Three foursomes are vying to become the first from Central Oregon to win in 85 years of the Oregon Golf Association Team Championship.
The 36-hole gross stroke-play tournament begins today near Bend at Pronghorn Club’s Fazio course and ends with Sunday’s final round at Pronghorn’s Nicklaus course.
Included in the field of 36 teams from around Oregon will be teams representing Pronghorn (Jim Tebbs, Dean Lemman, Jonathan Banks and Victor Simone), Tetherow Golf Club in Bend (Erik Jensen, Mark Shields, Ian McLean and Jeremy Sanchez), and the Central Oregon Golf Tour (Stein Swenson, Verl Steppe, Tony Battistella and Jim Orr).
Since the tournament began in 1927, only two teams from outside the Portland metropolitan area and just six public clubs have won the tournament. Teams from Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland have won the championship 30 times since 1941, including last year at Brasada Canyons Golf Course in Powell Butte.
Team scores will be determined by tallying each team’s three best scores from each day. An individual medalist will also be recognized.
Play is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. both today and Sunday. Spectators are welcome and admission is free.
— Bulletin staff report
