Happy Holidays!
The offices of the SCGA and FORE Magazine are closed for the holidays. We'll be back in on January 2, 2008.
Have a wonderful holiday season — take some time to play some golf.
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The offices of the SCGA and FORE Magazine are closed for the holidays. We'll be back in on January 2, 2008.
Have a wonderful holiday season — take some time to play some golf.
Bill Plaschke wrote a nice column about Tiger Woods in today's LOS ANGELES TIMES. It reminded me of something I've told many people about Tiger and now want to put on the record.
I first time I saw Tiger in a tournament was in 1991 (he was still called Eldrick then) when he won the CIF-SCGA High School Invitational by 10 shots as a freshman at Western High School in Anaheim. It was the only time he played in the event because we at the SCGA kept scheduling the tournament on the same day as U.S. Open sectional qualifying, which Tiger played in each year by virtue of his three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles. Thankfully, we've learned to avoid that conflict.
In the summer of 1994, after his graduation from high school and before entering Stanford, Tiger played in the California Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach and the SCGA Amateur Championship at Hacienda GC. It was the only time he played in either event and, in reality, he was way beyond state and regional tournaments at that point. Later that summer, he would win the first of his three consecutive U.S. Amateurs. Yet, Tiger took the opportunity to say thanks to the SCGA — his home association growing up — in the best way possible from our point of view. He played.
Both tournaments were memorable, albeit for different reasons. Tiger sailed easily into match play at the state amateur at Pebble Beach and seemed destined to add his name to the Edward B. Tufts Championship trophy when he was upset by Ed Cuff, 2 & 1, in their semifinal match. Ironically, another Woods, Steve, then defeated Cuff in the championship, but Cuff went on to win his state title in 1998.
In the SCGA Amateur, there was no doubt who the winner would be after Woods fired an 8-under-par 62 in the second round to take a commanding lead. He eventually shot 270 for 72 holes, winning by 10 shots setting records that still stand for single-round and 72-hole totals.
No matter how many professional tournaments Tiger wins or how many records he shatters, what I'll always remember about him was that he took the time to thank the SCGA. No fanfare, no speeches, just playing. Thanks, Tiger!
Todd Demsey, one of the greatest SCGA tournament players in the 1990s, fired an 8-under-par today in the final round of the PGA Tour's Q School and became one of five former SCGA players to win 2008 PGA Tour Cards at Orange National Golf Center and Lodge's Crooked Cat course in Winterhaven, Florida.
Demsey — who won the 1992 California Amateur, the 1993 NCAA Division I individual title, SCGA Amateur and Pacific Coast Amateur, and was a star on the victorious 1993 U.S. Walker Cup team — has battled serious illness and injuries since he turned professional after graduating from Arizona State, but today he reclaimed the magic, posting eight birdies and 10 pars to finish the grueling six rounds at 413, 19 under par, good for eighth place.
The top 26 finishers earned PGA Tour cards for next year; they included:
• Former UCLA star and 1984 California Amateur champion Duffy Waldorf, who backed up yesterday's 65 with a 66 today and jumped from T42 to T14.
• Former Pepperdine and 1997 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jason Allred, whose even-par 72 today was enough to land him in fifth place. During the first five rounds, when low scores prolifierated, even par meant players lost ground but such was not the case today.
• Another former Bruin, John Merrick figured he had shot himself out of contention with a 73 yesterday but rebounded with a 67 today and made the cut on the nose.
• Yet another former Bruin, Parker McLachlin of Honolulu, shot even-par 72 today and finished right where he began, T11.
Two other former SCGA stars, Bob May and Peter Tomasulo, finished a shot out of qualifying for their Tour cards. Each will have full Nationwide Tour cards for next year, along with 2004 California Amateur champion Spencer Levin, whose 72 today left him two shots outside the Tour card cutline but headed to the Nationwide Tour.
Frank Lickliter, who had led the pack after consecutive 62s to open the 108-hole tournament, shot 71 today and earned medalist honors.
There will be a lot of grim faces for about eight hours tomorrow at Orange National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Florida, and at the end at least 25 will be smiling. They will be the survivors of the 108-hole PGA Tour Q School, which is scheduled to wind up tomorrow.
Two former SCGA members are inside the cutline at this point:
• Former Pepperdine golfer and 1997 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jason Allred, who is in fourth place after five rounds.
• One-time UCLA golfer Parker McLachlin, who has fired rounds of 68-67-67 during the last three rounds and is now tied for 11th place heading into the final round.
Four other former SCGA members are tied for 31st, a shot off the cutline after five rounds. They are:
• 1992 California Amateur and 1993 SCGA Amateur and Pacific Coast Amateur champion Todd Demsey, who fired a 68 today to jump 24 places from No. 55 to No. 31.
• 2004 California Amateur champion Spencer Levin, who also posted a 68 today to jump 24 places.
• Former UC Berkeley star Peter Tomasulo
