Prugh wins Rosauers golf for third time

The last two holes at Indian Canyon tend to deliver dramatic finishes at the Rosauers Open Invitational. It was no different Sunday at the 26th Rosauers as Manito assistant pro Corey Prugh drove the 267-yard 17th, setting up a birdie that provided a one-shot cushion over Manito amateur Rob Seibly, who capped a 6-under-par back nine with an eagle-birdie finish. Prugh, who shot a 4-under 67 to finish the 54-hole tournament 14-under 199, joins Jeff Coston as the tournament’s only three-time champions. Seibly, playing three groups ahead of Prugh, shot a 64 to finish 13-under and earn low amateur honors for the second straight year. Prugh’s victory was assured when Matt Cowell barely missed an eagle putt on the par-5 18th that would have moved him to 14-under. Prugh missed a 4-foot birdie putt before tapping in for par and collecting a first-place check for $11,000. “I still work really hard on learning this course over and over again,” Prugh said. “I’ll play here in early summer to test out different things. I parred (No.) 5 every day, that’s the best I’ve played that hole. I’m always working on different ways to improve but I try to keep a simple game plan.” That game plan includes hitting driver on the 287-yard par-4 7th and 3-wood on the uphill par-4 17th. He drove both greens and converted with two-putt birdies. Seibly applied late pressure with birdies at 12, 14 and 15 as well as his eagle-birdie finish. He, too, drove 17 and made a slippery downhill 12-footer for eagle. His eagle putt at 18 just missed and he settled for birdie. “I knew 14 (under) was probably going to be the number, maybe 15,” said Seibly, who played at Seattle University. “I gave it all I had and just came up one shot short.” Cowell, assistant pro at Lake Padden in Bellingham, fired a 5-under 30 on the front nine that could have easily been a 28 or 29. His drive on the par-5 second somehow came to rest in a divot on a side-hill, but he hit a splendid shot from 145 yards that stopped 5 feet from the cup. “Your ball saw a lot of the hole,” playing partner Shane Prante told Cowell when he arrived at the green. Cowell missed the eagle putt and a 6-footer for birdie on No. 3. He took the lead on No. 6 when he holed his approach from 75 yards for an eagle. It triggered an unpleasant memory for Prugh, who lost out in a six-man playoff at the PGA Professional National Championship last month for three berths to the PGA Championship. Prugh was eventually one of four battling for the last spot when Rob Labritz holed out from 95 yards. “It’s just kind of funny, like ‘Everybody’s going to hole out on me this year, weeee,’” said a smiling Prugh, who flew to Boise Sunday night and will attempt to qualify today for the Web.com Tour’s Boise Open. Cowell dropped out of the lead when his tee shot on the par-3 13th plugged 1 yard from the front lip of a bunker, leading to a bogey, and he missed a 7-foot par putt on 14, his third bogey there in three days. “It was a little frustrating not to make any birdies on the back nine,” Cowell said. “I don’t feel like I played bad. What really hurt was going 4-over on the last five holes (Saturday). If I get through that 1-over that’s three strokes right there.” Kyle Kelly, the 2010 champion, rebounded from a 2-over front side with 31 on the back, including a birdie-birdie-eagle finish. He finished tied for third with Cowell and Prante, who shot a 69 despite a cold putter. They each earned $5,500. Coston (67, 202 total) was sixth. Avondale’s Russell Grove (66, 203) and former Washington State Cougar Hank Frame (66) tied for seventh.