PNW PGA Professional Championship (PPC)/1997

In 1997, Spokane CC was the stage for the Section Championship when Jeff Coston of Semiahmoo G&CC ran away with a 10-stroke victory. This year’s Pacific Northwest Section PGA Club Professional venue was Spokane CC where a repeat almost occurred. Coston simply steered clear of trouble cruising to the finish line with a 3-under 68 and left him seven strokes on top of the field.

Coston opened the tournament’s first round with a blazing 63 and didn’t look back. 14 other players were under par including Matt Bunn with a 67.

The second round, Todd Erwin made a move up the leaderboard with a 66 and tied with Columbia Edgewater’s Bryan Tunstill in second. Mark Gardner used 7 birdies in his round to post a second round low 65.

Coston started the final round with a five stoke lead. He made the turn at 1-under and turned on cruise control making par on his first five holes on his back nine. On the 15th, he made a slick down-hill 40 footer for birdie followed by another birdie on the 16th, a 558 yard par-5. Coston’s 3-under round gave him a 54-hole total of 13-under and a $4,400 share of the purse.

Players were also competing for 19 qualifying spots into the October 16-19, 2003 Western PGA Club Professional Championship at Indian Summer G&CC. Congrats to; Jeff Coston, Tracy Vest, Matt Bunn, Bob Rannow, Bryan Tunstill, Scott Rath, Gary Lindeblad, Scott Leritz, Scott Williams, Brent Murray, Bob Scott, Chuck Milne, Scott Krieger, Todd Erwin, Mark Gardner, Rob Gibbons, Kent DeRocher, Ron Rawls, and Tim Morton. Players at the Western PGA Club Professional Championship will be qualifying for spots to the 35th PGA Club Professional Championship in June of 2004 at Longaberger Golf Club in Nashport, OH.

Thanks go to Speedy Nash and Ren Weaver of Foot-Joy; Jim Roberts, Brad Racine, and Andy Gilkison of Titleist; and Erwin Huffer of Club Car for providing us with support as sponsors of the event.