Craig Davis is forever etched in the history books, as the SCGA Senior Amateur Championship yields a three-time consecutive champion for just the second time. This achievement hasn’t been seen since John Olive’s 2001-2003 performance, but it’s no surprise that Davis has arrived to follow in Olive’s footsteps.
El Niguel CC in Laguna Niguel was no easy feat for the field of competitors. But in typical fashion, Davis started the week strong, leaving himself only a few strokes behind the leaders after first round. The title was up for grabs early, with a three-way tie for first with sharp 69’s (Jim Plotkin, Casey Boyns and Iain Macdonald.) But Tuesday truly was moving day, where under-par rounds began to fade as Davis continued to climb up the leaderboard with a steady two-day score of 70-71. With consistent play and the ability to bounce back after a rough hole, he was the only player to finish the week under-par.
"When the announced my name on the first tee that I had won two times in the row, I went on to bogey three out of the first four holes and thought, 'oh boy it's going to be a tough week,'' said Davis. "But I settled down and tried not to let things like let that get to me."
Not only was Davis the sole player to finish the championship under-par, he held the low round of the tournament, a 4-under 68 during his closing round. His secret to success seemed to be the iron play and while the playing conditions at El Niguel CC were supreme, his laser sharp approach shots gave him continuous opportunities for birdie.
"I used to not be a great ball striker but when I got a little older and didn't hit it as far, I started to hit much straighter," said Davis.
The big question though is next year's Senior Amateur. Will we see him play in 2020 for a chance to earn a fourth title?
"Oh yea, absolutely."
The top ten finishers including Davis are exempt to this year’s California Senior Amateur Championship and next year’s SCGA Senior Amateur Championship at Red Hill CC on June 9-11