Photo Story: Aspiring Golf Professional Jake Irving

Jake Irving graduated from local West Albany High School in 2010 after finishing his high school career with a 34th place finish at the OSAA 5A Golf State Tournament.

Irving was part of the West Albany golf teams that won back-to-back state titles in 2008 and 2009 and has always had a passion for the game of golf.

After high school Irving attended Linn-Benton Community College for several terms before deciding that his real passion lay in the golf industry.

Irving is currently working for Spring Hill Country Club in Albany and practicing vigorously for summer tournaments.

Next year Irving plans to move to Arizona to pursue his dream of becoming a member of the Professional Golfers Association. 

I followed Irving for one of his short practice sessions at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis after he had already completed playing 18 holes earlier that morning already.







The aspiring golf professional stares down his final shot
on the range. Right after this shot he turned to me and
said, "Wish I could have hit 'em like this today." 6/2/2011



After completing his session on the range Irving
 then moved to the green beside the clubhouse to
 grind on his short game. 6/2/2011

After chipping Irving moved onto the green for some putting
practice. He is seen here reading a 10-footer that he hit
repeatedly. 6/2/2011

As you can see Irving sets his left
hand lower on the putter grip. This
is seen by many as unconventional,
but it works for him. 6/2/2011

This is my favorite picture that I took of Irving that day
and I just wanted to add it because I couldn't leave it off.
6/2/2011

NWAACC Hall of Fame Inductees: Linn-Benton

Every sport is different from one another. Basketball, football, baseball and golf have virtually no similarities between them, except one. In every sport athletes, coaches, and people associated with the sport strive to one day be inducted into their respected sport's Hall of Fame.

This past week Linn-Benton Community College announced the induction of the 1971 Men's Baseball team into the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Hall of Fame. The NWAACC will also  recognize LBCC staff member Teresa Thomas and former staff member Edwin Watson by awarding them the Outstanding Service Awards for their contributions to the Linn-Benton athletic department.

The year of 1971 marked the first year that the Roadrunners had a baseball team compete inter-collegiately. The team was led by former staff member Dick McClain and consisted of just 17 players. LB went on to rack up more than 30 wins on their way to claiming the Southern Division Oregon Community Athletic Association League Championship title. They join the 1980-81 Women's Basketball team as the only LBCC teams to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Current baseball coach Greg Hawk said of the teams induction, "We have a very rich baseball tradition here at Linn-Benton. Dick (McClain) started the Athletic programs here at LBCC and he coached the baseball team from 1971-76. I'm very proud of the history of our school and for what has played out during my years here at LBCC. We also have two NWAACC Championship teams ('88 & '91) that I have coaches that I hoped someone would nominate in the future. Dick McClain is an outstanding gentle man and a awesome coach."


Thomas was hired at Linn-Benton in 1980 by, ironically, McClain and has played a major role in athletics at LBCC for the past 30 years. She has served as LB's Women's Athletic Commissioner, participated in fundraising activities and done a stand-up job promoting Roadrunner's athletics throughout the community. During the time that the NWAACC was housed on campus at Linn-Benton Thomas served as it's secretary as well.

Watson retired in 2006 after educating for more than 36 years, including working as the LBCC vice president of Academic Affairs. Watson has been involved with Linn-Benton since 1993. He has served as the dean of the Liberal Arts and Human Performance Athletics Division. He also directed and led the Roadrunner Athletic program for more than 13 years.

The 24th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet will be held June 2 in Vancouver, Washington. The event will honor the Hall of Fame inductees, as well as the recipients of Outstanding Service Awards.

At a Glance

What: Hall of Fame Inductee

Who: 1971 LBCC Baseball team

When: June 2nd

Where: 24th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet in Vancouver, Wash.

Action/Sports Photos: "OSAA Golf Championship"

This past week the OSAA 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls Golf State Championship was held at local Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis. One of the featured groups included defending state champion Lindsay Harmon of Valley Catholic and Sydney King of McKenzie.

