Ben Bryson, PGA Head Professional at BanBury Golf Club in Eagle, Idaho defeated Ron Rawls, PGA Head Professional at Crane Creek Country Club in Boise, Idaho, to claim the 2009 Snake River PGA Match Play Championship presented by Bridgestone Golf and supported by Tifosi Optics and PEPSI.
Bryson held off a late charge by Rauls to win 1-up. The weather was at best inclement and both players handled the wind and rain well. Meanwhile Ron Ptacek of Boise defeated defending champion Jeff Thomsen, PGA Head Professional, Indian Lakes Golf Course, to win the Senior Division crown in the Match Play. The match went to the last hole and Ptacek won 1-up to claim his first senior division title in the event.
Ron had previously won the regular division in 1989.
The Snake River Chapter PGA Match Play Championship was the season’s first tournament for the Snake River Chapter. It was contested at the 7,103 yard, par 72 layout at SpurWing Country Club in Meridian, Idaho.
The Rocky Mountain Section and Snake River Chapter of the PGA would like to thank SpurWing Country Club, host PGA Professional Steven Borror, and all the members, staff and volunteers whose efforts contributed to a successful championship. Appreciation is also extended to presenting sponsor Bridgestone Golf, Territory Sales Manager, Cliff Jones, as well as Tifosi Optics representatives Adam Brim and Bob Hope and Curt Goldgrabe and Brian Bolton of PEPSI for their support.
Scott Kremmel, PGA Head Professional at Valley View Country Club in Bozeman, Mont., and Ryan Wagner, PGA Professional at The Powder Horn Golf Club in Sheridan, Wyo., were paired together and won the 2009 E-ZGO Yellowstone Chapter PGA Pro-Pro, Supported by VGM Club, NIKE, Genesis Pure and Tifosi Optics. Shooting a 27-hole total of 9-under par 99, Kremmel and Wagner defeated Eddie Kavran, PGA Head Professional at Hilands Golf Club in Billings and Mark Hahn, PGA Head Professional at Exchange City Golf Course in a sudden-death playoff. After both teams finished play at identical 9 under par totals; Kremmel and Wagner won the playoff on the first extra hole.
The E-Z-GO Yellowstone Chapter PGA Pro-Pro was played at Lake Hills Golf Club in Billings.
The formats of play for the event included, scramble for the first 9 holes, four-ball stroke play for the second 9 holes, and modified alternate shot (Chapman) for the final 9 holes.
The Yellowstone Chapter congratulates Scott and Ryan for their fine play, and thanks Rainer Dahl of Highland of Montana, along with Jon Wright, PGA Head Professional, Phil Dahl, General Manager, and the Lake Hills Golf Course and its staff for hosting the event. The Chapter also thanks Highland of Montana, VGM Club, Genesis Pure, NIKE and representative Scott Stephens, and Tifosi Optics and representative Bob Hope for their support of the event.
Snake River Chapter PGA professionals and southern Idaho amateurs teamed up to raise over $6,000 at the annual Larry Malone/Snake River Chapter Pro-Am at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise. The 2009 event marks the 35th year for the Pro-Am, and during that time, has raised and distributed over $186,000 to collegebound high school seniors.
The Larry Malone/Snake River Chapter PGA Scholarship Pro-Am is held annually in memory of the late Larry Malone. Malone, a standout golfer at Twin Falls High School and Weber State University, tragically departed from us at the age of 22, succumbing to cancer. The 2009 Larry Malone Scholar winners will be announced in June.
The Rocky Mountain Section PGA and Snake River Chapter extend its thanks and appreciation to Pepsi, Nagel Beverage, Pepsi Cola Bottling of Twin Falls, PEPSI Bottling Ventures, Primm Valley Golf Club and AHEAD for their support of this event as well as Hillcrest Country Club for hosting the tournament.