August 06, 2004
Putnam Wins PCA in Three-Way Playoff

EUGENE, OR, August 6 – In what was the ultimate roller-coaster ride, Michael Putnam of University Place, Wash., won the 38th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship by sinking a six-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a three-man playoff at Eugene Country Club, the first playoff in more than 20 years at the West Coast’s premiere amateur championship.

The 21-year-old Putnam, who will be a senior at Pepperdine University this fall, started the day with a three-shot lead, lost it early in the front nine, then made three birdies on the back nine to finish at 7 under par (67-70-67-73) for the tournament. That was enough to get him into a playoff with Spencer Levin of Elk Grove, Calif., and Andrew Martin of Melbourne.

Levin, who led after a first-round 66, finished with 71-70-70, while Martin, the 2004 Australian Amateur champion, posted scores of 71-67-71-68.

Joe Lanza of Bainbridge Island, WA, missed a birdie chip by inches on the final hole and finished fourth at 278, 6 under par, a shot in front of Lindsay Bernakevitch of Vancouver, who made a late run by eagling the par-five 16th and birdying the 17th. Another BC resident, Craig Doell of Victoria, finished in sixth place at 4 under par.

As was the case yesterday, Putnam struggled on the front nine today, making four bogies and no birdies. “With all of that,” said Putnam later, “I knew I had a chance heading to the 10th tee.” He also got a “break” when the rain showers and brisk winds raked the back nine. “I’m from Washington,” he said later with a smile. We’re used to this sort of weather all the time.”

Putnam made birdie 3 on 11th hole by sinking a 20-foot sliding, left-to-right putt, birdied the 13th hole by sinking a 30-footer and knocked an eight-iron shot onto the par-five 16th hole and two putted for birdie. Putnam then earned his way into the playoff by getting up and down from 100 feet on the final hole, sinking a seven-foot par putt to advance.

Levin appeared to be in command, holding a two-stroke advantage over the field playing the par-five 16th. But after leaving his second shot short of the green, Levin needed four shots to finish the hole. “That was a really tough position for Spencer to be in,” said Putnam later.

After a double-bogey 5 on the seventh hole, the 19- year-old Martin, playing in the group in front of Levin and Putnam, also rallied on the back nine, with four birdies to get to 7 under par. He birdied the par-four 10th and 14th holes with 20-foot putts, two- putted for birdie 4 on the 13th hole and knocked a sand wedge shot to within six feet of the hole and sank the putt for a birdie 3 on the 17th hole.

RESULTS:


38th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship
at Eugene Country Club; Eugene, OR
6,855 yards; par 71


FINAL 72-hole results:
277 -- Michael Putnam, University Place, WA, 67-70-67- 73; Andrew Martin, Melbourne, Australia, 71-67-71-68; Spencer Levin, Elk Grove, Calif., 66-71-70-70. (Putnam birdies second playoff for victory).

278 -- Joe Lanza, Bainbridge Island, 74-65-69-70
279 -- Lindsay Bernakevitch, Vancouver, BC, 72-68-72- 67.
280 -- Craig Doell, Victoria, BC, 74-65-71-70.
282 -- Erik Olson, Newcastle, Wash., 69-69-71-73; James Lepp, Abbotsford, BC, 71-73-66-72; Scott Gordon, Fair Oaks, Calif., 70-70-71-71.
283 -- James Love, Calgary, ALB, 72-71-71-69.
284 -- Ben Hayes, Paradise Valley, Ar, 69-71-71-73; Dustin Mills, Arvada, Colo., 70-74-71-69; Ryan Posey, Dallas, Texas, 72-69-71-72.
285 -- Liam Kendregan, Gresham, Ore., 74-68-68-75; Ryan Carter, Hacienda Heights, C, 74-69-70-72.
287 -- Casey Watabu, Kapaa, Hawaii, 73-71-74-69; Joshua Wooding, Riverside, Calif., 75-69-71-72.
289 -- Cameron Martin, Eugene, Ore., 76-72-70-71; Ryan Keeney, Redmond, Wash., 70-70-71-78.
290 -- Jason Bittick, Coto de Caza, Calif, 75-66-74- 75; John Poucher, Santa Barbara, Cali, 71-74-72-73.


291 -- Kevin Larsen, Santa Barbara, Cali, 71-71-76-73; Roy Moon, North Hills, Calif., 75-70-71-75.


292 -- Adam Porker, Melbourne, Australia, 66-72-77-77; David Fern, Spokane, Wash., 75-68-77-72; Jake Ellison, St. George, Utah, 71-77-70-74; Kyle Stanley, Gig Harbor, Wash., 77-70-73-72.


