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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 2017)
10A FRIDAY Aug. 4, 2017 Spring Sports SeasideSignal.com GOLF Kindred connections rule final day of Coast Invite A FAMILY TRADITION By Gary Henley Seaside Signal W ARRENTON — “It’s all about family,” said Lara Tennant, in her address to the crowd following her Women’s Division victory in the annual Oregon Coast Invitational, which conclud- ed Saturday at the Astoria Golf & Country Club. “Family” is why Tennant plays in the annual tournament, and family is why one of the oldest tournaments on the West Coast remains so popular. The 107th Oregon Coast Invitational definitely had a big family theme this year, as multiple families went home with some prize-winning hardware Saturday. In addition to Lara (Mack) Tennant win- ning her 10th Women’s title, father George Mack Sr. won the second flight in the Su- per Seniors’ division, and sister Cappy ad- vanced to the semifinals of the Women’s championship flight. Elsewhere, Astoria’s Bret Stevens won his first championship flight trophy, taking first in the Seniors division, while son Ron- nie was runner-up in the Grand Champions’ fifth flight. And Saturday’s big winner was definite- ly the Elmes’ father-son combo. Riley Elmes successfully defended his Grand Champions’ title, winning the cham- pionship flight for the second year in a row, while dad Matt Elmes rallied to win the championship flight of the Junior Seniors division. It’s been a tradition like no other for the Mack family, which now has over 20 cham- pionships in the OCI. Women’s Division In Tennant’s victory Saturday, she held a slim 2-up lead after the morning 18-hole round, increased it to 3-up, then finally finished the match on the 34th hole, for a 3&2 win over Portland’s Gretchen Johnson, playing in her first Coast Invitational. It’s the 10th Women’s title for Tennant, her first coming in 1990. She had to get past four-time OCI champion Amanda Jacobs in GARY HENLEY/EO MEDIA GROUP Laura Tennant sends her approach shot to the green on the 13th hole in Satur- day’s afternoon round, as her caddy (and sister) Cappy Mack looks on. Friday’s semifinals, one day after a quarter- final victory over Charisse Spada. Tennant used a near-miracle shot on the sixth hole in Saturday’s afternoon round to maintain her lead over Johnson. Her tee shot on No. 6 landed on the other side of a ridge bordering the right side of the fairway. “I was more concerned about getting it up and over the hill,” she said. “And I hit a6- iron to within 15 feet. I knew I hit it well, but you never know how it’s going to end up.” Later, Tennant made a birdie on 14 and parred 15 and 16, “and just wanted to make par from there,” she said. “(Johnson) played well.” The entire week was “slower at the be- ginning, then I played better each day,” Tennant said. “And that’s what’s most im- portant, to play really well on Friday and Saturday. The wind was so tough this year. It was consistently the most windy golf of any coast tournament I’ve ever played in.” Grand Champions In the Grand Champions’ match, Elmes was 1-down to Anthony Arvidson after the morning round, but rallied and was 1-up through the fifth hole of the afternoon round. Elmes also clinched the win on the 34th hole, 3&2. Seaside’s Sam Hinton bounced back from his first round loss in the Grand Cham- pions division to win the first flight. Elmes’ father, Matt, was even with Den- nis Sturgell through 11 holes in the Junior Seniors championship, but then won the next two holes for a 2-up lead. It was the second Junior Seniors title in three years for Matt Elmes. In the Seniors’ championship flight fi- nal, Stevens had the home course advantage against Tom Mulflur. “Most of the club members know all the bounces on this course,” Stevens said. “You know where to play it, so it’s a little bit of an advantage. But the out-of-town people have also played this course a lot. It’s highly competitive.” Stevens was 3-up through 11 holes, but Mulflur rallied and eventually pulled even. “We both bogeyed 17, then parred 18 to GARY HENLEY/SEASIDE SIGNAL Ed Rippet