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Golf champions Humphreys, Tibbits followed similar paths

Camas, Fort stars both won state titles as freshmen

By Micah Rice, Columbian Sports Editor

Published: September 9, 2014, 5:00pm

Fort Vancouver's Spencer Tibbits, hitting out of a bunker on No. 17, doesn't do a lot of talking when he's out on the golf course.

RIDGEFIELD — Brian Humphreys and Spencer Tibbits have plenty in common they can talk about.

Both won state golf titles as freshmen.

Both spend their summers playing tournaments across the Northwest.

Both trace the roots of their game to lessons at Club Green Meadows when they were children.

So when the two were placed in the same foursome for the Jeff Hudson Invitational on Tuesday, you would expect a few stories to be shared, right?

“No, not really,” Tibbits said. “It’s all just golf.”

Humphreys was all business Tuesday at Tri-Mountain in an event that gathered many of Clark County’s top high school golfers.

GOLFERS TO WATCH: Eddie Abellar, Union; Cason Boyce, Union; Diego De La Torre, Hockinson; Brian Humphreys, Camas; Spencer Long, Columbia River; Trent Standard, Fort Vancouver; Spencer Tibbits, Fort Vancouver; Bryce Samwel, Washougal.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

Heading east: No state tournaments will be held in Clark County next spring. The 4A boys and girls events will be in Spokane, 3A will be in the Tri-Cities, 2A in Spokane and 1A in Pasco.

Moving up: Woodland, which won the 1A state team title in May, in now in Class 2A. The Beavers have key golfers back in Ryan Sturdivan and Hayden Huddleston.

Hawks roost: Hockinson is a strong contender for the 2A district title after placing seventh in state. Senior Diego De La Torre, who placed eighth in state.

Repeat feat? Fort’s Tibbits aims to repeat as 3A state champion. Camas’ Humphreys will aim for his second 4A state title after placing second.

Big events: Another event that gathers many of the area’s best golfers is the Prairie Invitational takes place Sept. 24 at The Cedars at Salmon Creek.

The Camas junior shot a 3-under 69 to win the event by three strokes over Hockinson’s Diego De La Torre.

Union won the team title behind 74s by Eddie Abellar and Cason Boyce.

Tibbits, a sophomore representing Fort Vancouver, shot 76 to finish in a three-way tie for fifth.

Tuesday’s victory meant Humphreys has already met one goal for this season.

“I want to play well in the Prairie Invite and the Jeff Hudson Invite because I generally haven’t played well in those tournaments in the past,” said Humphreys, who won the Class 4A state title in May 2013, then finished second as a sophomore.

The state tournament in spring isn’t yet on the radar for golfers in Southwest Washington, where boys play their regular season in the fall.

For the top golfers, the fall season comes right after a busy summer schedule. For Humphreys, that included playing in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship near Houston.

“I’m definitely in a groove from my summer tournaments,” Humphreys said. “It seems like one season, from summer to high school.”

Fresh off winning the 3A state title, Tibbits dove into the summer season. That included qualifying for the Eddie Hogan Cup, which gathers the top junior golfers in the West for team-format matches.

Despite their similar backgrounds, talent and accolades, Humphreys and Tibbits bring differing mental approaches to the golf course.

Tibbits tries to remove his mind from the process.

“I just try to not think about it and hit the shot in front of me,” he said. “I don’t think about what can happen. It can save you a couple strokes.”

He walks hurriedly to his shot, takes a quick practice swing, then lets the club rip.

“I don’t give myself any time to think about it.”

Humphreys plays at a different cadence. His slow backswing comes from the attention he pays to swing mechanics.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

Heading east: No state tournaments will be held in Clark County next spring. The 4A boys and girls events will be in Spokane, 3A will be in the Tri-Cities, 2A in Spokane and 1A in Pasco.

Moving up: Woodland, which won the 1A state team title in May, in now in Class 2A. The Beavers have key golfers back in Ryan Sturdivan and Hayden Huddleston.

Hawks roost: Hockinson is a strong contender for the 2A district title after placing seventh in state. Senior Diego De La Torre, who placed eighth in state.

Repeat feat? Fort's Tibbits aims to repeat as 3A state champion. Camas' Humphreys will aim for his second 4A state title after placing second.

Big events: Another event that gathers many of the area's best golfers is the Prairie Invitational takes place Sept. 24 at The Cedars at Salmon Creek.

“That’s something we might start working on, speeding it up,” Humphreys said. “It feels comfortable. I watched it on film and said ‘wow, that’s a really slow backswing.”

Humphreys showed resiliency on Tuesday. After finishing the front nine in 1-under, he bogeyed Hole 10 before making a birdie on 11. He bogeyed 13 by three-putting from five feet, but responded with biridies on two of the next three holes.

“I was happy with my ability to make birdies today,” Humphreys said. “I made a lot of really long putts, but missed some short ones. It was kind of erratic, but I can’t really complain about a 69.”

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