LINKS GOLF GLORY need not be confined this Sunday to the winner of the British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
Sure, whoever wins that event will walk away with a check for a cool $1 million and a major trophy.
But bragging rights for the entire North Olympic Peninsula are on the line at Sunday’s Clallam Links Open at SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim.
Played on the only links-style course on the Peninsula, the Clallam Open will begin after the British Open has concluded.
A lunch of mulligan stew, complete with all the fixin’s, precedes play at noon.
A mini shotgun start is set for 1 p.m. on holes No. 1 and 7.
Three divisions are open for play: a men’s amateur for handicaps of 0 to 14 will play from the black tees; a men’s division for handicaps of 15 and above teeing from the green tees; and a women’s amateur that will play from the silver tees.
Cost is $50, $15 for golf, $25 for the honey pot and $10 for lunch and prizes.
Players also receive range balls and a shot at KPs and long-putt prizes.
Carts are available for $15 per seat.
If the field is full, a $1,000 payout will be distributed. The top 30 percent of each division will be compensated.
A new side bet twist also has been added. For $5, golfers can pick a player competing in the British Open and add their net score to the pro’s score to win.
The British Open players can be picked after the event makes its cut Friday, and the Sunday round score will be added to the total for those playing in the Clallam Links Open.
Lowest combined score will win.
Golf by the bay
Port Ludlow Golf Course’s annual Festival by the Bay Golf Tournament has been redesigned.
The tournament, set for Friday, July 24, is a two-person scramble on an executive course between 5,000 and 5,500 yards in length.
“The format should provide challenges for all players,” organizer Bill Browne said.
“The goal is to have fun while experiencing a new and different course layout.”
A 1 p.m. shotgun start will open the 18-hole tournament, and an awards ceremony will follow play at the course’s Niblicks Deli.
Entry fees are $40 for Port Ludlow members, and $75 for nonmembers.
The fee covers lunch at Niblicks, 18 holes of golf, course contests including at least four KPs, prizes for the overall gross and net team winners for each division, range balls, and an admission badge for all events in the three-day Festival by the Bay.
Players can pick their partners to form a team, and can develop a two-team foursome, if they choose.
For more information or to sign up, phone 360-437-0272.
The Festival by the Bay includes live music Friday through Sunday, and a fireworks show over the water Saturday evening.
For more information, visit plfest.org.
Aces abound
Bill Riley of Joyce captured his third career ace while playing at Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim on Wednesday, July 1.
Riley used his sand wedge to hole out on the 128-yard par-3 eighth hole.
The shot was witnessed by Rod Harp of Sequim and Tom Deeny of Port Angeles.
Over in Port Angeles, Mike McClean picked up a hole-in-one on the 140-yard par-3 fourth hole at Peninsula Golf Club on Monday, July 6.
The shot was McClean’s second-ever ace, both of them coming on Peninsula’s fourth hole.
McClean used his 7-iron on the shot. It was witnessed by Bill Knebes, Mike McCool and Bob Rossman.
Atwell awarded
Recent Port Angeles High School graduate Alex Atwell has received a $500 scholarship from the Peninsula Lady Golfers.
Atwell wrapped a sterling Roughriders golf career with a 29th-place finish at the Class 2A state tournament, helping Port Angeles to a top-10 finish as a team.
“The members have watched Alex golfing at Peninsula with his Grandfather, the late Doug Wickham, since he was very young,” Peninsula Ladies member Sandy Granger said.
“It has been a great experience to see him grow into such a competitive golfer.”
Atwell plans to play golf for Olympic College this fall.
Lavender tourney
SkyRidge also will host its 10th annual Lavender Golf Tournament on Saturday.
The two-person scramble tees off with a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start.
A barbecue burger lunch follows play.
Cost is $40 per player, cart seats are $15, and a $10 honey pot is available.
Phone SkyRidge at 360-683-3673 to sign up.
OCS tourney Saturday
Olympic Christian School’s third annual charity golf tournament at Cedars at Dungeness is Saturday.
The tournament will offer hamburgers made from Kobe beef for post-round enjoyment.
Players can get in on the scramble-format tournament for $90, which covers green fees, cart, range balls and that Kobe beef lunch.
For more information, or to sign up to play, phone Dan Hendrickson at 360-477-0802 or email golf@olympicchristian.org.
British Open viewing
Golf fans here in the Pacific time zone really have to sell out to enjoy the British Open.
Or suffer from insomnia.
ESPN has coverage of all four rounds, none of them starting before dawn in our corner of the world.
Thursday and Friday’s coverage runs from 1 a.m. to noon, Saturday provides viewing from 4 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Sunday’s final round goes from 3 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Live streaming of featured groups and the famous Road Hole is available each day on espn.com.
My prediction
Heavy favorite Jordan Spieth falls just short of winning his third straight major, losing to Louis Oosthuizen, who won the tournament the last time St. Andrews hosted, in 2010.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3525, ext. 5152, or pdngolf@gmail.com.