at the Oregon Coast Invitational. go extra holes,” Stevens said. From there, both golfers parred the first extra hole, and Stevens parred the 20th hole (played on the 18th) to win. “It was an even match the whole way,” Stevens said. “(Mulflur) was a little longer off the tee, I just got the ball up and down around the greens one more hole than he did.” Stevens’ highlight shot was “the putt on the 20th hole for birdie. I just put it up there close, about a foot away, and made that for a par.” Sturgell said, “Bret also won the Senior (Astoria) Club Championship, so he’s had a good golf season.” “I’ve been playing this for about 20 years,” Steven said, “and this is only the second time I’ve made it to Saturday, but the first time for a championship flight.” The Super Seniors title went to Larry Wobbrock, who made a nearly 35-foot putt on the first hole to set the tone in his match with Gaylord Davis. GOLF SCOREBOARD OREGON COAST INVITATIONAL Grand Champions Championship Flight: Riley Elmes def. Anthony Arvidson, 3&2. Semifinals: Elmes def. Rex Puterbaugh; Arvidson def. Randy Tucker. First Flight: Samuel Hinton def. Bill Winter. Semifinals: Hinton def. Preston Van Hook; Torkelson def. Bill Winter. Second Flight: Patrick Wood def. Chris Shepard. Semifinals: C.Shepard def. A.J. Shepard; Wood def. Cameron Nicklos. Third Flight: Scott Vinson def. Craig Froude. Semifinals: Froude def. Tommy Mulflur; Vinson def. Richard McGee. Fourth Flight: Peter Griggs def. Rob Goodman. Semifinals: Goodman def. Michael Wood; Griggs def. Steve Mozinski Fifth Flight: J.P. Nantz def. Ronald Stevens. Semifinals: Nantz def. Jim Senescu; Stevens def. Brock Rice. Bridwell. Semifinals: Fordney def. Pat Fuller; Bridwell def. Mary Wohler. Women’s Championship Flight: Lara Tennant def. Gretchen Johnson, 3&2. Semifinals: Johnson def. Cappy Mack; Tennant def. Amanda Jacobs. First Flight: Molly Edmunds def. Ali Battaglia. Semifinals: Battaglia def. Dotty Johnson; Edmunds def. Renee Case. Second Flight: Hillary McNeill def. Mary Swingle. Semifinals: McNeill def. Jan Whitty; Swingle def. Kristin Finnegan. Third Flight: Lori Petersen def. Zeta Rennie. Semifinals: Rennie def. Robin Endres; Petersen def. Kathleen Casey. Fourth Flight: Helene Mayer def. Leslie Bickmore. Semfinals: Mayer def. LaVona Goforth; Bickmore def. Sue Ann Bearden. Fifth Flight: Luanne Fordney def. Jerry Junior Seniors Championship Flight: Matt Elmes def. Dennis Sturgell. Semifinals: Sturgell def. Kurt Payne; Elmes def. Doug Edwards. First Flight: Mike Ralston def. Rob Turk. Semifinals: Ralston def. Mike Naimo; Turk def. Allan LaPlante. Second Flight: Jim Fromer def. Greg Korkowski. Semifinals: Korkowski def. Beau Harlan; Fromer def. Mark McGraw. Third Flight: Brad Nantz def. Tal Gohl. Semifinals: Gohl def. Dan Hall; Nantz def. Bill Hurst. Fourth Flight: Doug Palin def. Greg Hope. Semfinals: Hope def. Jim Jack- man; Palin def. Mark Murphy. Fifth Flight: Storm Floten def. Brian Pienovi. Semifinals: Pienovi def. Robert Endres; Floten def. Tumbarello. Sixth Flight: Wes LaRiviere def. Tim Regan. Semifinals: LaRiviere def. Joe Dandoy; Regan def. Dennis McAuliffe. Seventh Flight: Mike Obrien def. Michael McNamara. Semifinals: Obrien def. John Tennant, Jr.; McNamara def. Rick Campbell. Whealdon; Bristol def. Lynn Brigham. Fourth Flight: Bob Jordan def. Stanley Gott. Semfinals: Gott def. Scott Peter- son; Jordan def. Rick Nelson. Fifth Flight: Daniel Lindquist def. Mike Capri. Semifinals: Lindquist def. Joe Uzelac; Capri def. Skip Nau. Seniors Championship Flight: Bret Stevens def. Tom Mulflur. Semifinals: Stevens def. Mike Maltman; Mulflur def. Patrick Terrell. First Flight: Michael Terrell def. Walter Yeaw. Semifinals: Terrell def. Brooke Benz; Yeaw def. Robert Tennant. Second Flight: Chris Hayward def. Roger Stalick. Semifinals: Hayward def. Anthony Rennie; Stalick def. John Mayer. Third Flight: Bill Bristol def. Royal Latham. Semifinals: Latham def. Dan Super Seniors Championship Flight: Larry Wobbrock def. Gaylord Davis. Semifinals: Davis def. Peter Roscoe; Wobbrock def. Jeff Leinassar. First Flight: Russ Taggard def. Rick Abrahamson. Semifinals: