Add Washington Men's Amateur Champion to the growing list of accomplishments for Woodland alum Dane Huddleston. Huddleston, 19, won the 103rd Washington Men's Amateur Championship on Thursday after f nishing at 14-under over the 54-hole tournament (69-67-66) at The Links at Moses Pointe in Moses Lake. Huddleston's name now adorns the same trophy won by fellow Washington amateur legends such as Fred Couples, Joel Dahmen, Alex Prugh, Brock Mackenzie and John Bodenhamer.
"It means a lot," Huddleston said of adding his name to the trophy alongside those of Couples and Dahmen and so many others. "I've been working towards (a moment like this) like my whole life. .
.. It definitely feels good.
" The victory also gave Huddleston an automatic qualifying spot into the 2024 U.S. Men's Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.
Huddleston won the event coming from off the pace after he entered Thursday's final round two strokes back of leader Jackson Suh of Bellevue. Knowing he was behind put Huddleston in an aggressive mindset entering his final round. "I definitely had the mentality of going at every pin and trying to make birdies, because I knew I wouldn't be able to just shoot even par to be able to win it today because I was two (shots) back," Huddleston said.
He did just that by lighting up the Moses Pointe course with eight birdies and two bogeys in his final round to card a 6-under 66. Two holes stood out for Huddleston in his surge to the lead on the back .
