The hometown kid Francis Catalano was dominant at the Spanish Hills Club en route to clinching the 2024 SCGA Match Play Championship, winning his final match 6&4.
A Camarillo native, Catalano started his golf career on these tracks, but his game looked quite different on Wednesday versus the last time he played at Spanish Hills when he was 15-years-old.
Catalano had a strong start to his final match against recently anointed CIF Regional champion Logan Park. The UC San Diego senior drove straight over the green on the par-4 first hole (measuring at 358 yards) and sunk his 15-foot putt to go one-up. He won the next four holes to establish a comfortable lead.
With his sister on the bag and family following along, Catalano kept rolling. He retained no less than a five-hole lead for the rest of the match and eventually ended it on the 14th hole to secure his first SCGA title.
Catalano adds this win to the resume right before he leaves for the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine. Catalano’s sister will be on the bag again at Hazeltine, his last event of the summer before he returns to San Diego for his final season.
