Back to all posts

Aug 12, 2021

Larson and Hibler to square off in final match at PNGA Master-40

After two rounds of stroke-play qualifying and four matches played, Craig Larson of Lakewood, Wash. and Jesse Hibler of Meridian, Idaho will meet in the final match of the 46th PNGA Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship, taking place this week at Wildhorse Golf Course in Pendleton, Ore.

The 18-hole final match will take place Friday, August 13 beginning at 7:30am.

 Championship links:

In this morning’s quarterfinal round, Larson, the medalist and No. 1 seed, defeated Tom Lewis of Olympia, Wash. by a score of 2&1; in the afternoon semifinal, he took down four-time champion Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash. by a score of 1 up. The two players were tied entering the 18th hole and Larson made birdie on the 466-yard par-4 to win the match.

Larson is a longtime competitor in PNGA championships and previously earned medalist honors at this championship in 2016. He won the PNGA Men’s Senior Team Championship three times, with partner Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash., who he defeated in today’s semifinal round, before the championship was retired in 2019.

The No. 14 seed Hibler handily defeated 2019 champion Jeff Strickland of Mill Creek, Wash. in this morning’s quarterfinal round by a score of 6&5; in this afternoon’s semifinal, he dispatched Darren Slackman of Spokane, Wash. by a score of 1 up. Slackman held a 1-up lead after 15-holes before Hibler won the 16th and 17th to take a 1-up lead, holding on to win the match.

Hibler has played in multiple PNGA Lamey Cup competitions as a member of the Idaho Golf Association (IGA) team. He won the 2019 IGA Men’s Tournament of Champions and finished tied for 6th at this year’s Idaho State Amateur. In 2018, he finished tied for 2nd at PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

This year’s championship began with 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying on August 9-10 to determine match play seeding. The top 32 players have qualified for single-elimination match play.  All matches will be contested over 18 holes and played at scratch, with the final match being held Friday, August 13.

The championship, which is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA), consists of the top amateur male golfers in the Pacific Northwest over the age of 40.

The Pacific Northwest Master-40 Amateur has previously been held at Wildhorse Golf Course in 2006 and 2012. The championship is one of 11 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors, and seniors conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.