Spread out among four flights, nearly 180 golfers participated in the 84th Amateur Net Championship, which concluded April 10 at Industry Hills GC. The two-day event, which represents SCGA’s premier net championship, gave participants the opportunity to play on a different course each day — the Babe and the Ike — at Pacific Palms Resort in Industry.
Arroyo Flight
Bunched within a three-way tie atop the leaderboard at the end of the first round, Elkins Ranch GC’s Brian Fortier returned Tuesday to fire a 73 and complete his wire-to-wire victory in the Arroyo Flight. Fortier, who qualified for the Am Net on March 23 at Griffith Park, overcame a 6 on hole No. 3 to shoot 1-under 142 and win by four shots at Industry Hills.
“Well, honestly I didn’t feel like I should win today. I carded an 11 on a hole,” Fortier admitted. “But I scrambled around for a (73). I’ll take it. I’m proud of how I grinded.”
Despite the struggles on the aforementioned third hole, Fortier pulled away from the 43-person field. Glenn Melero (Willowbrook CC), Carlos Hernandez (Rio Hondo GC) and Tom Conklin (La Purisima GC) all carded a 3-over 146, but finished second, third and fourth, respectively, based on the scorecard tiebreaker.
Mission Flight
There was a clear strategy by Tina Schmid — the reigning SCGA One-Day Series Player of the Year — entering the Amateur Net Championship. Schmid knew it was imperative that she take advantage of Monday’s round at the Babe course to build an early lead, and that’s just what she did.
After a blistering 65, including five birdies, in the opening round, Schmid (Chameleon GC) managed a 70 in the final round to win the Mission Flight, carding an 8-under 135 overall.
“My goal (Monday) was to give myself a bit of a cushion because I don’t play The Ike as well,” Schmid said. “I just tried to manage no bogeys and was able to hold everyone off.”
James Hill, of Solar GC, finished under-par with a 1-under 142, but settled for runner-up in the flight. Five players finished at 3-over behind Hill, filling the Nos. 3-7 positions on the final leaderboard.
Pacific Flight
It wasn’t the Super Bowl, but nobody told that to Bhupendra Bhakta.
“I won my flight and I’m going to Disneyland,” said an elated Bhakta following his victory Tuesday in the Pacific Flight.
The Las Posas CC golfer fired a 66 in the final round to finish 8-under 135 a flight that saw six players finish under par. Bhakta played a nearly-flawless back nine to defeat Darryl Gordon (River Ridge GC) by two strokes.
“I had a terrible front nine but on the back I started to catch breaks,” Bhakta shared. “A few shots flew into the woods only to bounce back out into the fairway. It’s better to be lucky than good.”
Scott Taylor (TaylorMade GC), Robert Steuernagel (Eagle Glen GC) and Richard Marion (Eagle Glen GC) were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, each shooting 2-under. Boeing Space GC’s Victor Allen rounded out the top six at 1-under.
San Andreas Flight
There were few faults in the in the San Andreas during the 36-hole Amateur Net Championship, which led to a hard fought win by Woods Valley GC’s James Marshall in the most hotly-contested flight of the event.
Marshall, who held the clubhouse lead Monday following an impressive 65, clung to his spot atop the standings with a 72 on Tuesday, good enough to give him a one-shot victory over Eric Burgett (Mickey Mouse GL) with a 6-under 137.
“I was scrambling around today,” Marshall said. “It was all over the place but I was able to hang on and win the flight.”
The San Andreas Flight was packed with low scores. Inland Empire GA’s Armando Farias and Rancho Resort GC’s Jung Modrich, third and fourth respectively, both carded a 4-under, while Henry Alipusan (International Alliance GC) and Wayne Satterfield (Boeing Space GC) shot 1-under and finished fifth and sixth in the 39-person field.
