Golfer qualifies for Junior Amateur
July 2, 2008
By J.B. Wogan
Kevin Penner qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur golf tournament.
In the last summer he is eligible to compete in the Junior Amateur, Penner, 17 of Sammamish, eked out a performance June 23 that will send him to the Birmingham, Ala. tournament July 21-26.
The Junior Amateur is considered by many to be the country’s premier junior competition. Only golfers 17 or younger can gain entry into the event. It is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association.
To make the cut, Penner competed in a 36-hole tournament at Gig Harbor’s Canterwood Golf and Country Club. The top three finishers there automatically qualify for the tournament in Birmingham.
In the morning, he posted a 72, one stroke over par. He rallied back in the afternoon shooting a 70, one stroke under par. The score put him in a tie for third place with Broc Johnson, thrusting the two into a sudden death playoff.
Penner, a rising senior at Eastlake High School, had faced Johnson, a rising junior at Todd Beamer High School, at the 4A state golf tournament. In that event, Johnson edged Penner, taking second to Penner’s third.
This time around, the Sammamish youth drained a five-foot putt to make birdie, beating his opponent by one stroke.
“It’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in a golf tournament, but then again, I’ve never been happier after I made the putt,” Penner said.
Last year, Penner played at the Canterwood tournament, but fell short of his goal to qualify for the Junior Amateur.
Over the last year, he rounded out his short game, which might have made the slight difference in the final hole, he said.
“I was just putting was really well,” Penner said. “I trusted my line.”
Scott Williams, Penner’s swing coach, said the Junior Amateur will feature an elite field with future Division I college and professional players.
“It’s gonna be the intangibles that are going to set the one guy from the next,” said Williams, who called Penner a “flat-out good player” equipped with strengths in every aspect of the game. “He shouldn’t fear anyone. He’s just got to believe in the talent.”
Penner carried his momentum from the Canterwood tournament by finishing fifth in the Washington State Golf Associations Men’s Amateur, held June 24-27 at The Links in Moses Lake. After posting a 77 on the first day, Penner finished with a 68, 68 and 69 on the last three days of the event. His total score was a 283. Richard Lee, of Covington, finished first with a 275.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
