With a clutch birdie on the 18th, Bae emerged from a packed leaderboard
 
The twenty-ninth annual Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco concluded today at Hillcrest Country Club. The tournament marks the third of four Web.com Tour Finals events where the top 75 Web.com Tour players are met by players ranked 126-200 on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list.
 
Three players began the Sunday’s final round in a share of the lead, Scott Pinckney, Roberto Diaz and Sangmoon Bae. After opening his round with three consecutive birdies, Bae jumped out to a two-shot lead. With the course yielding lower scores, Bae had to fend off charges from a handful of players. Anders Albertson carded the low round of the day, a 9-under 62 to take the clubhouse lead at 18-under. Roger Sloan and Adam Schenk each reached 18-under and with the final pairing of Pinckney and Diaz falling off the pace, this set the stage for Bae.
 
A two-time PGA TOUR winner, Bae is in his first season back after serving a mandatory two-year military tour of duty in his home country of South Korea. Bae’s standing after each round this week was T-2, T-1, T-1 and eventually, number one at the conclusion of Sunday. Standing on the 18th tee tied for the lead, Bae laced a driver down the left side of the fairway. This left him 110 yards to the iconic elevated 18th green at Hillcrest, needing a birdie to win. “It was the perfect number, I hit a full 56-degree wedge and hit it just perfect,” said Bae following the round. With his approach settling eight feet from the hole, Bae rolled in the birdie putt, eliciting a roar for the ages from the gallery at the closing hole.  
 
Bae will make his return to the PGA TOUR at next week’s Safeway Open in Napa, CA. He has already won there once before in 2015 which led to him earning a spot on the 2015 International Presidents Cup team.
 
The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco will return to Hillcrest Country Club for the 30th anniversary next year. The tournament is one of only four events on the schedule that have remained since the Tour’s inception in 1990.

Scott Pinckney Cards Low Round of the Day to Share Lead
 
The twenty-ninth annual Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco continued today at Hillcrest Country Club. The tournament marks the third of four Finals events where the top 75 Web.com Tour players are met by players ranked 126-200 on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list.
 
Scott Pinckney began Saturday’s third round four shots off of the lead. After a bogey free round of 63 he’ll enter the final round in position to move from 85th on the Money List into the top five, securing his PGA TOUR card in the process. The Arizona State alum spent the majority of last season sidelined with severe back injuries. After being diagnosed with a dehydrated disk the question became day-to-day comfort, much less playing competitive golf. “It kind of changed my perspective,” said Pickney when asked about his struggles with injury. He closed with a birdie to get to 14-under par and will play in tomorrow’s final pairing.
 
Sharing the lead with Pinckney are Roberto Diaz and Sangmoon Bae. Diaz has posted consecutive top-25’s in the first two Web.com Tour Finals events and is positioned nicely to retain his PGA TOUR card for the second consecutive year. Bae has never trailed by more than one here in Boise. He ended today just as he began, with a share of the lead. The two-time PGA TOUR winner and 2015 International Presidents Cup team member has played the final three holes at Hillcrest in 7-under through his first three rounds. He’ll look to continue that trend down the stretch tomorrow afternoon.
 
2017 champion Chesson Hadley began his final round five shots off of the lead. Tomorrow 31 players will begin their rounds within five. PGA TOUR winners Aaron Baddeley, Jonathan Byrd, Fabian Gomez and former World Number One Amateur Curtis Luck are among those within striking distance.
 
Gates open tomorrow at 7:30 AM. For final round pairings and tee times click HERE.

36-Hole Co-Leader Brett Drewitt Led the Junior Clinic on Wednesday Evening
 
The twenty-ninth annual Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco continued today at Hillcrest Country Club. The tournament marks the third of four Web.com Tour Finals events where the top 75 Web.com Tour players are met by players ranked 126-200 on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list.
 