King makes the short walk to the first tee
5/17/2011

Harmon tends the pin for King on the 17th hole.
5/17/2011

Harmon twirls the club after hitting her approach close on
the par-4 18th. 5/17/2011

Harmon taps in for par on the 9th hole,
the groups final hole of the day. 5/17/2011

King gives a fist pump after chipping in for birdie on
the final hole. 5/17/2011

King and Harmon shake hands as their round
concludes. 5/17/2011

Coach/father Dan King embraces his
daughter following her tournament.
5/17/2011

When it was all said and done Harmon finished in second place
while King, still just a sophomore finished fifth. 5/17/2011

Moore About an OSU Record Holder

Oregon State fans will forever remember September 25, 2008 as the night that the Beavers upended the number one ranked USC Trojans 27-21, but this date was also important for OSU athletics in another way.

“I was on my official visit to Oregon State when we beat USC,” Oregon State red-shirt junior golfer Alex Moore said when asked how he ended up at Oregon State, “The atmosphere was unbelievable. Seeing all the fans storm the field, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be.”

Alex, now a junior, and the rest of the Beavers squad recently returned from the Pac-10 Championship inStanford, California, finishing in eighth place and assuring them of a spot in the Tucson Regional.

Moore became just the fifth Beaver in school history to be
named All-Pac-10 First Team.
Courtesy of EthanEricksonPhoto.com

As an individual Moore had one of the best performances in Oregon State history, finishing in second place after an epic seven-hole playoff.

With the performance Moore became just the fifth Beaver to be selected to the All-Pac-10 First Team in men’s golf.

This was not the first time this year that Moore has entered his name into the OSU record books. Earlier in the spring he recorded a 63 at the Duck Invitational, the lowest single round in Beaver history.

Moore grew up in Richland, Wash. and started playing golf at just six years old when his grandfather introduced it to him.

Junior teammate Casey King said of Moore, “He is a gentleman and a scholar in everything he does.”

He attended Hanford High School in Richland where he holds the school scoring record at 70.25. In 2007, as a senior, he won the WIAAState Championship by draining a 55-foot eagle putt in a playoff.

Al, as his teammates refer to him, had a decorated junior career before he started to receive interest from many colleges. He also took visits to the University’s of Washington and Oregon before decided to become a Beaver.

As a freshman Moore red-shirted, gaining valuable experience from the upper-classmen on the team. He played steady his first two years competing in orange and black, but was able to break through this year after a successful summer in which he qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship in Chambers Bay, Wash.

Outside of golf Moore says that he loves to play all other sports, especially basketball. He is a Business major, and will graduate this coming year.

Q&A  with Alex Moore

What were the factors that brought you to Oregon State?
Well the USC game was a big influence, and my mom really liked the town.

What sport do you see yourself playing if you weren’t playing golf in college?
If I wasn’t playing golf at OSU I’d definitely be playing basketball at some school somewhere. Maybe junior-college or something.

What is your best golf memory at OSU?
That playoff is easily the best memory I have as a Beaver, so far.

What are your plans after leaving Oregon State?
Well I’m going to try to turn pro and try to live out my dream of playing of the PGA Tour. I’ll probably move somewhere where it’s warm year round like Arizona.

Moore's Record Performance Leads OSU Golf

The Oregon State Beavers men's golf team finished the Pac-10 Championship in eighth place, while Junior Alex Moore had a slightly better outing as an individual.

Moore ended the tournament in a tie for first place with Martin Trainer of Southern California, after shooting a final round even-par 70. Both players finished the tournament at 5-under and battled intensely through seven playoff holes, setting a record for playoff holes in the 52 year history of the Pac-10 Championship, according to OSUbeavers.com.

On the seventh playoff hole Moore hit a tree with his tee-shot, leading to a bogey, while Trainer was able to tap in for a routine par and one up Moore for the title.

Sophomore Nick Sherwood finished the tournament in a tie for 25th place at 8-over,Sophomore Dave Fink finished in a tie for 35th with a score of 12-over, and juniors Jonnie Motomochi and Casey King shot 21-over and 23-over, finishing in 51st and 53rd place respectively. Sophomore Jeff Petroff rounded out the Beaver scoring be recording a 25-over total and ended in a tie for 56th.

