creek Country Club has recently completed a multi-phase, multi-million dollar renovation, which included upgrades to its clubhouse, tennis facility, driving range, and significant changes to its golf course, including a completely re-designed back nine. As part of the renovation, undeveloped land was used to create a new par-4 and par-5 on the back nine, and with these two entirely new holes Crane Creek will now play over 7,000 yards and play as a par 72 for the first time. New tee boxes and approach-shot considerations were also added to the back nine makeover, and the greens have also been rebuilt with playability in mind. The 35 newly-designed bunkers will add to the course’s challenge.
Crane Creek has twice hosted the PNGA Cup (2009, 2013). Visit www.cranecreekcountryclub.com for more information.
The PNGA was founded on February 4, 1899. It is a 501c3 charitable, international, amateur golf association dedicated to preserving the true spirit of golf by supporting its allied associations, conducting quality championships, and promoting activities beneficial to golfers in the Pacific Northwest. For more than a century, the Association has been a pioneer in developing competitions and services and its mission has grown and evolved. Today, the PNGA remains committed to being a truly regional organization providing benefits and services to its members and member clubs throughout the Northwest.
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