Happy Valley, Lake Oswego golfers win Senior Amateur titles

It was an unlikely battle in the Men’s Championship Flight in the Oregon Senior Amateur as Mike Klenz of Tualatin, Ore. advanced from the number 19 seed in the tournament all the way to the finals after to take on Pat O’Donnell of Happy Valley, Ore. at the Oregon Senior Amateur hosted this year by Rogue Valley Country Club in Medford, Ore.

Being atop the leaderboard with a chance for a title was familiar territory for O’Donnell, who in addition to being the medalist at this year’s event, was also the reigning and 4-time Oregon Men’s Stroke Play Champion, 2009 OGA Golfer of the Year and the 2008 Senior Amateur Champion. But for Klenz, who hasn’t played in many state championships, it was in unfamiliar territory.

The match ended on 16 when O’Donnell hit his approach on the green below the hole, while Klenz hit his approach left leaving a dangerous downhill chip that had a greater chance of sailing off the green than going in. Klenz conceded the match 4 & 2.

In the Women’s finals, Penny Saenguraiporn of Lake Oswego, Ore. won her match over medalist Debbie Friede of Washougal, Wash. Saenguraiporn was the runner-up in last year’s championship to Pacific Northwest Hall-of-Famer Joan Edwards-Powell. This year she’d be taking on a former LPGA Touring professional who had a significant advantage off the tee, out driving her 40-50 yards on every hole.