Local Help Keeps Golf Tournament Going

Many of the 156 golfers who played at came from all over the world. But the people who made sure the tournament ran smoothly? They didn't have to travel far.

Larry and Ann Brown, for example, pointed at the first hole at , where the tournament was held. That's where they walked onto from their Highwood home to get to work.

"We're very longtime members of Exmoor," Ann said. "We grew up around here."

Both volunteers at the tournament, Ann and Larry also hosted one of the golfers who came from Taiwan to participate. They were one of 50 members of the club to host a golfer.

"We don't know which, but one of these golfers is going to be a major in golf," Larry said. "It's impressive to know you're looking at that."

Some of those 156 players also came from nearby,

Another local at the weekend tournament was Jesus Anaya, a Highwood resident who caddies at Exmoor when he's not working the front desk at Highland Park's . The 24-year-old has been caddying since he was in high school.

"I started from the bottom up, getting picked on from all the older caddies," he said. The bottom Anaya referred to meant only getting out twice a week and "playing a lot of poker."

In his years as a caddy, though, Anaya hadn't seen anything like the competition he saw Wednesday.

"Everybody's on their A-game," he said. "This is one of the best tours this course has had."

The 2012 Western Amateur Championship ended Sunday. The winner was Chris Williams, of Moscow, Idaho. He defeated final-match opponent Jordan Russell of College Station, Texas with 1 up.