The first was nice, the second gratifying and the third special, but Alex Stamey will deserve an even better adjective if he wins a fourth Snohomish County Amateur title this year.
Elite, perhaps.
Stamey, who erased a two-stroke deficit with four holes remaining to win by two shots a year ago, will be trying to become one of just four golfers with four County Am wins when the 78th-annual golf tournament tees off this weekend.
Bob Whisman, the grand master of County Am history, won five championships in the 1950s and ’60s before becoming the longtime head pro at Everett’s two public golf courses, Legion Memorial and Walter E. Hall. Jeff Knudson, who went from Everett High School to Arizona State University, won four County Ams in a five-year stretch from the late ’70s to the early ’80s. And onetime University of Washington golfer and current County Am contender Todd Tibke has four victories and counting, with his wins coming between 1987 and 2001.
The 44-year-old Stamey, who represents Everett Golf and Country Club, won in 2000 and 2004 before adding last year’s championship. “And all of a sudden,” he said, “I’m getting into some good company.”
Stamey admits he has “thought a lot more about the County in the last year than I have in previous years. … I’m into trying to create some history if I can.”
Still, given his age, he knows the clock is ticking on his run at the record book.
“I’m not getting any younger,” he said, “I don’t feel like I’m old at 44, but the young kids are getting better and better. So if I don’t do it in the next 3-5 years I’m probably not going to get it done.
“But I’m playing pretty good golf right now. I’ve got a lot of confidence going. And I’m certainly gunning for it, no doubt,” he said.
Stamey will have plenty of competition in this year’s field, including two golfers with multiple County Am wins of their own.
Tibke, who represents Snohomish Golf Course, is still aiming for a fifth victory to tie Whisman. Also, Bob Burton of Mukilteo’s Harbour Pointe Golf Course, came within a whisker of winning in 2007. Burton, who is back playing in the County Am after living out of the area for several years, won in 1972, ‘73 and ‘74, becoming the only player in the event’s history with three consecutive victories.
This year’s tourney will have a field of around 130 golfers divided into three divisions.
The first division, for players with handicaps of 5.6 and lower, will play its opening round Saturday at Legion Memorial, move to Marysville’s Cedarcrest Golf Course for Sunday’s second round, and then play its final round Monday at Everett Golf and Country Club.
The second division, for golfers with handicaps of 5.7 to 11.9, and the third division, for golfers with handicaps of 12.0 and higher, will open at Cedarcrest on Saturday, play at EG&CC on Sunday, and close Monday at Legion Memorial.
The low handicapper in the field is Dylan Goodwin of Harbour Pointe, who boasts a +1.6. Burton is close behind at +1.1, and Stamey and EG&CC’s Jacob Koppenberg are at +1.0. Others with plus handicaps are Snohomish’s Kris Jackson at +0.6, Tibke at +0.1, Mill Creek Country Club’s Kelly Denessen at +0.1, and Legion Memorial’s Court Watson at +0.1.
EG&CC’s Mike Seek is at 0.4, Mill Creek’s Paul Bonorden at 0.5, EG&CC’s Stephen Lee at 0.7 and Harbour Pointe’s Jeff Strickland at 1.1. Seek was the County Am winner in 1990 and 1997, and Strickland won in 1996.
This is the second straight year the County Am will be contested on the three days of Memorial Day weekend. For many years prior to 2007, the tournament was held on the Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend, with the final round played on the following Sunday.
Player sentiment prompted the change, said County Am director Tim Romo, and a vote was taken after last year’s tournament to decide whether to continue with the new format.
“It was 90 percent in favor of going for three days instead of doing it over two weekends,” Romo said.”
Tee times for this year’s tournament begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All rounds of the County Am are open to the public. There is no admission fee.
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