Doug Ghim wins biggest-ever title at Pacific Coast Amateur
2017 Pacific Coast Amateur champion Doug Ghim
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington – University of Texas senior
Doug Ghim won the 51st Pacific Coast Amateur Friday with a dramatic final hole birdie at
Chambers Bay Golf Course.
Ghim, shot a final round 69-275, 9-under-par, to hold off Texas A&M senior golfer
Cameron Champ, 69-276.
Champ briefly took the lead himself when he eagled the 18th hole, only to see Ghim’s birdie putt for the win in the following group. Defending champion
Will Zalatoris from Plano, Texas, was third with a final day 71-277 in his bid for his second straight prestigious amateur title here.
Ghim said it was only fitting his most prestigious amateur title came at a public course, which hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, after having grown up on public course as a junior.
“I came from very humble beginnings. I didn’t have a country club or anything like that growing up. To see what I have achieved is amazing.”
The current Big 12 Player of the Year and First Team All-America, emotionally credited his father Jeff for his development, after moving the family from Korea to the Chicago area when Doug was very young.
“I remember my dad fishing balls out of the water hazards so I would have some new balls to play with. Other people would have their marks on them, but we would polish them up to make them new. He would do anything to help me succeed.”
Ghim overcame a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on No. 10 with five birdies, the final one at the par 5 18th after five straight pars had the tournament conclusion in doubt.
Champ, who
won the Trans-Mississippi last week at Prairie Dunes and was one of two amateurs to make the cut at the U.S. Open, had two birdies and two bogeys before the long eagle putt which appeared might be the winner for a brief period.
“That just boosted my confidence to see what I can do (at the U.S. Open) and what I have to improve on to get better,” Champ said.
Zalatoris only had one birdie and two bogeys in his last 12 holes in his bid to repeat. He said he remains focused on his goal on getting on the U.S.
Walker Cup team and will be in the U.S. Amateur next month in hopes of being one of Captain Spider Miller's selections for the USA Team.
ABOUT THE
Pacific Coast Amateur
Although its present history only dates from
1967, the Pacific Coast
Amateur Championship's roots make it one of
the
oldest amateur
golf championships in American history. The first
tournament was
held on the links of San Francisco Golf Club at
The
Presidio, April 24-
27, 1901. Championships were held annually
through 1911, all being
conducted in California except for the 1909
championship, which was
held at Seattle Golf Club in Washington. The
Pacific Coast Amateur
then ceased to exist, only to be reconstituted at
Seattle Golf Club on
August 10-12, 1967 with the Pacific Northwest,
Northern California,
Southern California, Oregon and Arizona golf
associations
participating.
Today, 15 member Pacific Rim golf
associations comprise
the Pacific Coast Golf Association. Players can
be
invited to this 72-
hole stroke play event by their Pacific Coast G.A.
member golf
association, or as an individual.
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