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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Clean fuels debate creates odd bedfellows ... Ordinance would set standards for private fire companies in Josephine County ... Waterfowlers see 18th straight maximum duck season ... Our View: Clean fuels debate creates odd bedfellows ... Ordinance would set standards for private fire companies in Josephine County ... Waterfowlers see 18th straight maximum duck season ... GOLF Murphy pulls away Rogue River golfer becomes first back-to-back city winner in 14 years Comment By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 31, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 31, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News Enough was enough, Kevin Murphy decided. He had eight holes to play in the Rogue Valley Stroke Play Championships Sunday at Centennial Golf Club and was anxious for his game to kick into gear. "After 10 it was like, 'This is not good,'" said the 21-year-old from Rogue River. "'You need to turn it around.' And I did." At the time, Murphy, one of Oregon State's top players entering his junior year, "felt a little bit of heat" because he had only a one-shot lead over South Medford High player Reese Fisher. But a string of three straight birdies by Murphy and a couple tough holes for his playing partners, Fisher and Tyler Swinton, swung the advantage on the back nine to Murphy. He shot a 5-under-par 67 for a two-day total of 135, the same winning score he had a year ago. Murphy became the first repeat champion in the city tournament, as it is commonly known, in 14 years. Brad Bills won the second of two straight in 2001. Murphy punctuated his victory with a 131-yard sand shot to within 6 feet at No. 18, and made the birdie putt. Bryce Wortman, who will be a senior at Mazama High in Klamath Falls, shot 70 to pull into second place with a 143, one stroke ahead of Dan Wozniak and Josh Wu. Fisher had a 146 and Swinton a 147. Murphy was one of four players in the six divisions to defend titles. Marty Morlan made an improbable charge to reclaim the men's junior-senior crown, backing up a first-round 80 with a 67 to edge Bills by one shot. Morlan's round included a triple bogey and eight birdies. Gary Loeb repeated as the men's senior winner, and Jon Paauwe did likewise in the men's super senior. Other champions were Dan Keck in the men's open and Christina Phelps in the women's. Murphy got off to a hot start, draining a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole, then a far shorter one on the third. "After the first three, I was thinking low 60s," he said. "I felt like I was due." But a few suspect shots ensued as he "scraped it around for a while." Then came the birdie run. He made a 14-footer at No. 11, then two more in succession that were half that length or shorter, the products of nifty wedges. "I kind of started figuring something out in my swing a little later in the day. I just kind of got a handle on it,," said Murphy, who has won the Southern Oregon Golf Championships men’s regular division three times but won't play in it this week due to school commitments. The course played more difficult Sunday than it did a year ago, he said. "Overall, I didn't hit the ball as well today, but I made a few more putts and, basically, that was the difference." Morlan's round was considerably more dramatic. He was 2 under when he got to the par-4 eighth hole and promptly unraveled with a triple bogey that involved a couple flubbed chips and no penalty strokes. "Usually in years past," said Morlan, "I'd be rolling around on the ground, fetal, like it's all over. But my caddie goes, 'Hey Marty, you birdie nine, you're going to be even par, then tear up the back side." That's what he did, birdieing Nos. 9, 10 and 11 before missing a 4-footer for birdie at No. 12. He got the stroke back on the next hole with another birdie. Conditions in the first round Saturday were dire because of a strong wind. "You shoot an 80," said Morlan, who began the day five strokes behind Bills, "and you think there's no way at all (of winning). So I've got nothing to lose going into today, no pressure on me. I could let it loose, and that's what I did." Phelps won her second title in three years, fending off a couple recent SOGC winners in Terry Levis and Kelly Loeb. The three began the round within two shots of each other, but Phelps fashioned a 75 to win by two over both of her opponents. "Today it almost seemed more like match play," said Phelps. Sunday's round was one of her best "considering all the factors," she said. "It was really windy, and I didn't have a bogey on the front nine, which I've never done before. I was hitting the ball perfect, it seemed. I gave myself a lot of opportunities." Keck shot a 149, winning by seven shots over Roger Hults in the men’s open, and Gary Loeb's 149 was two better than runner-up Steve Wood in the men’s senior. Paauwe shot a 148, claiming the men’s super senior title over second-place Jim Douglas (150). Men's Championship: Kevin Murphy 135, Bryce Wortman 143, Dan Wozniak 145, Josh Wu 145, Reese Fisher 146, Tyler Swinton 147, Montana Frame 148, Cody Stoffel 152. Men's Open: (Gross) Dan Keck 149, Roger Hults, 156, Justin Azevedo, 157. (Net) Eric Bruhn 143, Bob Holland 144, Alex Jacobberger 144. Men's Junior-Senior: (Gross) Marty Morlan 147, Brad Bills 148, Russell Horn 152. (Net) Eric Massey 142, John Kandaris 145, Phil Heiner 149. Men's Senior: (Gross) Gary Loeb 149, Steve Wood 151, Ken Petersen 152, Jon Huizinga 157, Brian Schlafke 160, Marshall Holman 162. (Net) Pat Daggitt 137, Tim Croft 142, Ken Stringer 144, John Tracy 144, Larry Spotanski 145, Jeff Hamlett 149. Men's Super Senior: (Gross) Jon Paauwe 148, Jim Douglas 150, Doug Rowe 156, Norm Hall 156, Tom Tarlow 162, Jim Hatton 163. (Net) Wendall Towe 128, Craig Batesole 130, Jan Ritter 137, Arn Wihtol 138, Michael Shanafelt 139, Jim Zentgraf 139. Women's: (Gross) Christina Phelps 154, Terry Levis 156, Kelly Loeb 156. (Net) Wendy Barrie 134, Marnie Binney 134, Mindy Heiner 140 Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 541-776-4479, or email [email protected] By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 31, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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