Jack Kelly claims title at PNGA Men’s Public Links

Jack Kelly of North Bend, Wash. fired a final round 7-under par 65 to win the PNGA Men’s Amateur Public Links at Lake Padden Golf Course by seven shots.

Starting the day three shots behind first round leader Sulman Raza of Eugene, Ore., Kelly played solid golf on the front nine with a 1-under par 35 and cut the deficit to one stroke. He would then catch fire going birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie on holes 10-14 to get to 7-under par and leave the rest of the field behind. He would go on to par his final four holes to finish the championship at 7-under par 137. Finishing in a tie for second place at even-par 144 were Raza and Matt Cowell of Bellingham, Wash.

In the Senior Men’s division, Dave Farnam of Kent, Wash. overtook first round leader Larry Daniels of Seattle, Wash., by firing a 4-under par 68 for a two shot victory. Farnam, who is a 3-time past champion in the PNGA Men’s Amateur Public Links, had a flawless round that included two birdies, one eagle and the rest pars to finish with a two-day total of 5-under par 139. Daniels finished alone in second place at 3-under par 141 after a 1-under par 7. Four-time defending champion Kent Brown of Colville, Wash. finished in a tie for 4th place.

Kate Hildahl of Tualatin, Ore., captured her second Women’s Public Links title with a dominant nine shot victory over second place finishers Brittany Tallman of Issaquah, Wash. and Seshia-Lei Telles of Tualatin, Ore. Hildahl followed up her first round 2-under par 70 with a solid 5-over par 77.