The 38th annual Whidbey Golf & Country Club Invitational went right down to the wire with Langley’s Brion Lubach edging Tim Wyer by one stroke to pick up the low gross with a one-under par 141.

Over 170 golfers took part in the two-day, 36-hole event held May 25-26. According to WG&CC head professional Mike Fields, the golf and the weather made for an outstanding weekend on the links.

“It was a great event with a really exciting finish,” he said. “The weather turned out to be pretty nice – after some drizzle in the morning on both days it cleared off and the sun came out.”

There was an exciting three-man race for the low gross in the tournament between Lubach, Wyer, and John Henriot, with the trio coming to the final hole with the championship still in doubt.

Lubach and Wyer were tied and Henriot one shot behind as they played the 18th hole. Wyer got into trouble with his tee shot, hitting into the trees. He then hit a remarkable makeup shot that put him on the green above the hole looking at a tough 30-foot downhill putt. Wyer three-putted from the tough location allowing Lubach to score an easy two-putt par and the one-stroke victory. Henriot bogeyed but his two-day score was good enough for first net in the first flight as he totaled a 137 with his handicap.

Lubach was down by three strokes entering the 16th hole on Sunday, but a birdie on the 420-yard par-4 got him within two. On the 225-yard par-3 17th hole, the Langley man scored a par, while Wyer missed the green and then three-putted for a double-bogey 5. The two-shot swing left both men deadlocked and set up the exciting finish.

Oak Harbor resident and Western Washington University golfer Chris Anderson had perhaps the shot of the tourney when he holed out from the fairway for eagle on the fifth hole on Sunday to help his cause. Anderson posted a two-day score of 148, good enough for third low gross.

“It was a great shot and it put him near the lead,” Fields said.

For Whidbey’s head pro it was his first year running the invitational and he did not see any reason to change things up that much. Fields also praised the course conditions.

“Everything went very well,” he said. “I didn’t make to many changes because I wanted everything to be consistent. Course superintendent Kurt Noonan and his staff had the course in excellent condition. I got a lot of wonderful comments all weekend.”

The weekend began with the annual horse race on Friday as the field was grouped into 51 pairs. The 51 teams were split into three groups and each played a four-hole circuit. The top five teams from each group then met to decide the winners. The team of TJ Kubisiak and Todd Decker earned the win, followed by Jake Cohen and Dave Holmly who placed second. Tracy Vass and Rob Srday finished in third for show.

Next up on the Whidbey Golf & Country Club’s events calendar will be the Skagit Valley College tournament on June 21 followed by the Ladies Invitational July 1-2.

2002 Whidbey Invitational

At Whidbey Golf & Country Club, May 25-26

Flight one: 1st Gross Brion Lubach 141; 2nd Gross Tim Wyer 142; 3rd Gross Chris Anderson 148; 4th Gross Shane Wells 150; 5th Gross Dennis Lund153. 1st Net John Henriot 137; 2nd Net Bill Van Cleef 140; 3rd Net Tracy Vass 141; 4th Net Justin Flaugh 145; 4th Net Mike Horrobin 145; 4th Net Doug Smith 145; 4th Net Lenny Thompson 145; 4th Net Dan Tomasek 145.

Flight two: 1st Gross Dan Thomson 158; 2nd Gross Bob Rigwood 159; 3rd Gross Marvin Anderson 160; 4th Gross Gene Cushway 161; 4th Gross Marv Seelye 161. 1st Net Mark Evans 141; 2nd Net Pat Beach 142; 2nd Net John Matzen 142; 4th Net Rick Nunn 144; 4th Net Dave Wickers 144; 4th Net Mel Carr 144

Flight three: 1st Gross Dave Tranthan 166; 2nd Gross Duane Hagstrom 168; 2nd Gross Jack Davis 168; 4th Gross Tom King 171; 5th Gross Shane Spray 172. 1st Net Gene Tanaka 139; 2nd Net Bruce Spaeth 142; 3rd Net Chuck Kreig 147; 3rd Net Denny Post 147; 5th Net Pat Hayes 148.

Flight four: 1st Gross Dave Acton 160; 2nd Gross David Brookings 172; 3rd Gross John Bates 174; 4th Gross Ken Frazier 175; 5th GrossJim Mathis 178; 1st Net Rick Steiner 138; 1st Net Robert Vane 138; 3rd Net Varo Anderson 144; 3rd Net Joe Radil 144; 3rd Net Phil Snover 144.

Flight five: 1st Gross Dan Barton 180; 2nd Gross Ed Beeksma 184; 3rd Gross Jim Kendal 185; 4th Gross James Randles 191; 5th Gross Graham Haines 192; 1st Net Tom Belew 141; 2nd Net Joe Johnson 141; 2nd Net Jorde McLennan 141; 4th Net Gordon McMillan 144; 5th Net John Comer 145.

You can reach Sports Editor Matt Moss at 675-6611 or by email at sports@whidbeynewstimes.com.