EPSTEIN LEADS WIRE TO WIRE IN WINNING THE 2010 EVERETT MEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

2010 Champion Matt Epstein at the awards presentation.

Matt Epstein grabbed the lead with an eagle 3 on the 2nd hole of the tournament at Walter Hall Golf Course on Saturday first round and never let up as he cruised to a 6 stroke victory with a final round one under par 71 at the par 72, 6750 yard Legion Memorial Golf Course.  His two day total of 8 under par 136 is the tournament record.

Matt’s run away victory in the 2010 Everett Amateur capped an impressive summer of golf so far for the Everett Golf and Country Club Golfer and ended a string of recent near misses in northwest major amateur events.  In the past two months he had finished second in the Snohomish County Amateur and third in the Seattle Amateur.  He did nothing in this event to give those chasing him any hope that he could be caught.  Starting the Sunday final round with a five shot lead he reeled off 8 pars and a birdie on the front nine at Legion and showing no signs of cracking as he increased his lead to 6 strokes.  Epstein added an even par back nine giving him nine hole totals of 30-35-35-36 for the eight under par score of 136 in the 36 hole two day championship.

The real battle of the final round was for second place and it was a good one.

Playing in the group right in front of the final pairing, KC Chang who plays out of Harbour Point Golf Club started the day at one under par.  He then shot nines of 36-35 for his second straight 71 to post a two under par total of 142.  That put Chang alone in second place at two under par. with Paul Pavlos at one under par, Reid Martin at even par and Epstein teeing off on Legion Memorials 528 yard up hill par five18th hole and the only contestants left on the course.

Paul Pavlos, who plays out of Echo Falls Golf Club had started the day alone in second place shot a 37 on the front nine and was now three over par for the round and needing an eagle for 2nd place alone or a birdie to tie for 2nd.  Pavlos reached par 5 18th hole in two shots giving him a 25 foot putt for a chance at an eagle to regain sole possession of 2nd.   Reid Martin of Everett Golf and Country Club and the defending champion, started the day at three under par, but shot a 39 on the front nine.  Martin now needed eagle to tie Chang.  He played a spectacular drive, leaving just a seven iron to the green which he used to hit his ball 10 feet from the hole for his eagle attempt.  Pavlos narrowly missed his eagle attempt tapping in for a birdie 4 and Martin rolled his putt squarely into the center of the hole for the eagle making it a three way tie for second at 142.

The day and the championship still belonged to the last player on the course, Matt Epstein, as he two putted for a routine par on the 18th hole and a not so routine 6 shot tournament win!

Leader Board Summary:
2010 Everett Men's Amateur Championship
1st round played at Walter Hall Golf Course – Par 72 – 6443 Yards
2nd round played at Legion Memorial Golf Course – Par 72 – 6750 Yards

City of Everett Championship
Top 10