NW professionals qualify for the PGA Championship

The Pacific Northwest was well represented at the recent PGA Professional Championship held at Bandon Dunes Resort.

These annual tournaments bring together over 300 of the top club professionals from around the country with the top 20 earning a spot in the PGA Championship, one of the PGA Tour’s major events.

And this year three of those 20 came from the NW.

Austin Hurt, the head professional at Winged Point Country Club on Bainbridge Island, led the tournament through three rounds before finishing in a tie for fourth. Bryce Fisher of Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore. finished tied for 10th while Derek Berg of the PNW Golf Academy in Issaquah, Wash, also tied for 10th.

These three earned spots at the PGA Championship which was played in May at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Penn. Unfortunately, all three missed the cut to play over the weekend.

Sabrina Bonanno of Sahalee Country Club made the cut but finished outside the top 20. Three other players from the Northwest made the field and missed the cut in Liam Kendregan of Broadmoor in Seattle, Jason Aichele of Meadow Springs in Tri Cities and Kyle Kelly of Spokane.

Jesse Droemer of Texas won the tournament with a 283 total. Hurt finished three shots back after shooting rounds of 64-71-77 in his opening three rounds.