Aurora resident Gunner Wiebe (pictured) made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Torrey Pines South on Saturday to beat his college coach in a playoff and earn a spot in next month’s San Diego PGA Tour stop.
Wiebe shot a 1-over-par 73 Saturday, while his coach at the University of San Diego, Tim Mickelson, recorded a 74. The two had tied in the Nov. 21 qualifier for one amateur spot available in the field for the Jan. 28-31 San Diego Open. After halving four straight holes in a sudden-death playoff that day, an 18-hole playoff was set. The San Diego Open will be the first Tour event for the 20-year-old Wiebe, son of longtime PGA Tour regular Mark Wiebe.
“I’m definitely at a loss for words,” said Gunner Wiebe, who worked on his short game with his dad over Thanksgiving break in Colorado. “I’m super excited, I’m going to be the youngest Wiebe to play in a Tour event, and my dad is going to be there. You can’t ask for anything better.”
Mark Wiebe, a former resident of the San Diego area, finishing second in the 1989 San Diego Open.
Though it was at Mickelson’s expense, Gunner Wiebe getting this opportunity was a big consolation for the younger brother of three-time San Diego Open champion Phil Mickelson.
“I’m happy he gets to play in it,” Tim Mickelson said. “I wish there was a way we could both play, but that’s not going to happen. I hope this will jump-start his career.”
