Sahalee’s Berg finishes in second at National Assistant tournament

Sahalee assistant professional Derek Berg came within one round of winning the 41st National Car Rental Assistant Professional Championship in Florida. Berg led through three rounds, but came up one shot short in the end.

Ryan Zylstra of Richmond, Virginia came from behind with a finishing score of 11-under 277 to win the championship. With his victory, Zylstra claimed the first-place prize of $12,000 from the $150,000 total purse. Berg finished with a solo second, one stroke back at 10-under 278.

Berg led through three rounds of the tournament after shooting rounds of 68-67-71. But his 72 in the final round wasn’t enough to hold off Zylstra and he finished one shot back. A victory in the tournament would have guaranteed Berg a spot in next year’s PGA Championship.

Zylstra, playing in the penultimate group, entered the final round trailing Berg by two strokes. With wet and windy conditions at the Wanamaker Course, he attacked the front nine and converted three birdies on holes 3, 5, and 6. With a three-putt bogey on the par-3 4th, Zylstra made the turn at 10-under for the Championship. That’s all he would need.

A pair of other assistants from the Pacific Northwest played well and made the cut. Justin Wiles of Reames Golf and Country Club in Klamath Falls, Ore. finished tied for 21st while Tim Feenstra of Broadmoor in Seattle tied for 35th in the championship.