Thornton claims Oregon Open title with birdie spree in the final round

Brian Thornton of Meridian Valley Country Club (Kent, Wash.) got hot at the right time at the Oregon Open Invitational.

Thornton put together a bogey-free, seven-birdie final round of 65 at Broken Top Golf Club in Bend to win the championship by two shots over Corey Prugh of Manito Golf and Country Club (Spokane).

Thornton adds the Oregon Open to his Washington Open and Northwest Open crowns has already won during his career.

He took home the $7,000 first prize check with the victory. The purse for the tournament was $70,000.

Chris Van der Velde of Tetherow GC (Bend) made the cut on the number and fired a course record 63 in the final round thanks to nine birdies. Van der Velde passed 61 players to finish tied for eleventh.

Defending Champion Reid Martin took home low a
amateur honors at 213, three under par.

Prugh led the tournament through two rounds after shooting rounds of 68-69. He did fire a final-round 69 but couldn’t keep pace with Thornton finished 12 under par for the tournament.

Scott Erdmann of Oswego Lake Country Club was third at 207 while Darren Black of Rainier Golf and Country Club was fourth at 208. Jeff Coston of Semiahmoo Resort finished fifth at 209.

There was a logjam of players tied for sixth at 213 including David Phay of Whidbey Golf and Country Club, Tim Hval of Portland Golf Club, Brandon Kearney of Bend Golf and Country Club, Luke Bennett of Lake Padden and the amateur Martin.

The next stop on the Pacific Northwest major championship schedule is the Rosauers Invitational at Spokane’s Indian Canyon Golf Course. Prugh won last year’s event by firing a final-round 63. He also won in 2009. Prugh was the Pacific Northwest PGA Section Player of the Year last year.