The 2020 Team Play season went as typical of any other, with teams across the Southland having their sights set on etching their name in history in one of the oldest SCGA championship traditions.
The 2020 Team Play Playoffs were set to begin the week of March 19, but on the evening of March 12 Team Play Captains were notified by the SCGA that postseason matches were indefinitely suspended due to the rise of COVID-19. Ensuing to the eventual shutdown of golf courses across Southern California and the uncertainty if the season would resume in midst of a pandemic.
In mid-May while golf was starting to re-open in Southern California, captains were given the option for their teams to resume the 2020 Team Play Playoffs as early as July under COVID-19 protocols set forth by the SCGA, local government and facilities.
All 23 Thursday Team Play teams and 30 Saturday Team Play teams gave it a go and committed to safely resuming the 2020 playoffs in late July and early August. Both championships for the first time ever were conducted in a split field format at each team’s home site.
Thursday Division Champions (Valencia CC)
Brookside GC scratched and clawed their way to the big match, starting off the playoffs defeating the historically equipped Red Hill CC. Narrow 25 to 23 victories in the Round of 16 over Apple Valley CC and again in the semifinals over Dove Canyon GC squared them off with Valencia CC for all the marbles.
After cruising through the playoffs, Valencia CC were in for a dogfight. 24 to 24 was the score at the end of the day, with Valencia taking the tiebreaker in a card off to win 25-24 as the 2020 SCGA Thursday Team Play Champions.
Stephen Symons, Travis Cain, John Turnbull and Harrison Harpole contributed four points each for Valencia CC winning both their singles and four-ball matches.
Saturday Division Champions (Los Coyotes CC)
A Team Play matchup like no other, the 2018 champions Los Coyotes CC got another crack at the 2019 defending champions, Rancho Vista GC, who defeated Los Coyotes in last year’s semifinals.
Los Coyotes had plenty of momentum, with dominant double-digit victories throughout the 2020 Team Play playoffs. Rancho Vista gave it their all, splitting the four-ball matches 8-8, but it came down to Los Coyotes ultimately taking care of business in the singles matches with an 18-14 advantage and 26-22 victory as Saturday Team Play Champions.
Four-Ball partners Jae Yoon Lee and Ken Chong also won their single matches convincingly to combine for eight points. Following their lead was Kyu Oh and Kennith Kim along with Kevin Jang and Arthur Lee who were also victorious in both matches.
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