Whittle finds success on the fairway

MOSES LAKE - It's not often a Moses Lake native can say they have something in common with Tiger Woods, but Cameron Whittle has unique bragging rights because of his love of golf.

The Moses Lake High School graduate was introduced to the game by his father, Tom Whittle, at the age of 3 and has played with his family ever since.

"We're really proud of Cameron and his golf," Tom said.

He explained that Cameron's family introduced him to several sports growing up, but Cameron always made his way back to golf and decided in high school that he would focus solely on golf.

Tom has continued to help Cameron throughout his golf career by caddying and giving advice while he is playing.

"We get along pretty well on the golf course," he said. "I think he's a little more stressed out watching me golf than I am, but we have a good time."

Tom confirmed that he gets nervous when his son is playing, and described it as an emotional roller coaster. However, he still enjoys his time out on the course with his son whether he is playing or caddying and said he wouldn't trade that time for anything in the world.

Golf has had a tremendous impact on Cameron's life and has taken him far beyond Moses Lake.

"It's gotten me into school, got me into Whitworth, which was a goal of mine," he said. "Now it's a past time, something we just enjoy doing."

Since graduating from Whitworth University in 2012, Cameron has had to spend more time working but still finds a way to make it out to the course four or five times a week.

"It's just relaxing to be out on the golf course when the weather's nice in the afternoons and then the group of guys I play with make it fun and I've been playing a lot with the high school kids now," he said. "Watching them improve from year to year and we just go out there and have fun and relax."

Cameron played all four years of his high school career on Moses Lake's varsity golf team. From Moses Lake, he moved on to play at Walla Walla Community College where his team won the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College Championship in 2008.

Upon seeing his success at Walla Walla, Whitworth's golf coach Warren Friedrichs reached out to Cameron about coming to play for him.

Cameron spent three years at Whitworth where he graduated with a degree in business management. On the course, the Whitworth golf team won the Northwest Conference Championship in 2010 and advanced to Division III Nationals in Hershey, Pa.

Like most people, Cameron enjoyed his time playing college athletics and missed the camaraderie of being a part of a team.

"We all got along pretty well and being able to go out and play golf after class with your closest buddies was something pretty cool," Cameron said. "And then being able travel every week to different golf courses throughout the state was pretty cool too."

Over the last five years Cameron has competed in amateur tournaments throughout the state. His best finish was this year taking eighth place at Chambers Bay, the site of the 2015 U.S. Open.

Along with his numerous high school and college accolades, Cameron holds both course records at the Moses Lake Golf Club. In 2009, he shot a 61 when the course was a par 71 and when the course changed to a par 72 he followed by shooting a 62 in 2012.

Last summer, Cameron was able to travel to Scotland for a week with eight other members of the country club and play legendary courses like St. Andrews. The same course where Tiger Woods won his first and second British Open in 2000 and 2005, respectively.

"Walking on the fairways knowing some of the greatest golfers in the world have been in the same spot has kind of an eerie feeling to it," Cameron said.

Recently, Cameron wrapped up his fifth Moses Lake Golf Club Championship. He's won the tournament in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013.

Cameron said that he owed much of his success to the help he's received from club members, such as Kelly McGrotha.

"Not only is he a great golfer, probably most important he's also just a very good person," McGrotha said.

Right now Cameron is content playing amateur golf, but did entertain the idea of attempting to play professionally.

"I think if I tried any harder I'd make golf more of a job other than a past time and something that I enjoy," he said. "But it'd be fun to give it a shot for a summer and play on some of the mini tours and see how it goes and then if I play well then maybe continue on. But for right now I'm having fun playing amateur golf."