At Wednesday’s Idaho Statesman Junior Clinic presented by Tyson Foods, player guest Brett Drewitt undoubtedly gained a few new fans. The Australian spent two hours on the range demonstrating ball flights, shot shapes and swing thoughts to the two-hundred youngsters in attendance, answering questions from the crowd along the way. Through two rounds, Drewitt has given his fans plenty to cheer about with rounds of 69-63 to open in 10-under par. His second round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 16th which he followed with a birdie on 17.
 
Alex Prugh, a University of Washington alum, birdied five of his final eight holes to post a 6-under par 65. Prugh is playing his best golf of the year at the perfect time with four top-10 finishes in his last seven starts. With his PGA TOUR card already secure via his top-25 regular season money list finish, the 34-year old will look to punctuate his run with a win here in Boise.
 
Sangmoon Bae birdied the 18th hole for the second consecutive day to grab a share of the lead. Bae is winding down his first season since serving a mandatory two-year military tour of duty in his home country of South Korea. He was a member of the 2015 International Presidents Cup team and has two career PGA TOUR victories.
 
Two players sit just one shot back, Henrik Norlander of Sweden and two-time PGA TOUR winner Fabian Gomez. Norlander’s best finish of the season came at The Price Cutter Charity Championship where he finished second. Gomez played on the PGA TOUR this season. He has two career wins, the 2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic and the 2016 Sony Open.
 
31 players sit within four shots of the lead entering the weekend. Among those in contention are 2016 Albertsons Boise Open Champion Michael Thompson and Martin Trainer who has two wins to his credit already and will look to become the first player since Wesley Bryan to win three times in a Web.com Tour season.
 
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s Cheap Trick took the stage immediately after play concluded marking the largest concert in Albertsons Boise Open history. Gates open at 7:30 AM tomorrow, for third round pairings and tee times click HERE.

The twenty-ninth annual Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco began this morning at Hillcrest Country Club. Players were greeted by brisk, breezy conditions early in the day as Web.com Tour Finals action resumed. The tournament marks the third of four Finals events where the top 75 Web.com Tour players are met by players ranked 126-200 on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list.
 
Thursday belonged to 36-year old David Skinns who closed with a birdie on the 18th to finish at 7-under par, good for a one-shot lead. Skinns played only 36 holes at last year’s Albertsons Boise Open, however he left under much different circumstance than those players who missed the cut. After opening with rounds of 69-66 in 2017, Skinns sat in a tie for ninth with a chance to earn his PGA TOUR card for the first time.
 
He would ultimately withdraw from the event to be with his wife when she went into labor with the couple’s second child in Georgia. The Englishman returned to the Web.com Tour this season where he won the Pinnacle Bank Championship in July. With a win this weekend he would secure his PGA TOUR card for the first time in his 12-year career.
 
Skinns will need to hold off a host of household names. PGA TOUR winner’s Sangmoon Bae and Fabian Gomez each sit one shot off of the lead at 6-under par. Bae is in his first full season since fulfilling his mandatory two-year military duty in his home country of South Korea. Bae competed on the International President’s Cup team in 2015. Gomez is a two-time PGA TOUR winner with victories at the 2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic and the 2016 Sony Open.
 
Gates open tomorrow at 7:30 AM and all fans receive admission to the Cheap Trick Concert Live on the Pepsi Stage with their golf ticket. The concert will begin at 7:15 PM, immediately after the conclusion of play. For second round pairings and tee times click HERE.

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco announced today that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Cheap Trick will perform after golf concludes on Friday evening, September 14th at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, ID.
 
The Albertsons Boise Open returns to Hillcrest Country Club the week of September 13-16, and again features 75 PGA TOUR players and the top 75 Web.com Tour players off the 2018 money list as they compete for 25 PGA TOUR cards and ONE MILLION DOLLARS in prize money.
 
The Friday evening Cheap Trick concert adds to the enhanced fan experience that also features an all-new Fan Zone on the 18th fairway including popular local food options and craft beer. The Friday night concert, presented by General Mills, will take place on the Pepsi stage located in the all new Fan Zone off the 18th fairway and admission to both the Friday night concert and the Fan Zone are included with either a weekly or Friday good any one day golf tournament ticket. 
 
