While the fierce winds subsided for the final round, the stellar play of Mel Collins and David Ujihara certainly did not. The duo managed a second consecutive round of 66 en route to a two-day total of 12-under par 132 and a one-stroke victory over the team of Don Baker and James Camaione.
The two teams were paired together for the final round and the championship hung in the balance until the final putt. After hitting his tee shot to eight feet on the 186-yard par-3 18th, Ujihara sealed the team’s title by draining his birdie bid in dramatic fashion.
Success in team events is not unusual for the pair, as they recently finished second in the NCGA’s Senior Four-Ball Championship. “We gel pretty well together,” said Ujihara. Added Collins, “This is the best we’ve ever worked together. We finally figured out a way to eliminate the mistakes.”
The Senior Four-Ball Championship grows in popularity and participation every year. 2012 saw 130 players travel to Moorpark CC for the two-day event, contested over each of the club’s three nine’s.
“For golfers, winning an SCGA event is a big thing,” said Collins. “We’ve always wanted to win an SCGA event and now we have.
The top five was rounded out by:
Don Baker / Jim Camaione (133)
Richard Doebler / Michael Miyasaki (134)
Bill Borden / Don Eklund (135)
Steven Kastner / Richard Lindsay (135)
Robert Hedley / Greg Hetzer (135)