Rosauers Open/2007

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Cody Upham Captures the 20th Rosauers Open

By Molly Cooper

The 2007 Rosauer Open Invitational was another success this year. All the sponsors and participants have made this tournament the largest section purse in the country at $135,000. If that is not impressive enough, this tournament generated $105,000 this year to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery in Spokane, $1.6 million over the past twenty years. The nursery is a safe haven and resource center for children and adults who are victims of domestic violence and abuse.

The Bank of America Pro-Am was scorching hot with temperatures near 100, but on Friday of the first day of the championship the weather took a turn for the worse when we had a two and a half hour weather delay in the afternoon with a record 201 recorded hits of lightning within a twelve mile radius of the golf course. Seven threesomes had to come out early on Saturday morning for a 7:30 shotgun to finish their first round.

Cody Upham, of Columbia Edgewater CC, took an early lead after the first round after scoring nine under par 62 to lead by one stroke over Mark Gardner of The Creek at Qualchan. Upham had seven birdies and an eagle posted in his last eleven holes of the afternoon.

The weather the second day held up as did the birdies. Upham posted another low round with a 65 to remain in the lead by two strokes over Gardner at 127. Todd Erwin of Tacoma Firs scored 64-67-131 to remain within four with 2005 Champion Ryan Benzel of Seattle GC at 132. The cut was 144 which included 70 professionals and 18 amateurs to tee it up on Sunday.

The final round of the tournament had Birk Nelson of Diamond Woods GC go low with a ten under par 61 tying Indian Canyon’s competitive course record. With his low score, Nelson got to sit in the clubhouse for an hour waiting for the leaders to come in. Casey McCoy of Hood River GC came in forty minutes later shooting a 63 to join Nelson in the clubhouse at 16 under par. It all came down to the last hole with Cody Upham two putting from twenty feet for a birdie and the championship win. Upham is the first amateur to win the Rosauers Open in its twenty year history.

Congratulations to one of Jeff Ellison’s favorite sponsors - The Blue Bunny Ice Cream team for winning the Bank of America Pro-Am headed by Head PGA Professional Bob Scott of MeadowWood GC.

The Pacific Northwest Section PGA would like to congratulate the Rosauers Open Invitational for twenty successful years and thank the small army of volunteers and dozens of sponsors. The title sponsor is Rosauers grocery store chains which the Pacific Northwest PGA has enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship with. We would like to give Mike Shirts of Rosauers a huge thank you for his support and the giving of his time and generosity. We would also like to thank Roger Gores and his team of volunteers that oversaw the Bank of America Pro-Am that is a huge success every year. Frito Lay, Williams Inland Distributors, Michelob Ultra, Tree of Life, and 7up have all been great supporters of this championship. A special thanks to Host PGA Professional and recent Hall of Fame inductee Gary Lindeblad who has hosted the Rosauers for 19 of the past 20 years. Superintendent Don Nelson and his crew are to be commended for the great job they did in preparing the golf course.