With a birdie on the second playoff hole of the 2017 SCGA Public Links Championship, Brandon Mai of Poway, Calif. completed a final-day comeback to snatch victory away from three-time champion Tim Hogarth.
"It feels pretty good to win," said Mai. "I haven't had a win in awhile so it feels good to come out here and play three good rounds."
Mai opened the tournament Friday with a 73 on Course No. 1 at Brookside GC in Pasadena, before firing a 65 on Course No. 2 Saturday. Beginning the final round four shots behind Hogarth, Mai's closing-round 71 back on Course No. 1 would be enough to force the playoff. After playing his opening nine in 2-under par, Mai had an eventful back nine, carding two more birdies and three bogeys.
"I finished my round bogey-bogey so I was feeling a little nervous coming off," he said. "But I got it done which felt nice."
Hogarth, who shared the Round 1 lead after a an opening 68 and held a 2-shot advantage heading into the final round after a Round 2 66, struggled a bit Sunday, posting a 3-over par 75 on a course he knows well. The Northridge golfer, who won the event in 1998, 1999 and in 2011 (at Brookside), missed a short look for birdie on the first playoff hole before falling to Mai's par the following hole.
Hogarth and Mai finished the 54-hole event at 5-under par 209, while William Wells of Lemon Grove and Genki Tamashiro of Torrance finished just 1 shot behind at 210. Rounding out the Top 5 was Newport Laparojkit of Montebello, Tyler Schafer of Long Beach and Ryan Miranda of Los Angeles. Wells shots Sunday's best round with an impressive 6-under par 66.
The SCGA Public Links Championship began with 103 golfers, before cutting to the Top 30 and ties after 36 holes. Other past winners in the field included 2008 Champion Dan Sullivan who finished tenth.
