Howie Knodt won his second SCGA Senior Match Play Championship Wednesday, defeating defending champion Brad Larsen 5 & 4 in the final round. Knodt had previously won the title in 2009.
"It's always terrific to win an SCGA event," said Knodt. "To be able to win here against all these guys is terrific. I couldn't be happier."
The three-day Championship was held at Sandpiper GC in Goleta, and Knodt, the two-seed from Chula Vista, got off to a somewhat rocky start Monday, needing 19 holes to defeat Mel Collins of Long Beach in an opening round match.
According to Knodt, however, it got easier to read the greens as he moved through each of his four round of play. By Wednesday, his confidence was high.
"I think I was keeping the ball pretty much in play and giving myself a good chance of hitting the greens," he said. "I felt really confident with my putting. After four rounds, I finally got the greens figured out."
Knodt had five birdies and one bogey in Wednesday's round.
Larsen, who won the event in 2010, is the SCGA's reigning Senior Player of the Year.