The last time Birk Nelson was making waves in the Northwest’s golf scene, he was an All-American at Oregon State battling Tiger Woods for the Pacific-10 Conference championship in the mid-1990s.
Well, he’s resurfaced at the 83rd Washington Open Invitational in Kent.
Nelson, now the head pro at Diamond Woods Golf Club in Oregon, fired the day’s best round – a 4-under-par 68 – at Meridian Valley Country Club and takes a one stroke lead into today’s final round.
At 6-under 138, he leads former University of Washington standout Derek Berg, an amateur who led after his opening 67. Berg shot 72 on Wednesday under a light drizzle and colder temperatures and is at 139, tied with Willapa Harbor Golf Club pro Louie Runge.
Defending champion Brian Nosler, of Portland, sits two strokes back at 140 after shooting a second-round 69. So is Tacoma’s Chris Griffin, who has taken a leave of absence from Tacoma Country and Golf Club to try to qualify for the Canadian Tour, and Brad Martin of Callaway Golf.
Nelson knows all about tour golf. Twice a Pac-10 tournament runner-up – including in 1996, when Woods won by 14 strokes – Nelson has played on the Nationwide Tour, the Canadian Tour and Gateway Tour, and he has been a professional for 13 years.
He’s won big tournaments before, capturing the 1995 Pacific Coast Amateur after his junior season at Oregon State.
Berg leads a host of amateurs in contention, trying to become the first to win the Washington Open since Kent’s Josh Immordino won at Canterwood Golf and Country Club in 2006.
Also lurking are Bellevue’s Michael Haack (141) in seventh place and former Mariners pitcher Erik Hanson (143), a member at Sahalee Country Club, alone in eighth.
The lead group will tee off at 11:30 a.m. today from the 10th tee.
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