With over 5,000 performances spanning four decades and 20 million records sold worldwide, Cheap Trick is undoubtedly one of the most influential classic rock groups of the past 50 years. The band was formed in 1974 and while it has evolved throughout the years, Cheap Trick has continued to reach mainstream and critical success. Hits such as “I Want You To Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Surrender” have cemented the group as one of America’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time.
 
“We are excited to bring in popular rock band Cheap Trick to perform Friday night for our fans in the all new 18th fairway Fan Zone,” said Jeff Sanders, Executive Director of the Albertsons Boise Open. “Albertsons stepped it up again this year creating an amazing fan experience at affordable pricing. Everyone who comes out to the event is going to have a great time. Fans will see incredible PGA TOUR golf, enjoy a menu filled with food and drinks and rock and roll to Cheap Trick on Friday night all for only $15. And to top it off, 100% of all ticket sales benefit Treasure Valley charities!"
 
Another new addition to the fan experience is the Michelob Ultra Beers FORE Birdies venue on the 16th green. This fan hospitality venue will feature half-priced beers for five minutes after any professional makes birdie (or better) on the par-5 16th hole. Admission to the Michelob Ultra Beers FORE Birdies venue is included in all event tickets. There are no cover charges or upgraded tickets needed.
 
The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco is in its 29th year with Albertsons as the title sponsor and has generated more than $21,500,000 for Treasure Valley Charities since the inaugural event in 1990. 
 
Tickets to the Albertsons Boise Open Web.com Tour Finals event are on sale now. For more information on the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco or to purchase tickets please visit www.albertsonsboiseopen.com.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco conducted annually at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Id. was awarded with the Web.com Tour’s Best Pro-Am Experience Award at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on Thursday, December 7 in Boca Raton, Fla.
 
“We are honored to present the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco with this wonderful award,” said Web.com Tour President Dan Glod. “The tournament team did an incredible job creating a first-class experience for both amateur players and Web.com Tour professionals and we’re pleased to recognize their efforts.”
 
As the Web.com Tour event with the Best Pro-Am Experience the Albertsons Boise Open delivered on numerous fronts, including:

• Hershey Pro-Am Monday & Tuesday
• Pro-Am dinner and concert featuring Little Big Town
• Three premier golf courses hosting Pro-Am competition

 
“This is a tremendous honor to receive the award for best Pro-Am Experience,” said Albertsons Boise Open Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “It’s always a special week with the pressure of the Web.com Tour Finals and we look forward each year to creating a premier Pro-Am experience to compliment that.” The 2018 Albertsons Boise Open will return to Hillcrest Country Club September 13-16. 

By Chris Langrill
Special to the Idaho Statesman


At the end of the day, Chesson Hadley had a smile on his face.

But it took awhile for that smile to come to fruition.

Hadley began the fourth round of the Boise Open five strokes off the lead, but the Raleigh, N.C., golfer birdied three of the final four holes to rally down the stretch and win the golf tournament Sunday at Hillcrest Country Club.

“It’s stressful,” said Hadley, who finished at 16-under after shooting a final-round 65 on Sunday. “Your heart is beating out of your chest, you’re trying to breathe, you’re trying to get it under control.”

To make matters worse for Hadley, he had to wait for four groups to finish their rounds before he knew he had nailed down the win and the $180,000 check that came with the victory. It was Hadley’s fourth victory on the Web.com Tour.

“I kind of came out of nowhere,” Hadley said. “There were a lot of guys that I had to beat, to leapfrog and get into first place.”

Jonathan Randolph, playing in the final pairing, stood on the 17th tee knowing he needed to make up two shots to force a playoff. He finished par-birdie, and Hadley finally allowed himself to soak in the win.

“You know the … chance that you’re going to win is 90 percent, 95 percent but you cannot think that way,” Hadley said. “If I were to go into a playoff, Randolph or whoever it would be, would have such an advantage over me, because there could be a letdown, and he would be ecstatic.”

