Northwest Notes Sept. 22, 2023

Drake advances, will be joined by Grove at 2024 PGA Professional Championship

CLE ELUM, Wash. — Brandon Drake of Coeur d’Alene National Reserve punched his ticket to the 2024 PGA Professional Championship by finishing second at the Pacific Northwest PGA Professional Championship on Thursday at Tumble Creek Club.

Drake finished second at 3-under-par 213 (69-73-71), one shot behind the winner, Austin Hurt of Wing Point Golf and Country Club in Bainbridge Island, Wash.

The top seven finishers from the Pacific Northwest PGA Professional Championship automatically qualified for the 2024 PGA Professional Championship, scheduled for April 28 – May 1 at Frisco, Texas.

There, the top 20 finishers will earn a place in the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., May 13-19, 2024.

North Idaho College men’s and women’s golf coach Russell Grove, by virtue of his top-20 finish (T-11) earlier this year at the PGA Professional Championship to qualify for the PGA Championship, had already qualified for the 2024 PGA Professional Championship.

Grove finished in a tie for seventh at even-par 216 (74-73-69).

In addition to Hurt and Drake, Derek Berg of Pacific Northwest Golf Academy (Seattle), Community Colleges of Spokane men’s and women’s coach Corey Prugh, Scott Erdmann of Oswego Lake Country Club (Lake Oswego, Ore.), Liam Kendregan of Sand Point Country Club (Seattle) and Jeff Coston of Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club (Blaine, Wash.) also advanced to the 2024 PGA Professional Championship.

Along with Grove, Colin Inglis of Shadow Hills Country Club had already qualified based on his top-20 finish at this year’s national championship.

Chip Sullivan was exempt because he was a past winner of the national championship (2007).