293 -- Brendan Steele, Idyllwild, Calif., 74-71-74-74; Kyle Hudson, Eugene, Ore., 76-73-71-73.


294 -- Clay Bingham, Spanish Fork, Utah, 74-72-73-75; Elliott Wainwright, Hillsborough, Calif, 76-75-73-70; Kent Eger, Burnaby, BC, 76-71-72-75; Kevin Chappell, Fresno, Calif., 70-71-76-77; Matt Kodama, Las Vegas, Nev., 71-73-71-79; Scott Hardy, Pittsburg, Calif., 72- 72-73-77.


295 -- Brady Exber, Las Vegas, Nev., 73-76-70-76; Charles Soule, Longmont, Colo., 75-73-72-75.


296 -- Alex Prugh, Spokane, Wash., 72-75-71-78; Eric Hastings, Spokane, Wash., 75-72-70-79; Erik Hanson, Kirkland, Wash., 76-72-77-71; Henry Liaw, Rowland Heights, Ca, 76-74-74-72; Jesse Mueller, Mesa, Ariz., 77-71-74-74; Michael Wilson, Pacific Grove, Cali, 71- 73-75-77; Rick DeWitt, Arvada, Colo., 77-73-76-70; Rob Grube, Hinsdale, Ill., 73-79-70-74; Ryan Swelin, Sundre, ALB, 77-75-71-73.


297 -- Chad Fosburg, Las Vegas, Nev., 77-72-70-78; Dalton Melnyk, St. Simons Island, 76-73-72-76; Justin St. Clair, Springfield, Ore., 76-73-74-74.


298 -- Eric Restrepo, Davis, Calif., 74-77-71-76; Ken Ebalo, Las Vegas, Nev., 76-81-69-72; Patrick Nagle, Pacifica, Calif., 73-76-74-75.
299 -- Iain Macdonald, Fullerton, Calif., 73-77-77-72.

300 -- Chad Wilcox, Peoria, Ariz., 75-77-73-75; Marc Rhoades, McCall, Idaho, 77-74-73-76; Scott Abbott, Dallas, Texas, 76-75-73-76.


301 -- Chris Heintz, Brea, Calif., 72-82-72-75; Clark Rustand, Provo, Utah, 75-76-72-78; Tommy Sharp, Salt Lake City, Uta, 80-74-72-75.
302 -- Daniel J. Im, La Habra, Calif., 74-75-77-76.


303 -- Anton Salome, Socorro, N.M., 76-77-76-74; Carlos Concha, Reno, Nev., 76-76-78-73; Chia-Hao Hsu, Taipei, Taiwan, 73-78-74-78; Joe Panzeri, Boise, Idaho, 80-70-77-76; Nick Juszczak, Tucson, Ariz., 73- 77-79-74; Ryan Fery, Beaverton, Ore., 73-74-75-81.


304 -- Andrew Lovas, White Rock, BC, 74-78-77-75; Chandler Cocco, Bend, Ore., 78-77-75-74; Eric Fiskum, Salem, Ore., 73-80-77-74.


305 -- Ashdon Woods, Lander, Wyo., 78-76-72-79; Dustin Andres, Tualatin, Ore., 83-74-76-72; T.J. Blandford, Paradise Valley, Ar, 75-74-75-81; Zack Miller, San Rafael, Calif., 75-79-74-77.


306 -- Chia-Sheng Shih, Taipei, Taiwan, 74-76-80-76; David Nelson, Reno, Nev., 75-80-74-77; Dean Clapp, Aurora, Colo., 74-85-70-77; Patrick Dolan, El Paso, Texas, 80-76-76-74.


307 -- Alex Stamey, Mill Creek, Wash., 77-76-73-81.


308 -- Patrick Carrigan, South Pasadena, Cal, 79-72-81- 76.


309 -- Andres Gonzales, Olympia, Wash., 73-72-83-81; Nico Bollini, Yorba Linda, Calif., 78-77-76-78.


310 -- Dick Wenzel, Sparks, Nev., 81-76-75-78; Patrick Hanlon, Las Cruces, N.M., 79-75-80-76; Po-Ming Chen, Taipei, Taiwan, 79-77-74-80.


314 -- Bob Wheeler, Eagle, Idaho, 78-80-83-73.


320 -- Morgan Splichal, Gillette, Wyo., 80-76-89- 75.


322 -- Brandon Markiw, Edmonton, ALB, 84-75-84-79.


329 -- Jim Scott, Banner, Wyo., 77-88-80-84; WD -- Josh Esler, Wavconda, IL, WD-- -; WD -- Michael Turner, Sherman Oaks, CA.


WD -- Tim Duffey, Cave Creek, Ariz., 73-72-76-WD; DQ -- Matt McPhie, Boise, Idaho, 80-89-DQ -;