Houghton captures Kenai Peninsula Senior Open

Houghton captures Kenai Peninsula Senior Open

Michael Houghton won the Kenai Peninsula Senior Open on the third playoff hole Sunday at Kenai Golf Course.

Both Houghton and Keith Stuart tied with a two-day, net total of 130. Houghton had rounds of 8-over-par 80 and 74, including a nice eagle on No. 11 on Sunday, that computed to 130 with his handicap of 12. Stuart had rounds of 76 and 86 with a handicap of 16. Stuart looked to have the tournament in hand before the infamous gully on the par-4 No. 18 handed him a nine to force the playoff.

The duo both made par on the par-3 10th the first two times. The third time, Houghton made another par, while Stuart took a bogey.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

There also was drama for third place, with Charlie Kahakauwila, Bobby Bush and Bill Haese each firing two-day nets of 136. The trio also used No. 10 as the playoff hole. Bush notched a par, while the other two made bogey, to take third. Kahakauwila then topped Haese on the second playoff hole to take fourth.

Here are the other two-day net scores from the tournament: Mike Osif, 137; Pat Bowen, 140; Skip Dove and Gary Brumley, 141; Tom Reese, 144; Kirk Hyman, 147; Chuck Ruppenthal, 149; and John Gibson, 161.

More in Sports

The Seward cheerleading team. From left to right are head coach Jean Beck, freshman Sophia Hughes, junior Somi Clendaniel, junior co-captain Juniper Ingalls, junior captain Lola Swanson, sophomore Josie Andrews, sophomore Addison Gerlach and assistant coach Brittany Swanson. (Photo provided)
Seward cheerleaders lead peninsula with runner-up finish at state basketball competition

The Seward cheerleading team led the Kenai Peninsula by finishing second in… Continue reading

Rachel Johnson kicks the ball in May 2014 for the Nikiski soccer team at Nikiski Middle-High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Clarion file)
3 area athletes make Alaska High School Hall of Fame

Kenai Central’s AJ Hull, Nikiski’s Luke Johnson and Nikiski’s Rachel Johnson are… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Owen Zenone saves a breakaway by Cole Christian on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Wolverines notch weekend sweep of Brown Bears

The Anchorage Wolverines pulled off a weekend sweep of the Kenai River… Continue reading

Seward's Ava Jagielski drives on Glennallen's Brejanay Stone-Jordan at the Class 2A girls state championship game Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Peninsula puts 3 players on 1st-team all-state teams

The Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches announced its All-State Teams this week,… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Ryan Buchanan works to pin Kodiak’s Luke Lester during the boys 119-pound final of the Northern Lights Conference Championships Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Palmer High School in Palmer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)
SoHi’s Buchanan to wrestle at Morningside

Soldotna High School’s Ryan Buchanan has committed to wrestle for Morningside University… Continue reading

Soldotna's Ituau Tuisaula powers up against Nikiski's Kaycee Bostic on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
SoHi graduate Tuisaula completes season with loss in NCAA tourney

Soldotna High School graduate Ituau Tuisaula competed her senior season with Stephen… Continue reading

tease
Boonstra 5th, Hippchen 14th at USCSA nats

A pair of Kenai Central graduates had solid finishes at the U.S.… Continue reading

Shane Sundberg tees off on No. 16 on the way to winning the Men's Division at the Birch Ridge Amateur Championship on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, at Birch Ridge Golf Course in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
SoHi graduate Sundberg wins 2nd college tourney

Soldotna High School graduate Shane Sundberg won the Simpson University (California) Spring… Continue reading

tease
Saturday: Kenai girls close season with loss to Monroe Catholic

The Kenai girls basketball team closed their season with a 45-18 loss… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Mitchell Mccusker has the puck trapped under his body as Carter McCormick and Colten Nestler of the Brown Bears and Zachary Cline of the Wisconsin Windigo battle Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Saturday: Windigo topple Brown Bears

The Wisconsin Windigo defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears 5-2 on Saturday… Continue reading

Kenai's Eli Smith charges into Valdez's Romen Weber during the Kardinals 71-49 loss to the Buccaneers on Friday, March 21, 2025, in the 4th/6th place game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Friday: Valdez boys defeat Kenai for 4th place in Class 3A state tourney

The Valdez boys defeated Kenai Central 71-49 on Friday for fourth place… Continue reading

Kenai's Miles Metteer, Homer's Einar Pederson (4) and Henry Wedvik (22) and Kenai's Mason Tunseth (33) battle for a rebound on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in their consolation bracket semifinal during the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Thursday: Kenai girls lose in 3A semifinals; Kenai boys top Homer to move to 4th place game

The Kenai Central girls basketball team lost to Grace Christian in the… Continue reading