Dane Huddleston Repeats As Royal Oaks Invitational Champion

VANCOUVER, Washington - Dane Huddleston did it again.

Huddleston won the 68th Royal Oaks Invitational Championship division for the second year in a row on Sunday in the highly contested Northwest amateur championship at Royal Oaks Country Club.

Huddleston, who graduated from Woodland High School in 2023, became the first repeat winner since Robbie Ziegler won in 2017 and 2018.

The 54-hole stroke play tournament featured many of the top amateur golfers from around the Northwest.

Landon Banks, a former champion of the Royal Oaks Invitational, led after the first 36 holes after shooting back-to-back 69s to sit at 6-under. Huddleston sat at 3-under through 36 holes after a 72 and 69.

But Huddleston got hot on the front nine Sunday, sinking three straight birdie putts on 5, 6, and 7.

Banks battled to birdie holes 2 and 7 on the front nine to still hold a two shot lead. But Huddleston kept pushing with a birdie on hole 10, which was followed by a bogey on 10 by Banks, leading to a two-way tie.

But Huddleston would birdie 15, which was followed by a double bogey by Banks, leading to a three-shot swing. Huddleston would birdie the 18th to shoot a 66 (6-under) to finish the championship at 9-under.

“His game is becoming elite. He is easily the top amateur in the northwest or the top five. He just signed to play for the University of Illinois this fall and is playing in some big tournaments like the Sunnehanna Amateur,” Gregg Guernsey, Chairman of the ROIT Committee chair said. “The reason the ROIT was started, a group of Royal Oaks members wanted to compete against the area’s top amateurs. It was a unique model, it’s proven to be a really cool model, playing against the top talent in the area.”

Gregg Guernsey (1992) and Bob Britt Jr. (1993 and 1999) are Royal Oaks Country Club members who have won the event.

“The star over the weekend is the golf course, it’s a mini Masters, the course is in great shape, very fast greens, and so important to put it in the right part of the fairway and right part of the green because we have sloped greens. We grew out our rough, it was closer to the U.S. Open than the Masters, but the cream rose to the top. He’s a fine young player, and Landon is top amateur in the area as well. Hole locations were in tough positions on Sunday, so for Huddleston to not shoot a bogey on Sunday was phenomenal.”

Dane Huddleston became the first All-American in Utah Valley University history, earning a spot on the 2025 Golfweek All-America Team third team last week. He had 5 wins in his sophomore season, including the Bandon Dunes Championship at the D-I Utah Valley before signing to play for Illinois this Fall..

Banks finished at 5-under to win the Junior-Senior division, which included ages 35-53.

“Pretty disappointed about the final 9, but overall an amazing week,” Landon Banks said. “The course couldn’t have been a better test. Have to tip my cap to losing to a 66, Dane is a hell of a player.”

Jackson Rhees of Utah Tech University and Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake Country Club finished in a tie for third in the Championship division at 2-under.

Tim O’Neal, a Royal Oaks Country Club member, won the Senior Division with a +11.

Former champions of the Royal Oaks Invitational include Peter Jacobsen, who won the event in 1975.

“Winning the Royal Oaks Invitational was a huge win for my confidence on a fantastic course. Love Royal Oaks.” Jacobsen said about his win.

Other former champions include Paul Peterson (2010), Zach Foushee (2021), Landon Banks (2012), Dave Glenz, and Don Kreiger.

The tournament receives World Amateur ranking points and Washington State Hudson Cup points, and the top 5 gross finishers (overall) receive OGA performance points.