Golf pro qualifies for PGA tournament

Jeff Fought, the director of golf at Black Butte Ranch, has qualified to compete in the 23rd Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship in Virginia, October 6-9.

The championship is for PGA golf professionals who are over 50 years old and are not regular tournament or tour players.

Fought qualified for the event by finishing fifth at the Pacific Northwest PGA qualifying tournament at Bear Creek Country Club in Seattle, a two-day, 36-hole event.

Unlike professional golfers who play golf for a living, golf professionals who operate golf courses often have little time to practice or play golf.

When asked how much time he has for practice, Fought's reply was "none." Most of his fellow competitors at the upcoming championship will have been practicing three to four hours a day.

"I haven't practiced four hours in the last four months," he said. "I used to practice a lot. I'm fundamentally sound, so when I play, it comes back."

Fought began playing junior golf at age eight. He continued to play through high school, well enough to be awarded a golf scholarship at Brigham Young University. He turned pro at 21 after graduating from college. He played small tournaments and tried a couple times to qualify to play on the PGA tour by playing the tour qualifying event.

"That life is either right for you or it isn't," said Fought. "All the travel, the grind. I was just starting a family; I decided it wasn't right for me."

He worked as a golf professional at country clubs in the Portland area for about 10 years and then was hired by OB Sports, a company that manages golf courses. In 2000 he was hired as director of golf at Black Butte Ranch where, while running the entire operation and maintenance of the two golf courses, he oversaw the construction of the new golf shop and restaurant at Big Meadow, the renovation of the Big Meadow Golf Course and now the complete reconstruction of the Glaze Meadow Golf Course.

Fought does make time to play Pacific Northwest PGA events occasionally. He won the 1995 PNW PGA Championship, and as recently as September 29 won the two-day senior professional event at the BBSI Central Oregon Fall Tour Invitational, firing a final round 66 at Big Meadow.

He's also played in three PGA Professional National Championships.

His accomplishments have earned him an invitation to represent the PNW PGA in the upcoming Hudson Cup matches, held later this month at Lake Oswego Country Club.

The Senior PGA Professional National Championship is a 72-hole, stroke play event. After 36 holes the 264 player field will be reduced to the top 70 players. Fought, with wife Cynthia caddying, will be the only Central Oregonian competing.

"It's an honor to be there," he said. "I'll do my best to be comfortable with it." When asked about his chances of winning he said: "I'm just going to try to stay relaxed. If I get it going, it could happen. You've always got to believe that."