Moore's finish ranks as one of the all-time bests by an OSU golfer at the Pac-10 Championship, though a Beaver still has yet to win the title. Moore will get another shot next year when the Championship is held at Oregon State's home course, Trysting Tree. Until then he turns his focus to Regionals and, possibly, Nationals.

Video Courtesy of 

pac10conference

Moore's 29 Leads OSU in Second Round

Junior Alex Moore fired a back-nine 29 in the second round of the 2011 Pac-10 Championship to lead the Oregon State Beavers out of eighth place and into a tie for sixth.

Moore birdied holes 11 and 13-15 before recording an eagle on the par-5 16th en-route to the 29 on the back-nine and 65 for the round.

Sophomore Nick Sherwood shot a back-nine 31 that led to him carding a 1-under 69 in the second round. Juniors Jonnie Motomochi and Casey King came into the clubhouse with a 72 and 73 respectively, while sophomores Dave Fink and Jeff Petroff both shot 77.

Moore's 29 vaulted him into a tie for first-place after the second round with Martin Trainer of Southern California.

News and Feature Photo: "High School Golf"

There was recently a high school golf tournament at Tokatee Golf Club in Blue River, Oregon. Several teams from all over Oregon were present, including Bandon High School, Glide High School, and Oakridge High School. Bandon won the event, followed closely by McKenzie. In the individual race Ben Lindsey from Bandon won by shooting a 79, there was then a five-way tie for second place at 83.

This overview photo shows a group of high schoolers teeing
off on the beautiful par-3 17th hole. 4/22/2011

McKenzie senior Kevin Schrack watches his par putt
intently on the 15th hole 4/22/2011

Schrack lets loose a rye smile after draining
the putt 4/22/2011

Glide's Braden Smith was one of five players
to tie for second place at the tournament
4/22/2011

Trey Harbick, a former McKenzie golfer himself, now
works in the Tokatee Pro Shop 4/22/2011

Masters Week Recap

It started with a serine drive down Magnolia Lane to Augusta National Golf Club, and ended with a birdie on the 72nd hole for South African Charl Schwartzel as he captured his first green jacket and Master's Championship.

The beautiful Magnolia Lane is the drive each player takes
before getting the opportunity to wear the green jacket.

On a Sunday afternoon in which we saw lead changes almost every hole on the back nine, Schwartzel was able to pull away from the field by recording birdies on the final four holes to sneak out a two stroke victory over Adam Scott and Jason Day.

The 75th playing of the year's first major was exciting from start to finish. Coming into the tournament there was question about how Tiger Woods would play, whether Phil Mickelson could repeat, or if world number one Martin Kaymer could finally break through at Augusta.

During the four day championship we were treated to glimpses of old Tiger as he made runs in the second and fourth rounds, short game expertise by Luke Donald and Phil, and Fred Couples making yet again another good Masters showing with a bad back.

There were great pairings throughout including the Young Guns group of Rory McIllroy (21), Rickie Fowler (22), and Jason Day (23) who shot a combine 22 strokes under par in the first two rounds. The pairing of Tiger and K.J. Choi in the third round was the fifth round they played together in the last seven rounds at the Masters.

Rory McIllroy reacts after hitting his ball out-of-bounds
in the final round

We saw young McIllroy, from Northern Ireland, lead the tournament for the first 54 holes of the tournament before an epic collapse on the back nine Sunday. Following McIllroy's demise there were runs made by Tiger, Adam Scott, Day, Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy, and Choi. There were as many as five players tied for the lead as the day began to wind down. Cabrera hit errant shots, Choi who had played so steady all week started to look weary, Ogilvy faded as did Tiger, and with two holes to go it looked as though Scott would be the one to break through and finally win a major.

Schwartzel receives the coveted green jacket from last year's
champion Phil Mickelson

This was not the case though as he missed a birdie putt on the final hole. In the end it was Schwartzel, a 140 pound 26 year-old from South Africa, who birdied the final four holes to win by two strokes over Scott and Day.

Overall this might have been of the most thrilling, exhilarating, action-packed Masters that I have ever had the pleasure of watching. The final round was full of drama, excitement, and in the case of McIllroy heart break.