Former major league pitcher Hanson wins Master-40 title

Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash. captured the 35th Annual Pacific Northwest Golf Association Men’s Master-40 Amateur Championship title at Creekside Golf Club in Salem, Ore. with a 3 and 2 victory over Bill Winter of Portland, Ore. It was Hanson’s second PNGA Master-40 win and third PNGA championship victory overall, also winning the 2002 PNGA Mid-Amateur.

Hanson, a former major league pitcher, used consistent play with two birdies, a lone bogey and the rest pars to gradually build his lead on Winter. Hanson closed out the match on the par-5 16th hole with a par after Winter lipped out his 8-foot birdie putt.

Now at age 45, Hanson has been dominate at the Master-40. In his four appearances he has two victories and advanced to two semifinals bringing his match play record to 16-2 overall for the championship. Winter, in just his second appearance at the PNGA Master-40, has advanced to the final match both times adding this year’s runner-up finish to his victory in 2005 to build an impressive 9-1 match play record. The PNGA Master-40 is one of 15, major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, and juniors.