Oregon State senior Hara defends Oregon Stroke Play title

Kyosuke Hara seems to be right at home in his adopted college home-state. The Hawaii native, who is about to be a senior at Oregon State, won the Oregon Stroke Play on Sunday for the second consecutive year. Hara finished two shots ahead of Mayson Tibbs.

Hara was nothing if not consistent at East Crest Golf Resort in Redmond, Ore. He had three consecutive rounds of 5-under 67 to reach 15 under for the week. He got there in three different ways.

Hara didn’t have a single bogey in the first round. He had three of them plus an eagle and a double in Round 2. Two more bogeys plus an eagle went onto his scorecard in Round 3.

When Hara won this title a year ago, he had to get through a four-hole playoff. Earlier this summer, Hara made it to the Round of 16 in the PNGA Amateur.

Mayson Tibbs was second at 13 under after opening the week with an 8-under 64. Craig Rome was the only other player to get double digits under par and finished solo third at 11 under.

In the senior division, Denny Taylor won with a 6-under total that included rounds of 71-67-72. Pat O’Donnell, who won the senior title the last four years, tied for second four shots back.