OSU Men's Golfer Mitch Gillis Wins Second Big Title of the Summer

Salem-News.com Sports

CRESSWELL - Oregon State senior Mitch Gillis captured his second major title of the summer over the weekend, as he won the Men’s Stroke Play Championship at Emerald Valley Golf Club.

Gillis (Williams Lake, B.C.), who won the Oregon Amateur in June at the Portland Golf Club, shot a 4-over 217 and won the event by two strokes. After shooting a 75 and a 70, he was tied for the lead heading into Sunday’s final round. His 1-over 72 was good enough for the win after he notched birdies on three of the final five holes.

“The course is ridiculously tough,” he said. “It’s really tight and you need to hit it well in order to play well. I went in with my confidence pretty high because I’ve really been striking the ball well. But I hadn’t played this course very well in the past. So I made a different game plan during the practice round. I figured even-par would win the tournament, so I made a game plan to make pars on every hole and to try to eliminate any mistakes.

“The first round, I hit it well but I putted horribly. My first one-putt came on the 17th hole, which is not good. I practiced my putting at Trysting Tree all Friday night and got it working. I kept hitting it well in the second round. I didn’t putt a lot better, but a couple of them fell.

“(During the final round) on the 13th hole I asked the head pro what the group ahead was doing. I heard I was five shots back. Then I made a 13-footer for par on 13, a 25-footer for birdie on 14, and another 15-foot-putt for birdie on 15. I heard the players ahead were struggling and I figured a couple more birdies and I’d be in good shape.

“I hadn’t played 16 well at all, but I used my 5-wood to keep it on the fairway, then hit a long iron onto the green and two-putted for par. I had a bogey on 17. On the par-5 18, I hit it just over the green in two and chipped it to within 15 feet. It left a downhill slider that was pretty slick. At the time, I figured I had to make it to win. I picked the right line and the right speed and made the birdie.”

Next up for Gillis, and the rest of the Beavers, is the 2006-07 collegiate season. OSU begins its fall season at the Wolverine Intercollegiate on Sept. 16-17.

“I’m really excited to get back into college tournaments,” he said. “I want to get a couple of college wins. I’ve made it into the final group a couple of times the past few years, but I haven’t been able to seal the deal. Now I feel confident enough to make it into a final group and pull through with a W.”

Incoming freshman Paul Peterson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) took fifth place with an 11-over 224, while junior Christian Green (Sisters, Ore./Sisters HS) tied for 25th, freshman Scott Barton (Bend, Ore./Sisters HS) tied for 27th and sophomore Alex Williams (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) tied for 41st. A few other Beavers competed but did not make the cut.

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