But the playoff didn’t come to fruition, and Hadley is heading back to the PGA Tour next season. He leads the Web.com Tour Finals money list with $207,000 after two of the four events in the Finals. The lanky Georgia Tech graduate lost his PGA Tour card in 2016, and has now played his way back on to golf’s biggest stage.

“Next year’s about taking the next step,” Hadley said. “I think next year will be a big year for me.”

It will also be a big year for Tyler Duncan. The 28-year-old Purdue graduate led after the second and third rounds, but he was one of the players Hadley passed on his way to victory.

But Duncan, like Hadley, was smiling at the end of the day. That’s because he had bumped up his earnings in the Finals to $43,157, more than enough to ensure a PGA Tour card of his own next season. It will be a whole new world for Duncan, who finished in a tie for fifth at 12-under.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” Duncan said. “It’s just something I haven’t felt before. It’s difficult, because the way that I finished is a little disappointing, but this is a great feeling.”

And he’s going to be experiencing another great feeling in the near future: He’s getting married soon.

“I’m just looking forward to the wedding (on Oct. 21) and the PGA Tour,” Duncan said.
As for Randolph, all he could do at the end of the day was tip his hat to Hadley.

“I did everything I could do, and kudos to him,” said Randolph, who has played 52 PGA Tour events and earned his way back on the Tour as he finished one stroke behind Hadley (and netted an $88,000 check).

Meridian resident and former Boise State golfer Troy Merritt shot a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for ninth at 11-under. Merritt has earned $22,375 in the first two events of the Web.com Tour Finals.

“It takes $32,000 to $35,000 to get your golf card back in these four events,” Merritt said. “So, a couple more solid weeks and we’ll be back on the PGA Tour.”

150 of the World’s Best Golfers to Play Hillcrest Country Club

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco returns to Hillcrest Country Club September 14-17. The event will be the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events where players compete for one of the 25 PGA TOUR cards available.

Boise, ID (August 7, 2017)—Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco Media Day hosted by Coca-Cola was held today at Hillcrest Country Club. The 2017 edition marks the 28th consecutive year the tournament will be held in Boise making it one of the longest standing tournaments on the Web.com Tour with the highest purse on Tour of $1 MILLION. The event included tournament updates in addition to a press conference featuring special guest Alex Prugh.

Prugh hails from Spokane, Washington and attended the University of Washington where he played four years on the Men’s Golf Team and was twice named to the All-Pac-10 team. Prugh was in the field last year in Boise where he carded rounds of 68-67-66-72 and finished in a tie for 24th. Looking ahead to this year’s tournament Prugh stated “Boise is a special place in September and I especially enjoy the Pacific Northwest in the fall.” When asked about the golf tournament Prugh said, “This has become a favorite amongst the guys on Tour. We circle this one at the beginning of the season.” Prugh currently ranks [   ] on the season-long money list and will look to continue his fine form heading into Boise.

As a Finals event this year’s field will once again include the top 75 players on the Web.com Tour Money List and those players ranked 126-200 in the PGA TOUR FedExCup standings. Last year’s Albertsons Boise Open was won by Michael Thomspon who closed with consecutive rounds of 64 over the weekend. Finishing T-4 was fan favorite Andrew “Beef” Johnston who elected to play the Web.com Tour Finals in an effort to secure his PGA TOUR status for the upcoming season. Johnston did so on the strength of his solid finish in Boise. Other notables in the field included Mackenzie Hughes, Xander Schauffele and 2016 Player of the Year Wesley Bryan each of whom have won during their PGA TOUR rookie seasons. “As a finals event we’re able to bring one of the strongest fields of the season to Boise” said Albertsons CEO Bob Miller. “With established PGA TOUR champions and the game’s future stars, this year’s tournament promises to be as exciting as ever.” Many of golf’s biggest names have played in Boise over the years including Bubba Watson (2005), Jason Day (2006), Justin Thomas (2014) and Rickie Fowler (2009) who made his professional debut at Hillcrest.

