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SCGA Amateur Championship

Diamond In The Rough

July 11, 2004

"Even after I played a practice round," Tim Hogarth mused, "I still thought around 10-under would win it."

What DID win the 105th SCGA Amateur Championship at Hillcrest Country Club was its only sub-par score, Hogarth's total of 1-under-par 279.

When the venerable West Los Angeles club was announced as the venue for the SCGA Amateur, mid-amateur (25 years and older) golfers caught what they hoped would be a break. After three consecutive years at layouts at or near 7,000 yards, Hillcrest — at just 6,499 yards — figured to be a course that would factor precise ball striking and experience rather than pure power and putting which play to the strength of college-age bangers, three of whom had won those three previous titles.

Hogarth, a 38-year-old Northridge resident, was the one who took most advantage of that golden opportunity, and by four strokes at that — so demanding were the tight fairways, thick rough and lightning-speed greens.

"When I saw how the course was set up (with rough at 4-5 inches it looked like U.S. Open conditions)," Hogarth went on, "even though I thought the scoring might be lower, I also knew this was my best chance to finally win one of these."

The 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links and 1999 California Amateur champion finished with a 1-under-par 69 to beat 36-year-old Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes. He became the first person to win titles in the SCGA Amateur, California Amateur and SCGA Mid-Amateur, the three most important events for the mid-amateurs in the state. The four-shot margin was the largest since McGihon won by four in 2000 at Rancho Santa Fe GC.

McGihon's 3-over-par total of 283 was one shot in front of last year's runner-up, Steve Conway of Newport Beach, whose closing 72 gave him a 284 total, 4-over-par. Defending champion (and first round leader) Roy Moon of North Hills and Conway's teammate at UCLA, finished fourth at 285, one shot in front of 1999 champion John Pate of Santa Barbara and Jason Bittick of Coto de Caza.

Hogarth's victory added to an impressive total that includes four Los Angeles City Amateurs (three in succession), two Kelly Cup titles at Lakeside Golf Club and the 2002 Stocker Cup, not to mention playing in the Masters in 1997. This after he opted out of a run at the pro ranks in the mid-90s. "I'm a strange golfer," Hogarth candidly offered. "I'm not good all the time but if I have all my stuff, I can win at a course like this."

"My putting has always held me back," he went on, "and I missed a lot of putts this week. But I really feel like I out-hit the field overall in terms of accuracy/" Hogarth had lost a chance to appear in the U.S. Open earlier this year when he lost in a playoff in the sectional qualifying event. "Today," he said in a brief speech Sunday afternoon, " has helped me forget that disappointment."

Said Cal State Bakersfield's Greg Lopez of San Juan Capistrano, who shared the 54-hole lead and was paired with Hogarth, "he did everything perfect" in the final round.

Things didn't start out that way. Hogarth bogied two of the first three holes and left his drive at No. 4 in the rough. But then he had to wait because of a lengthy ruling for the group in front of him and it gave him time to settle mentally. "I decided to adjust to a three-quarter swing and use the ability to hit straight shots to my advantage."

Things clicked immediately. His approach at the 553-yard par-5 stopped three and a half feet from the hole and he guided in the birdie putt. He missed a birdie putt at No. 7 from a similar distance but kept his path of pars intact until the 378-yard ninth hole. hitting an eight-iron approach to an elevated green, his ball danced around the hole and stopped three inches away for a "gimme" 3. It was almost a carbon copy at the short par-4 10th and he was on his way. Only a three-putt at the par-3 16th marred the rest of his round and by that time he was home free.

Hogarth was at his best at the ninth hole, playing it in 3-under-par for the tournament. The holes that gave him the most trouble (he bogied No. 8 and No. 13 each of the first two rounds) turned into par holes for him on the weekend.

Meanwhile, challengers fell by the wayside as the holes progressed on Sunday. David Bartman was the first. The former Nationwide Tour player from Los Angeles and Brentwood CC had moved into a tie for the lead after two holes, but suffered a triple bogey 7 at the third hole, then a double bogey 7 at the fourth.

