Banks goes wire-to-wire to win PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur

Landon Banks of Tualatin, Ore. shot rounds of 67-65-70 to finish at 14-under par, good for a two-shot victory at the 37th PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship held at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Wash.

Banks was in a tie for the lead after round one, and his 65 yesterday gave him a three-shot lead entering today’s final round over Jonathan Romano of Vancouver, Wash. Banks was able to put it in cruise control for most of today’s round after Romano made a double-bogey on the second hole.

Romano made a valiant effort to claw back in it when he made an albatross on the par-5 15th hole, but his late charge wasn’t quite enough.

“He (Romano) put a little heat on me,” said Banks, “I felt pretty comfortable for the first 14-holes until he made that deuce on fifteen. I felt a little bit of heat, but I brought it home.”

Banks went 1-under on the front and 1-under on the back in today’s final round to coast to a fairly comfortable two-shot victory.

“I played solid for three days straight,” said Banks, “I had the putter going yesterday and just kept it in play and made a few putts. It was a pretty stress-free three days. It was kind of nice.”

This is the first PNGA Championship. Last week he qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship after winning a playoff. He played college golf for the University of Oregon.

Jonathan Romano finished in second place at 12-under par. Brian Barton of Pasco, Wash., Eli Zackheim of Seattle, Wash. and Kevin Tucker of Pullman, Wash. all finished in a tie for third at 9-under par.