June 26, 2009

SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University's Kyle Huus won three of the last five holes to win his Friday morning match in a playoff, then advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals with an afternoon victory at the Nebraska Match Play Championship.

Two other Bulldog golfers were also busy Friday as Derek Cheney finished tied for 27th and Francis Santiago took 55th at the Washington State Golf Association Men's Amateur Championship in Pullman.

Earlier this week, Oliver Grabb qualified for the Colorado Golf Association Match Play Championship July 6-10 at Bear Creek Golf Course in Denver. Grabb, a sophomore-to-be, tied for eighth at the CGA Match Play Pre-Qualifier #1 with a 69 Wednesday. He had five birdies and two bogeys in the round over the 6,735-yard, par 72 Thorncreek Golf Course.

Huus, a native of Sidney, downed Michael Kampschneider of Omaha in the afternoon round of 16.

But the real drama for the Bulldog junior-to-be came in the morning match against David Easley of Lincoln. Easley was 5 up after seven holes and Huus was still three down following the par 5 13th. Huss won the next three holes to square the match with two to play. They both made par on the par 4 17th and birdied the 538-yard par 5 18th to send the match to the playoff. Huus won on the 19th hole with a par on the 425-yard, par 5 first hole, Easley posting a bogey.

Huus' foe in Saturday's quarterfinal over the 6,817-yard par 72 Willow Lakes Golf Course layout won't be a stranger as he takes on Brandon Crick of McCook. Crick played two seasons of golf for the Bulldogs until transferring to the University of Nebraska this past season. Crick, who earned West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2007, defeated David Ping of Omaha 3 and 2 Friday.

Cheney, from Richland, and Santiago, from Lynnwood, both had a rough day on the windy Palouse Ridge Golf Course in Pullman. Cheney, a senior this fall, had 10 bogeys and shot a final-round 80 to finish tied for 27th at 300. Santiago, who will be a junior, had four bogeys, a double-bogey and a birdie on the front nine, had nine pars on the back side and shot 77 to finish 55th at 311 over the 7,274-yard, par 72 layout. Austin Hurt had a 7-under par 65 Friday for a 72-hole total of 284 to claim a 1-stroke victory over Drew Reinland and third-round leader Derek Berg.