Lopez kept pace until he lost a ball in the right rough at the difficult 494-yard par-4 eight for a double bogey, then bogeyed the ninth and 10th as well. Conway's wheels also spun at 8 and 9 with bogeys.

McGihon's charge stalled at No. 7 when he left his tee shot at the base of a tree and had to punch sideways out of the rough, resulting in bogey. A mishit nine-iron shot into the front bunker at No.16 and a lipped out putt for par on the next hole negated a closing birdie. "Tim just played better today," McGihon concluded, "I know as well as anyone," he told reporters later, "that when it's your time, it's your time," McGihon's victory in 2000 came after several years of knocking on the door.

For McGihon, it was a continuation of rebound from last year in which, "I didn't play well at all." He won the Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur at La Jolla CC in June. "Then I thought I would be able to do some damage at the state (the following week)," he said, "but 12 rounds in 10 days — all of it walking — was just too much."

When the tournament opened Friday, a good deal of youthful ability manifested itself. For example, Moon (he and Conway have just completed their eligibility at UCLA) generated a 33 on his front nine and emerged with a 68 and the first round lead by a stroke over Lopez, Mark Warman (a San Diego State graduate who was fourth last year at Torrey Pines) and Kevin Loustalot of Thousand Oaks.

The latter pair faltered in the afternoon round, but Saddleback College sophomore-to-be Andrew Crowe of Murrieta threw down his second straight even-par round to grab the lead from Conway (only a double bogey at No. 8, his next-to-last hole, kept him out of the top spot), Lopez and Bartman, who matched Moon's 68 for low round of the day. Hogarth lurked another shot back along with Moon, who had dipped to an afternoon 74. Crow, incidentally, was the final qualifying alternate to gain a slot in the championship.

It was Saturday afternoon when the tournament's fabric began to appear. McGihon, who led the tournament in birdies with 16, and Pate, who made four back-nine birdies, fashioned 67s (the tournament's low rounds — there were only 13 rounds in the 60s overall). Jason Bittick, 31 and a California Amateur quarterfinalist in June shot 68 and suddenly eight of the top 11 scores belonged to Mid-Ams. And grand marshal of the parade was Hogarth, who recovered from consecutive bogeys at Nos. 5 and 6, for a 68 of his own.

A sign of things to come, as it turned out.

