PNGA Amateur: Kang prevails 7 & 6 over Hale
PNGA photo
EAGLE, Idaho (July 12)--Jason Kang of Valencia, Calif., outlasted the original field of 157, battled his way through six straight days of golf, and defeated Stephen Hale of Bakersfield, Calif. in a 36-hole final match to win the 107th PNGA Men’s Amateur, held at BanBury Golf Club in Eagle, Idaho.
Sunday's 36-hole final match pitted two Pac-10 rivals against each other, with UCLA's Jason Kang taking on Cal's Stephen Hale.
The day was perfect for scoring as winds were calm and the ball carrying a long way in the 2500 foot altitude.
Kang started off hot knocking a hybrid to two feet and making eagle on the 535-yard, par-5 2nd hole to take a 1-up lead. Kang would continue to play mistake free the rest of the morning and used that eagle and four additional birdies to grab a 6-up lead through 18 holes. His only score worse than a par was a double bogey on the 249-yard par-3 14th hole.
Kang continued the afternoon round where he left off in the morning and quickly increased his lead to 8-up.
Hale was able to cut that lead to 6-up through 28 holes to give himself a fighters' chance, but over a 15-foot birdie putt to go dormie on the 29th hole, Kang drilled it in and let out a fist pump and yelled "BANG."
That move has become Kang's signature celebration and is known around the college ranks as the "Kang Bang."
Kang would close the match out with a 9-foot birdie on the next hole to win 7 & 6, and become the 107th champion of the PNGA Men's Amateur. He joins the likes of Tiger Woods, Jeff Quinney, Nick Flanagan, Bill Sander, and Danny Green as a winner of this championship.
--Courtesy PNGA
ABOUT THE PNGA Amateur
First held in 1899, the Pacific Northwest Men’s
Amateur
is one of the country’s longest running amateur
championships. Held annually at world-class courses
throughout the Pacific Northwest, this championship
is
played in the same format as the U.S. Amateur and
features an impressive list of past champions that
include; Nick Flanagan, Ben Crane, Jeff Quinney, Bill
Sander, and Tiger Woods. Eligibility is open to
members
of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association and top
amateurs throughout the world invited via
Presidential
Invitation. Each year’s champion earns a hosted
exemption in to the Pacific Coast Amateur and
Sahalee
Players Championship.
The Championship will be conducted in two stages:
Stroke Play – All players must complete the 36-hole
stroke play qualifying in order to determine the 64
players who will advance to match play. In the event
of a tie for the final qualifying spot(s), a sudden-
death playoff will be used to determine the qualifiers.
In the event of a tie for the Qualifying Medalist, a
sudden-death playoff will commence.
Match Play – The General Numerical Draw will be in
effect. Single elimination match play. 36-hole
Championship Final Match. All other matches are 18
holes.
View Complete Tournament Information