Bellinghamgolfer.com

This weekend, Western Washington embarks on another golf season with last season's failure to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championship a dim and distant memory. In April, the Vikings missed out on a trip to Nationals by finishing sixth at the Central/West Regional played at the University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque. Having entered the last round tied for third, the final result was a bitter disappointment for a team that had been ranked No. 1 in the country after a spectacular fall in which it won three of its first four tournaments and finished second in the other.
"We started last year strong, but didn’t have the competition for spots among the top five that we had during the fall,” says Steve Card who is entering his 19th year as coach. “That really hurt us.”
“I expect us to start out strong again," Card adds. "But it will be how motivated we are in getting through the winter that will be the determining factor. That cost us last year. This season we need to dig a little deeper as a squad.”
Leading that squad will be last year's Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Year Dylan Goodwin, now entering his junior year. Other regulars from last year's squad still eligible for the 2011-12 team are Nick Varelia who won last year's GNAC Championship at Coeur d'Alene, Brian Barhanovich who won the Bellingham Amateur at Lake Padden two weeks ago, and Sandy Vaughan who averaged 74.9 from 30 rounds last season.
Joining them will be juniors Jake Webb who shot a closing 65 at the Bellingham Amateur to finish a shot behind Barhanovich, and Evan Needham who had a good summer tieing for medalist honors but losing in a playoff at the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) Amateur Public Links Championship. Back after a two-year absense is Thomas Jun who won the Viking Initational in 2008, and redshirt freshman Mark Strickland will bolster the line-up still further.
Completing the squad are sophomore Craig Crawford, and freshman Jack Kelly who won the 2010 PNGA Publinks at Lake Padden with a second round 65 (-7).
(If you get a chance, head over to Bellingham GCC for the 40th playing of the Viking Invitational. The first round begins with a shotgun start at 9am on Friday morning. The second and final rounds are on Saturday, the final round tee times beginning at noon with players going off the 1st and 10th tees. All ten players on the Vikings roster will be in action as WWU will have two teams competing.)

And in other news...
Well done Mark Rachor for winning the 2011 ProGraphics Challenge (three-hole tally recorded at six Men's Club tournaments) at Lake Padden with a Gross 73. Jack Sanford won the Net prize with a 63. Final scores here.
Forgive the delayed posting of the results from last weekend's (actually the event was on the Saturday before last - September 10th) Fall Classic which was won by Scott Mcbeath who also won the Men's Club Championship. And here, following the Club Championship, is the Lake Padden money list for 2011. With money earned in nine of the 16 events, Doug Nemo won with a total of $690.83.
The Three-Ring Circus is the Men's Club's next event and is scheduled for September 24th. The always popular tournament has a enjoyable format with two-men teams playing best-ball on holes 1-6, scramble on holes 7 thru 12 and a modified Chapman from the 13th to the 18th. There is a maximum nine-stroke handicap differential between team members.

Shuksan's two-man best-ball Tournament will be played on Sunday September 25th. The cost is $69 for non-members which includes green fee, cart, prize fund, BBQ and beverages. There will be a 9am back to front shotgun. Call the course on 398-8888 to book your place. Also, Shuksan has posted its new twilight rates - $25 after 1pm Monday thru Friday ($30 on Saturday and Sunday), and $20 after 3pm (same on Saturday and Sunday).

Also, better late than never, here are the results of the North Bellingham Amateur which was played, ooh about a month ago (nothing like up-to-the-minute reporting).

And lastly...
Phil Gaggero begn his new job as Head Professional at Shuksan today. The former (and, for the time being, present) Director of Instruction at Lake Padden will be splitting his time between Shuksan and Padden until November 1st. Look out for a Q&A with Phil tomorrow.