Albertsons Boise Open Executive Director Jeff Sanders announced the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave set to debut in 2017. Blue Cross of Idaho has pledged $40 for each birdie made throughout the week. “The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco has always been a charity driven event and we are excited to continue that tradition in 2017” said Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “We have been able to help some remarkable organizations throughout our 28 years here and we’re thrilled to have Blue Cross of Idaho on board to thank the men and women who protect us each day.” The Patriots Outpost will be open during play Thursday through Sunday and features catered lunch courtesy of Albertsons. Admission is free to all past and present Military members, Police and Fire Fighters and their families. Tournament week will begin Monday September 11th with the Blue Cross of Idaho 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at 12:00 PM around the tenth tee.

The tournament will also host the Idaho Statesman Junior Clinic presented by Tyson Foods on Wednesday September 13th beginning at 5:00 PM. Admission and parking are free and the clinic will be held on the driving range at Hillcrest Country Club. Litehouse Foods Family Day will be held on Saturday from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Pepsi Pavilion with complimentary games, face painting and more! Litehouse Foods, an Idaho based family owned company will be providing free samples of their fresh and delicious offerings to all specatators. Children under 17 are admitted free with a ticketed adult throughout the week. The Pepsi Pavilion and Albertsons tent will be open for the duration of the tournament Thursday through Sunday featuring free samples, and a variety of dining options. Sunday features Breakfast at Hillcrest presented by Yoplait and Nature Valley. Breakfast begins at 9:00 AM and is complimentary to all ticket holders.

2016 was a landmark year for the tournament off the course as well. The event raised $1.4 MILLION for charity, marking the tenth consecutive year the tournament raised more than $1 MILLION. “This event has become a fixture in the Boise community over the years” said Sanders. “Giving back to the community that surrounds us is of the utmost importance.” With the $1.4 MILLION raised last year the Albertsons Boise Open has now raised $20 MILLION for the Treasure Valley community since the inaugural event in 1990. A large portion of these charitable funds are raised through the Tyson Foods TICKETS Fore CHARITIES program which directs 100% of tournament ticket sales to charity. For more information visit AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

Media and Fans can follow the Albertsons Boise Open on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco announces the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave Program set to benefit local Police, Fire and Military charities.  
  
Boise, ID (August 7, 2017)—Today at the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco Media Day hosted by Coca-Cola tournament officials announced the launch of the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program. This new campaign raises charitable funds by collecting per-birdie pledges from corporations and individuals in the area. The Title Sponsor, Blue Cross of Idaho has committed $40 per birdie throughout the week. Last year saw 1,610 birdies made by PGA TOUR professionals and with this initiative, funds raised will go towards local police, fire and military charities. The tournament has set a goal of $100 per birdie for the inaugural campaign.

Benefiting charities of the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave include the Boise Firefighters Local 149 Burnout Fund, Boise Rescue Mission, Mission 43, Veteran Golfers Association and Boise Police Activities League. “We feel strongly that it is important to honor those who protect and serve our community” said Tournament Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “We are excited to launch the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program this year and raise money for those who sacrifice so much for our safety.” The Boise community is invited to join Blue Cross of Idaho and Albertsons in raising money for Boise’s brave and can do so by visiting AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

New leaderboards will be featured on the 17th and 18th holes this year at Hillcrest Country Club and will provide updates on money raised by the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program throughout the week. The 17th green will feature an American Flag, tended by military personnel. New this year the Patriots Outpost will be located on the 17th green and will feature complimentary lunch along with some of the best views on the course. This venue is open to all active Police, Fire and Military members free of admission.

The 28th Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco will open on Monday, September 11th with the Blue Cross of Idaho 9/11 Memorial Ceremony. Set to include a performance of “America the Beautiful,” and the Military Honor Guard raising the American Flag. This special ceremony will provide a patriotic start to the week and mark the kick-off of the inaugural Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program. The ceremony will begin at 12:00 PM and is being held around the scenic tenth tee at Hillcrest Country Club.

Media and Fans can follow the Albertsons Boise Open on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.