The 12-player team representing B.C. Golf at the eighth annual Pacific Northwest Golf Association Cup at Crane Creek Country Club in Boise, Idaho was sitting 1.5 points back of the leading Washington State Golf Association team Thursday heading into the final day matches.
B.C. Golf got off to a hot start in the morning four-ball matches, getting points from Greg Koster of Courtenay and Victoria's Craig Doell with a 4&3 victory over David Jacobsen and Steve Robinson of the Oregon Golf Association. Another pair of islanders in Port Alberni's Christina Proteau and Nanoose Bay's Shelly Stouffer put a point on the board by winning 1UP over Idaho Golf Association's Abby Black and Sheryl Scott. Proteau was able to birdie the final hole to create the winning margin.
With a one-point lead over Oregon heading into the afternoon foursome matches, B.C. Golf looked poised to sustain their momentum and create a sizeable lead heading into the final day. Unfortunately, the contingent from the WSGA had other plans for the four-association, two-day team event.
Washington was able to march back from a 2.5 point morning total to gain an additional 4.5 points in the afternoon, bringing their team total to 7. British Columbia on the other hand, was only able to muster another one-and-a-half points.
After day one, B.C. was well within reach of dethroning Oregon as the three-time reigning PNGA Cup champions but they will have to cool off the WSGA. With the 7 point total for the WSGA, British Columbia and Idaho trail by 1.5 points and Oregon by a single point.
Singles matches begin Friday with the eventual champion being determined by the team with the most overall points following all matches.