Washington Open: Erwin looks to tie Congdon's record of 5 tourney titles

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KENT — Todd Erwin will attempt to become only the second five-time winner of the Washington Open Invitational when the state's oldest pro tournament is held next Monday through Wednesday at the Meridian Valley Country Club.

Erwin, 41, a teaching pro at the Performance Golf Center in Gig Harbor, won last year at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue. A victory will move him into a tie with Chuck Congdon, who won five times over four decades, the final time in 1962 at the Kitsap Country Club.

Erwin said winning at Meridian Valley will be a special challenge, "because so many holes are left to right" and the natural path of his shots is right to left.

The tournament was last held at Meridian Valley in 2002, and the winner was Bill Porter, a former PGA Tour player who is head pro at Moses Pointe in Moses Lake. Job commitments and a recent family move are keeping Porter east of the Cascades.

Considered a co-favorite with Erwin is Jeff Coston of Blaine, a former PGA Tour pro who has won the event three times and was second last year. In 2002 at Meridian Valley, Coston tumbled back into the pack on the last day when he took a disastrous 11 on the tricky and tight par-5 fourth hole (which is No. 13 when the nines are reversed on the final day).

"That hole can be the turning point of your round or the demise of your round," Erwin said.

Admission is free and fans usually get to walk on the course behind the golfers rather than having to watch from the edge of fairways.

The three-day tournament is preceded by this weekend's BMW Pro-Am.

The field for this 78th Open will consist of 136 pros and 32 amateurs. It will be trimmed to the low 65 pros plus ties and amateurs within that range for the final day.

In addition to Erwin and Coston, other past champions in the field are Keith Coleman (won in 1997 as an amateur), Keith Liedes (1998), Jim Strickland (1990, 1991), Mike Gove (1985), Chuck Milne (1976, at Meridian Valley) and Fred Haney (1975).