SAMMAMISH — The sport has seen improvements in available data, technology and preparation in the eight years since the LPGA Tour last visited. Sahalee was not impressed.
“We definitely crowned a champion,” Sahalee Country Club general manager and chief operating officer Leslie Ludlow said Sunday. “But this week, the course won.”
It was a picturesque and proud weekend at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a few swerves thrown in. The last time the course hosted the event in 2016, winner Brooke Henderson shot 6-under-par 278. This year, Amy Yang finished with an even-par 72 on Sunday and capped the weekend at 7-under 281.
“For it to still be within one stroke of 2016 says a lot about what our team did,” Ludlow said.
Conditions cooperated to the delight of onlookers, gathering from all over the “golf-starved” Pacific Northwest, as director of golf Bryan Nicholson put it. It was dry, sunny and breezy throughout the weekend after a cold and rainy first three weeks of June. Interest in the event was piqued by the recent performance of Nelly Korda, who recently won an LPGA record-tying five straight tournaments.
Korda, the world’s top-ranked player, was a shot behind leader Lexi Thompson on Thursday after the first round. She tied her highest score on the LPGA and missed the cut by a shot, a third straight missed cut in the wake of her historic stretch. Nicholson noted she still stopped for interviews.
“To watch one of the world’s best athletes go out and have the highest of the highs and then fall, I think it shows the challenges associated with our sport,” he added. “It’s very humbling at times, and I thought she handled it with tremendous grace.”
Solid numbers will come later, but Ludlow and Nicholson expected to surpass the PGA of America’s “rule of thumb” attendance expectation of about 5,000 fans per day on average. On Saturday, Endsley said they more than doubled that.
“To see the kids out here, the daughters with their fathers — there were just really special moments and opportunities for us to connect with the Puget Sound in terms of sharing the game we love,” Nicholson said.
It was a “daddy-daughter day” at Sahalee for Brad Hair of Lynnwood and Charlotte, 2. They watched Patty Tavatanakit, Jennifer Kupcho and Lindsey Weaver-Wright finish up about an hour and a half ahead of eventual winner Yang’s group.
“Here comes another ball!” Charlotte exclaimed, at a respectful volume, as each of them approached the green.
Nap time was sacrificed for early exposure to a sport Brad has enjoyed for years. He grew up working at golf clubs and has been to multiple PGA events.
“The setup can really make or break the viewer experience. This layout is just incredible,” he said. “It’s really good viewing.”
Right up the cart path, a crowd three to four people deep waited to get a selfie or a scribble from a favorite player.
Olivia, 10, of Bothell had a clear objective. She wanted an autograph from Leona Maguire of Ireland, specifically. Olivia got it, inked onto the brim of her hat, and celebrated with a “Yippee!”
Perched on dad Jon Okon’s shoulders, Olivia’s 8-year-old brother Evan nabbed an autographed Bigfoot head cover from Henderson, a well-known figure around these parts and beyond. Henderson, from Canada, won her first major title on the course in 2016 at age 18. There’s a small plaque commemorating that achievement on the 18th fairway at Sahalee.
Unlike his sister, Evan was about the thrill of the chase.
“If the security guard gives him an autograph, he’d probably be happy,” Jon laughed.
It could be a while before they get another opportunity to watch their heroes live. It’s been challenging for the area to attract a routine PGA or LPGA Tour stop, Nicholson said. Currently there are no major championships scheduled until the 2033 U.S. Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay.
They’re down for another round, but Nicholson likely won’t be in this role. He’s soon headed to the Denver suburbs to oversee all golf operations at Cherry Hills Country Club. But should Salahee — founded to be a venue for major championships in the PNW, he said — get the call again, he’ll be proud from afar.
“We’ve shown again that we can rise to that challenge,” he said. “The players responded with unbelievable comments.”