Vancouver’s Tibbits wins second Oregon Jr. Stroke Play title

Chalk up another title for Spencer Tibbits.

The Vancouver golfer won the Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship for the second straight year on Thursday.

Tibbits won the Class 3A state championship as a junior in May. He also won last week’s Oregon Junior Amateur Championship.

Tibbits had to rally to win Thursday in the three-round event at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn. He trailed Craig Ronne by two stokes heading into the back nine.

The two were tied at 6-under headed into the par-4 16th hole. Tibbits birdied the hole while Ronne suffered his only bogey of the day.

Tibbits bogeyed the 17th hole, but held onto his one-stroke lead through the final hole.

Ronne, of Klamath Falls, Ore., and Tibbits are used to battling against each other at events around the Northwest.

“We’ve done it since we were eight years old, so just like old times,” said Tibbits in an OGA press release. “Just battling it out. You just have to stick to your routine and keep playing like it’s the first couple holes of a tournament. It was fun.”

Tibbits has qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship July 18-23 near Chattanooga, Tenn.