DUPONT — Hoquiam and the Grays Harbor Country Club were well represented at The Home Course in DuPont as two club champions claimed titles at the WSGA Champion of Champions tournament on Wednesday.
Hoquiam High School senior John Sand, who won the GHCC men’s club championship, outdistanced the men’s overall field to win the division by three strokes.
Hoquiam’s Gretchen Klein, the multiple GHCC women’s club champion, played steady and won the senior women’s division championship by one stroke.
Sand, who will be competing for Hoquiam in the state 1A boys golf tournament in May, navigated a windy day at The Home Course to finish as the only golfer under par for the two-day tournament. The University of Denver signee won the title at 3-under 141 (68-73).
“It was really tough out there,” he said to the WSGA. “Very windy. You had to be really creative in hitting shots into the greens. I was lucky that I was able to keep the big numbers off the card.”
Sand will also aim for the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur qualifying tournaments this summer before heading off to Denver to start his collegiate career in the fall.
For Klein, her steady play from start to finish was the difference.
In the final group, Klein withstood bogies late in the final round with pars on final two holes to edge Alison Murdoch of Victoria, B.C. by one stroke. Klein hit matching 78s to finish at 156.
“The weather was definitely a factor,” Klein said to the WSGA. “Rain, wind, sun, I was getting exhausted just putting my raingear on and off, messing with my umbrella. I hit the ball pretty well, just good enough to endure, I guess.”
Gretchen Klein’s husband, Ed Klein, competed in the men’s senior division tournament and finished in a tie for fifth overall at 75-72-147.
The Champion of Champions is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the WSGA.