Nick Huff is a Royal Oaks Invitational Tournament veteran.
This weekend’s event is far from the Hockinson High School graduate and Concordia University golfer’s first rodeo on the Royal Oaks Country Club greens. It’s his sixth, and there’s a reason why he keeps coming back annually to a place he calls a favorite.
“I like to call it The Masters for amateurs,” Huff said. “It’s always in perfect conditions. There’s great atmosphere everyone is having fun.”
Still, there’s a first for everything for Huff.
He shot an even-par 72 Saturday — not a first, mind you — but it’s not your average even-par round.
If you a look at his scorecard, it’s a little unique.
Remember 30 years ago when Nick Faldo hit 18 straight pars at Muirfield to win his first major, the British Open?
Huff hit pars on all 18 holes Saturday starting his round on the 10th.
“I’ve never parred every single hole before,” he said.
On any course.
Fitting, perhaps, since it’s “The Masters for amateurs.”
Huff isn’t the only Concordia golfer at the 61st annual event. Six of his teammates are competing, including fellow Hockinson graduate Jarred Gomez and Woodland’s Tanner Huddleston, in addition to Concordia alum Tanner Maahs (Prairie).
All are chasing the leader: Drew McCullough, a Richland native and golfer for the University of Wyoming. He, along with 16-year-old Cole Wilson out of Kelowna, British Columbia, shot 4-under 68 Saturday, and McCullough has a one-shot lead over Wilson (139-140) entering Sunday’s final round.
McCullough eagled the 312-yard par-4 seventh hole to highlight his second-day round. Defending champion Spencer Tibbits shot 2-over 74 Saturday and is seven back of the leader.
RIDGEFIELD’S JOHNSON LOOKING AHEAD — The start of June begins in Vancouver for Brett Johnson.
Always.
“It’s pretty special to be out here,” said Johnson, a Ridgefield native and former Washington high school state champion. “It’s my favorite to come out and start my summer schedule.”
Disregard the past two days, Johnson said, after his uncharacteristic 11-over 155 over 36 holes, and his dreams of professional golf are still alive.
Later this year, his plans include joining the Cactus Tour in Arizona.
And to think, he got a late start to golf “relative to everyone else,” he said. He got serious with the sport as a high-school freshman. Two years later, though, he was a state champion. He won the WIAA Class 1A state title by four shots.
He just closed out his college career at NCAA Div. II Western Washington, helping the men’s golf program get back on the national scene. He leaves with the program’s third-highest scoring average (72.03).
EXPERIENCE OVER COMPETITION FOR BRINGHURST — Kellen Bringhurst, one of the field’s two youngest competitors, got a lesson in experience over competition in his two days on a course he described as the toughest he’s played on.
The Ridgefield High School sophomore finished with a 180 over 36 holes in his first experience at the Royal Oaks Invitational Tournament, and explained how the course compares with the Creek at Qualchan in Spokane, where the Class 2A tournament was held. That’s where Bringhurst placed 35th last month.
“You have to keep it in the fairways here,” he said. “You have to keep it below the hole or else you’re not going to be in very good shape on the holes. I failed to do that.
“It’s a tough course.”
Bringhurst said what drew him to the ROIT was applying for the club’s scholar club athlete program. Ridgefield’s coach, Bob Ball, is a longtime member and caddied for Bringhurst over his 36 holes.
“I had fun with my coach,” he said. “I didn’t play that well, but it was a good experience.”