Abraham- son def. Bill Weed; Taggard def. Jon Palmberg. Second Flight: George Mack, Sr. def. Joe Patrick. Semifinals: Patrick def. John Dunkin; Mack def. Jon Woodson. Third Flight: Lang Bates def. Larry Veltman. Semifinals: Veltman def. Tom Stearns; Bates def. Ron Nakata. Fourth Flight: Gordon Harris def. John Turman. Semfinals: Harris def. Fred Hamel; Turman def. Kevin Kelly. Fifth Flight: Tom Isenhour def. Jarrett Jones. Semifinals: Jones def. Tony Pasion; Isenhour def. John Holt. Sixth Flight: Wayne Spencer def. Peter Goforth. Semifinals: Goforth def. Michael Millette; Spencer def. John Holmes. Seventh Flight: Jeff Wohler def. Ken Kadera. Semifinals: Kadera def. Miles Sweeney; Wohler def. Jim Hauck. Eighth Flight: Marty Sells def. Jerry Briggs. Semifinals: Sells def. Russ Drag- on; Briggs def. Gary Clunas. Ninth Flight: Albert Carder def. John McLoughlin. Semifinals: Carder def. Rick Williams; McLoughlin def. David Aase. Hood to Coast runs all the way to China Asian nation starts version of state’s big race By Steve Brandon Portland Tribune Thirty-five years ago, with little fanfare, eight teams con- sisting of 10 runners each took off downhill from Timberline Lodge, wound their way one at a time through Portland and small communities, and ended up at a relatively quiet finish line in Pacific City. That was Hood to Coast Relay I. Who could have foreseen that 2017 would be the year of Hood to Coast Relay XXXVI, and that this one race would now be part of a series of road-running events, and that another Hood to Coast I — in the world’s most-populated country — would have just been launched successfully in partnership with a company featuring China’s most popular athlete, Yao Ming. “I would never have imag- ined this,” says Felicia Hubber, Hood to Coast Race Series president and the daughter of HTC Relay founder Bob Foote. “It feels so surreal.” Hubber was on hand this month for the July 8 Hood to Coast China — the first of what is expected to be many of its kind in the Asian country of 1.4 billion. Yao Ming and Starz Inter- national Sports were co-pro- ducers of the race. The7-foot- 6-inch, 310-pound former NBA center doesn’t run, but his mere involvement helped ensure the 104-mile inaugural had plenty of support and pub- licity. “The race got more media than we get here,” Hubber says. “It was the top-trending topic on WeChat, the lead- ing social media platform in China, and it got coverage on CCTV (China Central Televi- sion).” Hood to Coast China be- gan at Genting Secret Garden Resort, which will be the site of skiing in the 2022 Winter Olympics and is a 2 1/2-hour drive from Beijing. The course was framed by rolling countryside and took the runners past remote farmlands. The finish line was among wild camels in the central plains of northeast China, about 180 miles from Mongolia. “Gorgeous,” Hubber says of the layout. No traffic Over the years of Hood to Coast in Oregon, the often con- gested path of vans and runners through towns and local traffic hasn’t always been easy or en- tirely popular, but the Chinese took care of those issues. “The amazing part of it for us was the course was closed by the government and the po- lice, so it was like a dream for the runners. They were able to experience it without any traf- fic,” Hubber says. Such was the attention to detail and efficiency of the event, she notes. FELICIA HUBBER The Hood to Coast Relay recently debuted in China. “The whole thing was so well organized, it exceeded our expectations,” she says. “We couldn’t have been hap- pier.” And, while the HTC Re- lay in Oregon is largely a participatory event centered on camaraderie and fun for weekend warriors, the Chi- nese took a much different approach. HTC China orga- nizers handpicked the runners (200 teams of five runners each). “It was very competitive, and the teams took it pret- ty seriously,” Hubber says. “Our Hood to Coast is more about the experience and be- ing together as a team, but for them it was, ‘We want to win or be one of the top teams.’ “The team that got fourth place was crying at the awards ceremony, they were so upset they didn’t make it in the top three.”
