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Newsom wins in record fashion Photos by Andrew Mariman / Mail Tribune Brooks Newsom fired a course-tying record of 7-under par 63 to claim the Stroke Play City Championship. Second-round surge helps Portland golfer bag championship By KEVIN GOFF Only a Herculean effort could have washed away Justin Wise's run at a Rogue Valley Stroke Play City Championships at Cedar Links Golf Club on Sunday. The 20-year-old Wise cruised to a 6-under par 64 in the final round and with a 4-under total after the two-day tournament, looked to be in good position to dethrone two-time defending champion Brad Bills. But then Brooks Newsom came along and doused Wise's title hopes. Newsom, playing in the final men's championship group to finish the round, fired a course-tying record mark of 7-under 63 to claim the championship. His 9-under par, 131 total put him comfortably into the winner's seat. Bob Harrell backed his 7-under par 63 round on Saturday with a 70 to claim the senior men's crown by 13 strokes to second-place finisher Roy Rider. Luneta Ah-Sam nailed down her fourth women's title with a 75, leaving her at 147. Newsom used the final 18 to make amends for a dismal finish to last year's City Championships. Newsom shared the lead with Bills in 2000 after five straight birdies on the back. A 78 on the final day, however, cleared the way for Bills to secure the championship. But that was last year, and the only thing standing between Newsom and the course-tying mark on Sunday was a 15-foot birdie putt. "I didn't even know I was close to the record," said Newsom, the 1998 Southern Oregon Golf Tournament champion. "All I knew was I just wanted that birdie." And get it he did. His final putt was only the capper on a string of difficult holes that Newsom tackled with ease. Coming off a 2-under par 68 - good enough to share the lead with Bob Cox - on Saturday, Newsom went right to work on the early holes. He birdied No.'s 3 and 4, then with a difficult chip on Hole 5, Newsom nailed the shot for another birdie. "I was just trying to get close to the hole," said the 31-year-old Portland resident. "and maybe settle for an easy par putt. But it went in. "I was chipping real well today." Wise, who took fifth last year with a 144, entered the final round at 2-over par and didn't appear to be in the title hunt. A pivotal turn on Holes 7 and 8 turned out to be the difference. "It was the putting," said Wise, a former North Medford High standout. "In the first round I was 5-over on the seventh and eighth holes, but I was 1-under today." Wise also had a stroke of luck to help salvage his second-place finish. After birdies on No. 14 and 15, Wise parred three straight before sending his tee-shot on the 18th sailing wide left. His drive just missing landing out of bounds, which would have cost him a stroke. Two putts later, Wise parred the hole. Bills' title run came to an end after a sub-par final round. With Wise and Newsom catching fire, the former North Medford High golf coach came into Sunday's 18 with some ground to cover. But, after a 1-over-par 71 on Saturday, Bills never found his stroke and finished with a 145. Jay Klemp took third with a 140, while Cox fell from a share of the lead to sixth at 142. Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] . MEN CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Brooks Newsom, 68-63-131; 2, Justin Wise, 72-64-136; 3, Jay Klemp, 71-69-140; 4, Ian Parent, 73-69-142; 5, Scott Tuttle, 72-70-142; 6, Bob Cox, 68-74-142; 7, Carl Johnson, 75-68-143; 8, Brett Breeze, 73-70-143; 9, Mark DeBoer, 74-71-145; 10, Marty Moran, 72-73-145. FIRST FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Robert Holland 140; 2, Scott Plankenhorn 147; 3, Jake Watkins, 151. NET - 1, Tony Haas 133; 2, Chris Campbell 136; 3, Gary Glass 137. SECOND FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Jesse Branock, 79-75-154; 2, Ed Murphy, 82-81-163; 3, Jim Glass, 79-85-164. NET - 1, Brett Morris, 131; 2, Dan Neves, 131; 3, Don Schemanek, 138. SENIOR MEN CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Bob Harrell, 63-70-133; 2, Roy Rider, 74-72-146; 3, Ken Gentry, 74-76-150. NET - 1, Bob Schumaker, 129; 2, Tom Jarvis, 135; 3, Jack Brown, 137. FIRST FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Tom Hitzelburger, 79-85-164; 2, Ron Primasing, 81-83-164; 3, Gary Riley, 85-84-169. NET - 1, Joe Barnett, 134; 2, George Hossu, 136; 3, Sam Oetinger, 137. WOMEN CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Luneta Ah-Sam, 72-75-147; 2, Linda Johnson, 78-85-163. NET - 1, Darci Trimmer, 137; 2, Tracie Armitage, 139. FIRST FLIGHT GROSS - 1, Betty Schumaker, 86-93-179; 2, Joan Peek, 93-91-184. NET - 1, Lynn Smith, 142; 2, Marlene Cash, 152. MISC. MEN'S LONG DRIVE #13 - 0-5, Jay Klemp; 6-11, Bryan Brutke; 12-up, Mike Murrell. MEN"S K.P. #5 - 0-5, Jay Klemp; 6-11, Tony Haas; 12-up, Archie Ewers. SENIOR MEN'S LONG DRIVE #6 - 0-13, Howard Braham; 14-up, Greg Sorenson. SENIOR MEN'S K.P. #2 - 0-13, John Jenson; 14-up, Gregg Sorenson. WOMEN'S LONG DRIVE #4 - Tracie Armitage. WOMEN'S K.P. #17 - Linda Johnson. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.