CANBY, OR (July 1, 2016) -- Spencer Tibbits
(Vancouver, Wash.) and Haley Greb (Pendleton, Ore.)
earned the title of 2016 Oregon Junior Amateur
Champions at the 86th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior
Amateur Championship, held June 27-July 1 at
Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby, Ore.
Tibbits, who finished runner-up in this
championship last year, won the Junior Boys
Championship flight after beating Richie Mikesell
(Albany, Ore.) 5 and 4. Greb earned the win in the Girls
Championship flight, 4 and 2 over defending champion
Ellie Slama (Salem, Ore.).
“We want to thank all of the players, the parents
and all of our volunteers who made this past week a
memorable one,” said Robyn Lorain, Director of Oregon
Junior Golf. “Lastly, we want to thank the staff and
members of Willamette Valley Country Club, for we
could not have made this week possible without
them.”
Tibbits began his match against Mikesell on a tear,
going 3-up after four holes and maintaining that lead
after 9 holes of play. On the back nine, Tibbits began by
birdieing the 10th hole to go 4-up. Mikesell got one back
with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole, but Tibbits earned
the victory after a birdie on the par-5 14th hole to win 5
and 4.
After his round, Tibbits explained how much the win
meant to him.
“It feels great,” said Tibbits. “It’s a big weight lifted
off my shoulders. After years of heartbreak in this
tournament, this was the only one I hadn’t won in my
junior career.”
“To finally get it done my last year is really a great
feeling.”
In the Girls Championship, Greb also got off to a
great start. After birdies on the third and fourth holes,
Greb moved 3-up on the defending champion Slama.
Greb went 4-up after the seventh hole, but Slama
reduced the lead to 3-up after a birdie on the ninth
hole.
On the back nine, Greb birdied the 10th hole,
moving back to 4-up. She maintained that lead until a
birdie by Slama on the par-3 15th hole, but Greb’s par
on the 16th sealed her win.
Greb explained afterward that she has been
working hard at her game, and it showed this week.
“It’s great – good start to the summer,” said Greb.
“Hard work’s been paying off. Love the course, and it
was an absolute blast all week.”
The next Oregon Junior Golf major will take place
next week, July 5-7, at the OGA Golf Course in
Woodburn, Ore. for the 2016 Oregon Junior Stroke Play
Championship.
View results for Oregon Junior Amateur
ABOUT THE
Oregon Junior Amateur
Must be an amateur between the ages of 8 - 18
years
of age and be a member of Oregon Junior Golf. One
round of stroke play qualifying to establish flights
and
seeds for match play. The winner of each division
comes from the Championship Flight.
View Complete Tournament Information