SCGA Amateur Championship News

14-Year-Old Jaden Soong Dominates SCGA Amateur Championship

FAIRWAYS, GREENS AND HISTORY

CADEN FIORONI PAINTS A MASTERPIECE

Past Champions

Year Winner Site
2024 Jaden Soong The Saticoy Club
2023 Greyson Leach Rolling Hills CC
2022 Caden Fioroni San Diego CC
2021 Clay Seeber Virginia CC
2020 Luke Potter Goose Creek GC
2019 Sahith Theegala Lakeside GC
2018 Joe Fryer La Jolla CC
2017 Sam Choi Mission Hills CC
2016 Rico Hoey Barona Creek GC
2015 Nathan Celusta Oakmont CC
2014 Beau Hossler Rancho Santa Fe GC
2013 Beau Hossler San Diego CC
2012 Bhavik Patel Big Canyon CC
2011 Patrick Cantlay San Gabriel CC
2010 Scott Travers La Cumbre CC
2009 Austin Graham Wilshire CC
2008 Kevin Marsh Saticoy CC
2007 Brett Kanda Victoria Club
2006 Scott McGihon Bakersfield CC
2005 Scott McGihon Tijeras Creek GC
2004 Tim Hogarth Hillcrest CC
2003 Roy Moon Torrey Pines GC
2002 Nico Bollini El Caballero CC
2001 John Merrick La Jolla CC
2000 Scott McGihon Rancho Santa Fe GC
1999 John Pate Industry Hills GC
1998 Greg Padilla The SCGA GC
1997 Craig Steinberg Lakeside GC
1996 Kevin Marsh Santa Maria CC
1995 Charlie Wi Santa Ana CC
1994 Tiger Woods Hacienda GC
1993 Todd Demsey Brentwood CC
1992 Craig Steinberg Fairbanks Ranch CC
1991 Craig Steinberg Bel-Air CC
1990 Pat Duncan Wilshire CC
1989 Paul Stankowski Glendora CC
1988 Craig Steinberg Annandale GC
1987 Greg Starkman Braemar CC
1986 Dave Sheff Hillcrest CC
1985 Brad Greer Virginia CC
1984 Brad Greer San Gabriel CC
1983 David Hobby Santa Maria CC
1982 Mark Blakely Stockdale CC
1981 Greg Twiggs Stardust CC
1980 Jon (Bud) Ardell Oakmont CC
1979 Jeff Hart Hacienda GC
1978 Brian Gaddy Bel-Air CC
1977 Doug Clarke La Jolla CC
1976 Tony Sills California CC
1975 Lee Davis Wilshire CC
1974 Jim Porter Brentwood CC
1973 John Richardson El Niguel CC
1972 Mark Pfeil Hillcrest CC
1971 John Beetham Virginia CC
1970 Gary Sanders Oakmont CC
1969 U.T. Thompson III Hacienda GC
1968 Barry Jaeckel Lakeside GC
1967 Greg Pitzer Riviera CC
1966 John A. Jacobs Victoria Club
1965 Richard Davies Annandale GC
1964 Larry O. Brown San Gabriel GC
1963 Bruce McCormick Hillcrest CC
1962 Larry Bouchey Virginia CC
1961 Ted Richards Jr. Los Angeles CC
1960 Ben Alyea Brentwood CC
1959 Alan Geiberger Oakmont CC
1958 Frank Hixon Wilshire CC
1957 Verne Callison Lakeside GC
1956 Alan Geiberger Santa Ana CC
1955 Jerry Steelsmith Annandale GC
1954 Ted Richards Jr. San Gabriel CC
1953 Fletcher Jones Los Angeles CC
1952 John W. Dawson Hillcrest CC
1951 Jim Ferrie Virginia CC
1950 Jim Ferrie Oakmont CC
1949 Jerry Douglas Victoria Club
1948 Bruce McCormick Wilshire CC
1947 Bruce McCormick Los Angeles CC
1946 Bobby Gardner Virginia CC
1945 John Dawson San Gabriel CC
1944 John Dawson Lakeside GC
1943 Smiley Quick Hillcrest CC
1942 John Dawson Los Angeles CC
1941 Pat Abbott Oakmont CC
1940 Smiley Quick Lakeside GC
1939 Frank Hixon Annandale GC
1938 Pat Abbott California CC
1937 Jack Gaines Riviera CC
1936 Roger Kelly San Diego CC
1935 Harry Wesbrook Los Angeles CC
1934 Charles Seaver Bel-Air CC
1933 Harold Thompson Brentwood CC
1932 Jack Gaines San Gabriel CC
1931 David Martin Los Angeles CC
1930 Fay Coleman Midwick CC
1929 Gibson Dunlap Bel-Air CC
1928 Fay Coleman Midwick CC
1927 George Von Elm Lakeside GC
1926 Paul Hunter California CC/Brentwood CC
1925 George Von Elm Los Angeles CC
1924 Paul Hunter Annandale GC
1923 Willie Hunter Midwick CC
1922 George Von Elm Flintridge CC/Pasadena GC
1921 Paul Hunter Los Angeles CC
1920 E.H. Seaver Los Angeles CC
1919 Douglas Grant Los Angeles CC
1918 R.J. Cash, Jr. Los Angeles CC
1917 Windsor B. Walton Midwick CC
1916 Harold B. Lamb Los Angeles CC
1915 E.S. Armstrong Midwick CC
1914 Carleton Wright San Gabriel CC
1913 Norman Macbeth Los Angeles CC
1912 E.S. Armstrong Los Angeles CC
1911 Norman Macbeth Los Angeles CC
1910 Wm. Frederickson Annandale GC
1909 Paul Hunter Annandale GC
1908 Paul Hunter Los Angeles CC
1907 Sterling Liness Los Angeles CC
1906 Wm. Frederickson Los Angeles CC
1905 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1904 W.K. Jewett Los Angeles CC
1903 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1902 H.M. Sears Pasadena CC
1901 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1900 Charles E. Orr Los Angeles CC
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