Low scores were hard to come by, but a 2-under par 70 by Joe Ryon of TaylorMade Adidas GC was enough to land him in a playoff Monday, where he eventually defeated Craig Calkins of Hacienda GC on the second hole to capture the 2012 SCGA Tournament of Club Champions event.
"I hadn't won anything in a while, so it feels really good," said Ryon. "I wasn't sure a 70 was going to be enough, so I was pleasantly surprised. I’m really glad I was able to pull out the win."
The championship was played at SilverRock Resort, which provided a tough challenge for the 113 participants. Just five golfers were able to shoot rounds under par.
Ryon did the bulk of his damage on the front nine, where he birdied three of the first five holes he played. A bogey on the par 4 ninth hole left him at 2-under at the turn. Managing one birdie and floundering for just one bogey on the back nine, however, proved to be enough. Ryon earned exemptions into the 114th SCGA Amateur Championship at San Diego CC and the 29th SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship at a site still to be determined by winning the event.
Finishing tied for third place behind Ryon and Calkins were Joe Sanders of The Quarry, Mark Manwaring of Virginia CC and Bill Borden of Cottonwood, who all finished at 1-under par 71.
JUNG KIM TAKES SENIOR DIVISION
The 5th SCGA Senior Tournament of Club Champions also took place Monday, as Jung Kim of Antelope Valley CC mastered the Bermuda Dunes CC course for a 4-under par 68, besting the rest of the competition by three strokes or more. Kim recorded four birdies and no bogeys in his round.
Coming in second was 2007 SCGA Senior Amateur Champion Rich Tolly, who finished at 1-under par 71. Taking third place was a foursome of Larry Grant, two-time SCGA Senior Player of the Year Howie Knodt, Tom Sullivan and Keith Gulla, who all shot a 1-over par 73.
With the victory, Kim earned a spot in the 2013 SCGA Senior Amateur Championship at Virginia CC.
