Fantastic Finishes Highlight Opening Day Of Wtb Cup

Some wondered if the new format - with amateurs absent - would drain the drama from the Washington Trust Bank Cup golf competition.

But there was plenty of that as the sun set on 20 area pros Thursday evening at Manito Country Club.

And that was whether they’d be able to pry their frozen fingers off their putter grips on the final hole.

The temperature may have dipped into the 40s, but the competition remained brisk as the 10 matches of the day featured two halves and four 1-up decisions.

The pros - the top 20 point scorers during the summer-long WTB pro-am series - played in pairs all day, with a Chapman competition (alternating shots) in the morning and a better-ball format in the afternoon.

Action wraps up this afternoon at Manito with 10 single matches.

For years, this competition was between the top 10 pros and top 10 amateurs, but many of those matches didn’t make it past the 13th or 14th hole.

Only one match Thursday, the 6 and 5 win by Tom Colon (Indian Canyon) and Matt Bunn (Spokane Country Club) over Bob Scott (Liberty Lake) and Mike Elmore (Coeur d’Alene), could be considered a romp.

“The competition is a big factor and there just wasn’t always a lot of competition (with the previous format),” said Randy Buckenberger, Twin Lakes pro.

“I miss it as far as the tradition of it goes, but the matches have been a lot closer (this year),” Bob Scott said. “And during the season, knowing the top 20 make it rather than the top 10 takes some pressure off.”

The two matches that were halved in the better-ball format (taking the lowest partners’ score on each hole) were by the teams of Chris Mitchell (Sun Dance)-Ron Barker (Ritzville) against Bob Scott-Scott Shagool (Painted Hills) and Steve Prugh-Bunn against Dan Koesters (U. of Idaho)-Jerry Zink (The Fairways).

Mitchell and Barker, who came off the 18th hole wearing hand warmers that looked like oven mitts, benefited from Barker’s double-breaking, 35-foot downhill putt on No. 8.

Koesters and Zink, meanwhile, rallied to halve after falling three holes back after the first five holes. Prugh burned the lip on a twisting 15-foot downhiller on the 18th hole that would have given his team a 1-up victory.

Another strong finish came from

Wandermere’s Billy Ross, who birdied two of the final four holes, although he and Lewiston Country Club’s Paul McCarthy were nipped, 1-up, by Les Blakley (Spokane Country Club) and Dave Christenson (Indian Canyon).

The pros have been divided into two “teams” with those finishing in even numbers in the season standings against those finishing in odd numbers. But, as Scott admitted, “I don’t even really know who’s on my team.” In other area golf news, Mark

Gardner of The Creek at Qualchan was named this area’s PGA pro of the year and player of the year. Mark Rohde, of the Mark Rohde Golf Studio, was named teacher of the year. Hangman Valley’s Steve Nelke was public merchandiser of the year. And Indian Canyon’s Gary Lindeblad was honored for best club relations.

, DataTimes