Ostwald and Nolen are Bend champs

Long live the new king and queen! At least until the summer of 2021.

Ryan Ostwald and Lana Nolen were crowned royalty Saturday after the 2020 River’s Bend Club Championships were played.

Ostwald fended off a strong challenge from Dan Kier, with Ostwald shooting a 79 and Kier carding 80, to win the men’s low-gross title. Rick Hagedorn finished third with 83.

Largely unchallenged and now the undisputed queen of the Bend, Nolen stood alone as the women’s champ with the low gross round of 94. Tina Wheeler copped the women’s low-net crown with a well-adjusted round of 72.

Charlie Hooten carded 66 to shoot down low net honors among the pretenders to the men’s throne, John Torres posted a 68 and Sean Kelly 69.

In other play of club-championship day, Mike Baxter slammed the long drive among men under 60 and Kier walloped the long one for those above 60, Kim Pardee crushed the long women’s drive, and Paul Flemmer was the winner of the mysterious KP #17 award.