Lawson wins PNGA Mid-Amateur in Playoff
McCall, Idaho – Andrew Lawson of Dallas, Tex. shot rounds of 71-75-69 and then survived a two-hole playoff to win the 39th PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, held this week at Jug Mountain Ranch in McCall, Idaho.
Lawson defeated Jesse Hibler of Meridian, Idaho, in the playoff to take the title.
The 54-hole stroke-play championship featured a strong field of the top men’s mid-amateur players from across the Pacific Northwest.
Championship links:
Lawson started today’s final round four shots back of Hibler, who held the top spot at the top of the leaderboard after the second round. Between Hibler and Lawson were Colton Kleis of Kenmore, Wash. and Michael Cairns of Carnation, Wash., both at two shots back of Hibler.
Hibler still held a two-shot lead after the front nine in today’s final round, and when Lawson double-bogeyed the short par-5 13th, the way looked clear for Hibler. But he ran into trouble on the relatively innocent par-4 15th and double-bogeyed as well, to fall behind Lawson by a shot. When Lawson bogeyed the final hole, he and Hibler headed for the playoff.
Lawson was playing the second-to-last group today. “I had no idea what was going on behind me (in Hibler’s group),” he said. “I was just trying to take care of my own game.”
On the 13th, Lawson four-putted for the double-bogey, scuffing a six-inch tap-in. On the 18th, from the middle of the fairway he hit his second shot to the back edge of the green and proceeded to three-putt from there, then watched as Hibler parred the final hole to force the playoff.
Lawson and Hibler were the only two players in the field to finish under par.
Lawson, 41, spends his summers in Sun Valley, Idaho, playing the resort’s Bigwood course, as well as the nearby Valley Club. “I played in college, but that was many years ago,” he said. “Then I played absolutely no golf at all for four or five years. Didn’t pick up a club. But now I try to play in a few events each summer. I’m already planning on defending my title in this championship next year. I’ll be back.”
Hibler brought a lot of experience to Jug Mountain this week, having won back-to-back PNGA Master-40 titles in 2021-2022, with the 2022 championship held at Jug Mountain. He also won the 2019 IGA Men’s Tournament of Champions, and the 2023 Idaho Men’s Mid-Amateur. He has been named to several PNGA Lamey Cup competitions as a member of the Idaho Golf Association team.
To be eligible for this championship, players had to be 25 years of age or older by August 6, 2024 and have a USGA Handicap Index or Golf Canada Handicap Factor of 8.4 or lower at the time of entry, and must be a member in good standing of a PNGA Member Association.
The PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship is one of 11 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors, and seniors conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.
About Jug Mountain Ranch
Designed by Donald Knott, the golf course at Jug Mountain Ranch was named second-best new public course by Golf Digest in 2008, and was named one of the “Best Courses You Can Play” in Idaho by Golfweek in 2016. The course is an amenity of a 1,410-acre private residential community set beneath Jughandle Mountain’s 8,310-foot peak. Roughly 75 percent of the Ranch (1,000 acres) has been set aside for preserved open space and a championship golf course. Visit jugmountainranch.com for more information.
