CHANDLER, Ariz. (August 19, 2007)-- Oro Valley resident Cyrus Whitney holed a six-foot par putt on the 36th hole for a 6-under-par 65 to win the 2007 Chandler City Golf Championship at Bear Creek Golf Course in Chandler on Sunday.

The event was sponsored by Magique Golf of Tempe.

Whitney carded 13 birdies and a bogey over 36 holes to finish at 12-under par (65-65—130), a stroke better than runner-up Chan Kim of Chandler. Kim, a 17-year-old Hawaiian import who continues to develop his game after winning a Hawaii prep state title, will play for Chandler Hamilton this fall.

Kim shot a 64-67—131 and led Whitney by one stroke entering the final hole. But the teenager uncharacteristically double-bogeyed the 18th, missing a 10-foot putt for bogey that would have forced a playoff.

Sean O’Malley of Tempe, who shot a 7-under 64 on Saturday, was third at 9-under par 133 while Frank Ellenberg was fourth at 8-under 134 with a pair of 67’s.

Takuya Fuji, who tied for fifth after a final round 76, established Bear Creek’s amateur course record during the first round with a 9-under par 62. Fuji’s spectacular round included an eagle two on the par-4 7th followed by a hole-in-one on the 228-yard eighth. He also had five birdies.

Whitney, who turns 50 next week, has won Arizona Golf Association Divisional Match Play and Stroke Play Championships, and was the 2005 (Master’s) Divisional Player of the Year.

Twice he has played in the Goldwater Cup Matches. Whitney, a retired currency trader from New Jersey who has memberships at Royal Dunes in Maricopa and The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, moved to Arizona three years ago.

He advanced to match play at the Arizona Amateur this week at Tucson Country Club before losing 1-up in the Round of 64.

Then he headed to Chandler.

“I made the switch to Taylor Made a few weeks ago,” said Whitney, a member of the AGA’s executive committee. “It’s made a huge difference. I thought we were going to a playoff, but Chan missed his putt, gave me a line on mine and I made about a six-footer.”

Bear Creek Golf Course, a par 71 municipal course that plays to 6,832 yards from the back tees, was hosting the championship for the first time. Tempe-based Monique Golf and Sean Sheppard, its president, sponsored the event, which was being played for the first time in several years. Nearly 90 players competed in the 2007 Chandler City Amateur.

Sheppard, a Chandler resident, presented the championship trophy to Whitney along with Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn and Eric Kulinna, director of golf at Bear Creek.

“As a Chandler resident I am always happy to support amateur golf in my own backyard,” Sheppard said. “To have such a strong field for the inaugural event made for an exciting finish. I look forward to lending Magique’s support in the future in hopes of building one the premier amateur events in Arizona.”

Full scores follow: