Washington Mid-Am: Brandes, Hanson lead
MOSES LAKE, Wash. (Aug. 14, 2012) -- Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash. and Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash. both fired rounds of 2-under-par 70 in the heat Tuesday at Moses Lake Golf Club to share the first round lead at the 3rd Washington State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Leslie Folsom of Seattle, Wash. played steady golf to take the first round lead with a 5-over-par 77 in the 3rd Washington State Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Hanson, playing in the first group of the day, went out strong on the front nine and posted a 2-under-par 34 that included four birdies to only two bogeys. Bogeys on 10 and 13 tempered the momentum early in the back nine, but Hanson finished in fine form with birdies on the par-5 17th and the par-4 18th to finish at 2-under-par 70.
Hanson is making his first trip to Moses Lake Golf Club since winning the 2007 Pacific Northwest Master-40 Amateur Championship and looks to recapture a piece of that magic. Brandes countered his two bogeys of the day with birdies on three, 10, 12, and 13 to finish the day at 70.
After making the turn at even par 36, Brandes caught fire on the back nine, birdieing three of the first four holes to briefly move into the lead, but a bogey on the par-4 18th hole dropped him back into a tie with Hanson. Brandes, who entered last years’ final round within one stroke of the lead, will look to add to his impressive collection of wins on the year, including the Washington State Champion of Champions and the Pacific Northwest Senior Men’s Amateur Championship. Brandes and Hanson will be paired together on Wednesday in the final group of the Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Also in the tomorrow’s final group is Craig Larson of Tacoma, Wash., who posted the only other under-par round of the day, a 1-under-par 71 that places him alone in third and only one stroke off the lead. Scott Heuston of Puyallup, Wash. sits two strokes back after carding an even-par 72. Hanson and Brandes have a bit of history, as they faced off in the championship match of the 2007 Pacific Northwest Master-40 Championship, which Hanson won.
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ABOUT THE Washington Mid-Amateur
Stroke play championship for amateurs aged
25+. Must be a member of a WSGA member club.
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