Nate Plaster edges Tommy Kimmel to win PNGA Junior Amateur in all Gonzaga Prep title match

Nate Plaster outlasted longtime friend and Gonzaga Prep teammate Tommy Kimmel to claim the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) Junior Amateur championship Friday.

“Me and Tommy have known each other our whole lives,” Plaster said in a PNGA interview. “Our dads were fraternity brothers at the University of Idaho, actually roommates. It was fun playing him.

“We golf every day with each other so we’ve had a ton of matches. This one was actually in a tournament.”

Plaster, a senior to be who has committed to Washington State, lost the first hole before winning Nos. 12 and 13 to take a 1-up lead after 18 holes of the 36-hole final at Port Ludlow (Wash.) Golf Course.

Kimmel, a junior, pulled even twice early in the afternoon round but Plaster responded by winning three straight holes to go 3-up after 27 holes. Kimmel won three of four holes to square the match after 31 holes.

“We got it back to all square but my mind set through the whole thing was just to stay calm because I knew I wasn’t down and I was still in a good position,” Plaster said.

It was still tied after 33 holes but Plaster birdied No. 16 to go 1-up and he took No. 18 to win 2-up.

Gonzaga Prep’s Matt McGann lost 2 and 1 to Everett’s Andrew Martin in the finals of the first flight.