Dennis Walsh

Dennis Walsh, 35, of Groves, Tex., defeated Eric Mork, of Wichita, Kans., 4 and 4, in the final at West Delta Golf Course, Portland, Ore. Walsh, a technical shift foreman for an oil company, was also co-medalist with Vic Wilk, of Sepulveda, Calif., with 36-hole qualifying scores of 140, two under par. Wilk lost in the quarter-finals to Roy Biancalana, 3 and 2.

Walsh was never more than one over par in any match. He defeated Ted Brodzik, 2 and 1; Arthur Fujita, the 1969 runner-up, 6 and 4; Art Diaz, 3 and 2; Jeff Short, 1 up; and Jodie Mudd, 2 and 1, in the semi-finals. Mork, who got into the Championship as second alternate, defeated Baker Maddera, 4 and 3; Steven Johnson, 3 and 2; Michael Taylor, 2 and 1; Thomas Hines, 2 and 1; and was three under par in eliminating Roy Biancalana, 5 and 4, in the semi-finals.

In the scheduled 36-hole finals, Mork birdied the first two holes for a two-hole lead. Walsh took advantage of Mork's inconsistency over the next seven holes and had a 1 up lead after the first nine holes. After 18 holes, Walsh was 2 up. In the afternoon round, Walsh rain a 20-foot birdie putt of the first hole to extend his lead to 6-up with six holes to play.

Mork won the 13th and 14th holes with pars and was four down with four holes to play But at the 15th hole, Walsh holed a 25-foot putt for a birdie 3 to win the Championship. Walsh was one under par for 33 holes in the final including a 60, two under par, in the morning round.

Winners of the Team Trophy were Art Diaz, Anthony Grimes, and Jim Blanford, of Pheonix, Ariz., with a 36-hole team total of 431, two strokes better than the team from Chicago, Ill. The 4,170 entries was short of the record 4,601 entries sit in 1975.