PRESORT STD U.S. Postage PAID FEBRUARY FREE Port Townsend, WA THE SOURCE FOR NORTHWEST GOLF NEWS Permit 262 2010 ISSUE COPY Former UW golfer Alex Prugh off to fast start on 2010 PGA Tour In only his third PGA Tour event, Spokane native and former University of Washington golfer Alex Prugh finished fith at the Bob Hope Classic. Prugh led the tournament several times. Puyallup’s Ryan Moore finished tied for 10th. Pacific Amateur WHAT’S NEW Tasty Thailand IN NW GOLF sets new dates for 2010 event in Fred Couples makes Central Oregon The Northwest Dodge Dealers Pacific $20,000 donation Amateur Golf Classic, brought to you by the Central Oregon Visitors Association, is to the First Tee the driving force for championship-caliber amateur golf in the West. of Greater Seattle This prestigious event, to be held Au- Seattle native Fred Couples, a gust 30 - September 4, 2010, is open to all 15-time PGA Tour event winner, amateur golfers who possess an established designated a check in the amount of USGA Handicap. $20,000 to The First Tee of Greater The three-day, net, stroke-play tourna- Seattle. The contribution is a portion ment, culminating in playoff competition of the charitable proceeds gener- at Sunriver Resort’s Crosswater, is played ated from the 2009 Presidents Cup on Central Oregon’s finest golf courses. at Harding Park Golf Course in San Golf Digest has ranked Central Oregon Francisco, at which Couples served #23 in the Top 50 Golf Destinations in the as captain of the U.S. Team. World. “The First Tee of Greater Seattle The #1 suggestion from participants is honored, thrilled and deeply thank- on how to best improve the PacAm was a ful to be a recipient of Mr. Couples’ desire to see the event held earlier in the sea- generosity,” remarked Heidi Wills, When you think golf vaca- son…preferably summer. However, moving executive director. Calling him a role the dates of the PacAm was a challenge for model for the program’s young golf- tions, the usual suspects the tournament because in the height of the ers, she said Couples exemplifies quickly come to mind: Arizona, golf season the availability of tournament The First Tee core values of respect, Hawaii and Florida. golf courses was limited because their tee confidence and sportsmanship. sheets are filled with outside play. We are The organization is headquartered But if you broaden your delighted to say that after YEARS of trying at Seattle’s Jefferson Park Municipal thoughts a bit, how about a to resolve this challenge we have succeeded Golf Course, where Couples played in a very exciting date change! This year during his early years of golf. Couples place like Thailand. Thailand? you’ll be playing your PacAm tournament grew up in Seattle where his father Really? Yes, Thailand, really. rounds in the best weather of the season! worked in the City of Seattle’s Parks Thailand is home to some In 2010 the Northwest Dodge Dealers and Recreation Department. As a Pacific Amateur Golf Classic will begin on youngster, “Freddie” caddied for a of the best golf in the world, Monday, August 30, with registration and top local player who gave Couples including places like Siam will conclude Friday September 3, with the his first set of golf clubs. He became Championship Round at Crosswater Golf a top junior and amateur player in the Country Club (top). Don’t Club. region. believe it? The LPGA Tour has All participants are being encouraged to events in Thailand as well as stay & play through the Labor Day weekend because Sunriver has also been selected as Chambers Bay gets the Asian PGA Tour. an official stop on the Golf Digest Experi- And there’s more to do, like ence Tour, which will take place Friday ready for U.S. Am taking an elephant ride (right) September 3, and Saturday September 4. Chambers Bay will play host The Golf Digest Experience Tour will en- to the United States Amateur this or buying seafood from street hance the PacAm by offering the finest golf year, along with the Home Course in vendor (bottom right). equipment vendors in the nation in an excit- ing demo weekend of activities, events, the DuPont giving Northwest golf fans a For more, see inside. chance to be part of the action. celebration of golf and plenty of additional Volunteers are needed for the prizing. event, which will have qualifying at Learn more at www.pacamgolf.com both Chambers Bay and the Home Course before the match-play por- tion held at Chambers. The