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Munn Takes Medalist Honors Heading into Match Play at 112th PNGA Men’s Amateur

Bandon, Ore. – After a second day of sunny but windy conditions, Joshua Munn of New Zealand topped the field in taking Medalist honors to lead an elite field of 168 amateurs after the second round of stroke-play qualifying at the 112th Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur Championship, being played at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore. The championship is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.

Munn, after finishing the two rounds at a combined 4-over par, was in a four-way playoff to determine the Medalist. Also finishing the two rounds at 4-over were Hans Reimers of Albany, Ore., Tim Tucker of Coos Bay, Ore. and Jacob Webb of Issaquah, Wash. Munn won the playoff with a birdie on the par-5 third hole. Watch Munn’s interview here.

After the two rounds of stroke-play qualifying, the field has been cut to the top 64 players who will now advance to the single elimination match play portion of the championship.

Tucker, 45, may be the most unlikely of the championship’s top contenders heading into match play. He works as a full-time caddie at the resort, and lives just a few miles up the coast in Coos Bay. “I try to play in some of these (championships),” he said after the playoff. “Anything nearby.” Four days ago, Tucker was carrying two bags as a caddie at the resort. “Someone asked me if I should be preparing (for this championship). I told them I needed the work,” said Tucker, with a laugh.

Also qualifying for match play is defending champion Shotaro Ban of San Jose, Calif. and Carl Jonson of Bainbridge Island, Wash., who was runner-up to Ban in last year’s final match. Nick Chianello of Gresham, Ore. also qualified. Chianello won the Oregon Amateur last month for the second consecutive year. Also advancing to match play is Cameron Peck of Olympia, Wash., who last month won the Washington State Amateur.

The two rounds of stroke-play qualifying were held on the Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails courses at the resort. Match play will also be played alternately on those two courses, with tomorrow’s Round of 64 being held on the Bandon Dunes course. The first match starts at 9:00 a.m.

The resort has previously hosted this championship in 2000, and it was won by current PGA Tour player Jeff Quinney.

Past champions of the Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur Championship include Tiger Woods, Jeff Quinney, Ben Crane, Jeff Coston, Nick Flanagan, Jim McLean and PNGA Hall of Famers Chandler Egan, Harry Givan, Jack Westland, Bud Ward and George Holland, among others. After winning the 1994 championship, Woods said, “The PNGA Men’s Amateur will always be very special to me since it’s my first men’s amateur victory.” Watch preview here.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort opened with one course in 1999, the Bandon Dunes course, and has since added three courses – Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald – as well as a 13-hole par-3 course, Bandon Preserve. The resort has developed a worldwide reputation as a golf destination, as well as for hosting regional and national amateur championships. It has hosted the 2006 Curtis Cup, 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links and Women’s Amateur Public Links, and last year hosted the 46th Pacific Coast Amateur.

The PNGA Men’s Amateur Championship is one of 16 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors, and seniors conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.