Vijarro Wins Medalist Honors at Oregon Amateur
Courtesy of Oregon Golf Association
CANBY, Ore. -- Defending champion and University of Oregon golfer Andrew Vijarro of Bend, Ore. started where he left off, birdieing his first three holes of his second round. The only blemish on his scorecard was a double-bogey on the par 4, 454-yard 18th hole (his 9th hole for the day). But with two more birdies on is closing nine, he ended up shooting a 9-under par 66-69—135 to earn medalist honors and take the number one seed into match play at the 101st Oregon Amateur which is being contested at Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby, Ore.
A total of 16-players shot under par or better on the 7,079 yard layout including Chris Maletis, 61, of Portland, Ore. Topping the bottom bracket as the umber two seed is Justin Kadin of Corvallis, Ore., the reigning Oregon Public Links Champion, who shot a 7-under par 67-70—137.
Six players were tied at 10-over par and went into a sudden-death playoff to determine the 64-player match play field with Nicholas Chianello of Gresham, Ore., Daniel Dyquisto of Clackamas, Ore., George Hale of Lake Oswego, Ore., and Brad Mombert of Bend, Ore. advancing. Randy Mahar of Portland, Ore., the reigining Oregon Mid-Amateur champion and 1977 Oregon Amateur Champion chose not to participate in the playoff.
The Oregon Amateur, considered the “major” amateur golf in the region, is also one of the oldest and most prestigious sporting competitions in the state featuring of the best amateur golfers in the region. To be eligible, a player must be an amateur golfer with a USGA Handicap Index of 3.4 or less. Three qualifiers were held to select the players to advance to the tournament proper.
While many state Championships have become stroke play competitions, the Oregon Amateur, remains true to its roots playing the same traditional match play format that’s used to this day to determine the best amateur champions even at the national level. It’s also one of the few men’s and women’s amateurs held concurrently, always played at the same time at the same site. Started in 1904, this year’s event will be its 101st occurrence. The only years it was not held was during World Wars I and II and once during the Great Depression.
OTHER DUCKS ADVANCE
Robbie Ziegler (T4th, 4-under 72-68-140), Jack Dukeminier (T17th, 1-over 73-72-145), Isaiah Telles (T26th, 4-over 73-75-148), Tyler Parker (T37th, 6-over 73-77-150) and Jack Paton (T41st, 7-over 75-76-151) all advanced to match play, which got underway Wednesday afternoon.
View the Oregon Amateur Match Play Championship bracket HERE.