dates are Aug. 23-29. For information Northwest golfers hitting the pro tours in 2010 see www.2010usamateur or call The Pacific Northwest will be well rep- who is ranked 50th in the world. On the Champions Tour, Bob Gilder of 253.460.4653. resented on the professional golf tours this Also playing on the PGA Tour this year Corvallis and Peter Jacobsen of Portland are year. In fact, one player has already made a from the Pacific Northwest are Ben Crane of regulars and Couples will be making his first splash on the PGA Tour. Portland, Jeff Gove of Seattle, Alex Prugh appearance on the Champions Tour in 2010. Rules Quiz Puyallup native Ryan Moore played in the of Spokane, and Jeff Quinney of Eugene. Couples made his Champion Tour debut at A player carries the new popular “rods” season opening SBS Championship at Ka- Look for Seattle’s Fred Couples to play in the Wendy’s Skins Game in Hawaii. He is in his bag. On the second hole he uses the palua by virtue of winning on the PGA Tour some events, too. also honorary chairman of the U.S. Senior rod to check his alignment or swing plane but last year. Moore played solid golf through On the Nationwide Tour, Craig Kanada of Open, which will be played at Sahalee. not in the process of making a stroke. This the four rounds and finished tied for ninth Portland, Troy Kelly of Bremerton, Michael The LPGA players from the NW include is permitted since the player was not making at 275. Geoff Ogilvy won the tournament at Putnam of Tacoma, Kirk Triplett of Pullman Allison Hanna-Williams of Portland, Jimin a stroke. True or False? See answer on 270. Moore collected a check of $208,333 and Robert Garrigus of Gresham will all be Kang who went to King’s High School in Page 2. and received 92 FedEx points for the finish. playing and looking to make it to the PGA Seattle, Paige Mackenzie of Yakima and It was a solid start to the season for Moore, Tour. Wendy Ward of Edwall, near Spokane. Printed in U.S.A. • • • INSIDE GOLF NEWSPAPER • • • ©All Rights Reserved • Page 2 • • InsIDE COMMENTs • • Inside Golf - February Issue 2010 • Puyallup’s Ryan Moore hits the 2010 PGA Tour season doing things his way You have got to hand it to Ryan Moore. He certainly knows how to do things his own way. Last year, he went sponsor-free in hopes of concentrating on his game and Bob Marlatt showing the world things can be done Publisher that way. No logos, no special sponsor appearances, nothing. And it paid off. t e v e Moore won for the first time in his PGA Steve Turcotte Tour career and had winnings of over S Editor-Advertising $2 million. Moore won the Wyndham Championship beating Kevin Stadler Tu r c o t t e Kathy Marlatt and Jason Bohn in a playoff and earning Operations Manager $936,000. pointed out “that was my 20-degree Along the way in 2009 Moore also wedge.” In someone else’s bag, it would finished in the top 10 at the United States be close to a 3 iron. Contributing Writers Open at Bethpage and he finished in the OK now picture Moore and his caddy, Jeff Coston, top 50 in the world rankings. who is usually his brother Jason, on Kathy DeNeui, Mike Peluso Cartoonist: Harold Bluestein Sponsors got excited and began mak- the course, and they are talking about ing phone calls. There were knocks at clubs. the door. But Moore has resisted for the Jason: “You want the 20 or 25?” Subscription rates: most part. And good for him. Ryan: “Give me the 25, I need to back $17-one year and $30-two He did sign one interesting deal with a off a little.” company called Scratch Golf, a company That will make the announcers go nuts. years (U.S. funds). where Moore is also a part owner. Instead of seeing the number 7 on the Unsolicited articles and photos are wel- Moore is still doing things his won way bottom of a club and then saying Moore but now he has an equipment deal with come, however we will accept no liability is hitting a 7 iron to the green, they will for their loss or damage, and will only a company he co-owns. Scratch Golf be a loft number and then try and figure Ryan Moore return them if prior arrangements have makes irons that are unique like Moore out what the heck club it is. been made with the publisher. himself. Moore’s irons in his bags don’t Moore has always been his own man. winning the U.S. Amateur twice and the have numbers on them like typical irons And that’s what makes him so good and U.S. Public Links and NCAA Division 1 Courier Address do.