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SCGA Amateur Championship

Twiggs Is New SCGA Champ

July 22, 1981

The 82nd Southern California Golf Assn. Championship could easily have been a tournament of champions. There were six former SCGA titleholders in the running for the 1981 crown at Stardust CC.

But when the awards were presented, a new winner was crowned. Greg Twiggs, a 20-year-old San Diego State senior from La Jolla, is the new Champion.

Twiggs, who plays with the West Coast Amateur G.A., sank a 15-foot putt for par on the 219-yard final hole for a 285 total, and then watched Jeff Hart of Lomas Santa Fee CC miss a five-foot par putt his — his 285th stroke, and tap the final putt for second place. Twiggs had rounds of 68-70-72-75—285 and Hart carded 70-69-70-77—286.

Hart, the 1979 SCGA champion, had begun the day with a one-stroke lead over Twiggs, but neither was able to control the round which closely resembled match play. Twiggs was longer off the tees by 20 to 40 yards and Hart was usually more accurate to the greens, but Hart's putter was cold.

The former champion, who lost a lead and the championship in the final holes last year, was one stroke up on Twiggs going to the 17th hole this year. There he lipped a short par putt to put the "match" level.

On the final hole, Hart's tee shot was long and wide on the green — though some 60 feet from the hole. Twiggs pulled a 1-iron 35 yards wide of the green and had to pitch back. When his wedge shot settled, he needed a 15-foot putt for par.

Hart's lag slid five feet past the hole and he waited for the challenger to putt.

"I've seen that putt before," explained Twiggs. He plays regularly at Stardust. "it was a right-breaking putt and it died right in the hole."

Hart missed his five-foot comeback putt, and the 82nd SCGA Amateur was history.

Hart, a USC senior from Solana Beach, had lost confidence in his putter. "I didn't have a bit (of confidence)," he explained. "I never once felt I was going to put the ball in the hole. It's a terrible feeling."

Twiggs, whose biggest precious win had been the Long Beach City Championship in 1980, earned himself an invitation to join the SCGA representatives in the PCGA championship held Aug. 10-14 at Los Angeles CC.

He showed his power in the opening two rounds at Stardust, reaching six of eight par-5 holes in two shots. He two-putted each for birdies and got a birdie on one of the other par-5s with a chip and a putt.

His interest in golf was kindled when Twiggs was nine years old. His father, Reg, a filmmaker, was shooting a movie "Jack Nicklaus on Golf" at La Quinta and the youngster was there.

"Greg was fascinated watching Jack hit every shot for three days... I think seeing Nicklaus has been his inspiration," Greg's father explained.

If he was inspired by Nicklaus, he comes by his athletic coordination naturally. His mother, the former Lenora Wall, ran the sprints and 440-yard relay for Canada in the London and Helsinki Olympics in 1948 and 1952.

Before moving to La Jolla, Greg and his parents lived in Los Angeles, where his first golf instruction was in Eddie Merrins' junior program at Bel-Air.

He began his golf as a 10-year-old with a set of cut-down clubs given to him by Bob Gardner, winner of the 1946 SCGA Championship. Greg won the Bel-Air junior championship several times and the Western League crown twice while attending University High School in Los Angeles.

The other former SCGA champions were strung back in the field.

Los Angeles CC's Lee Davis finished two strokes off the pace in fourth place at 73-73-69-72—287. He had won the event in 1975.

Tied with Davis with rounds of 73-73-69-72—287 was 17-year-old Derek Goldstein of Brentwood, who took third place on a matching of cards. Goldstein, earlier in the week, had broken his putter in the opening round and two-putted each of the last four holes with his driver.

Maybe he should have used his driver to putt on the 190-yard seventh hole in the final round. He four-putted from about 15-feet. Despite the momentary lapse, he hung in the battle but couldn't overtake the leader.

Three strokes behind the winner with 288 totals were: Steve Brant of Miramar GC; Steve Pate of Birnam Wood; and Chris Voges of Braemar. Voges' 67 on the final day was the low round of the championship.

How did the other former champions fare?

Jon (Bud) Ardell, 1980 winner from Bakersfield CC, was tied for 12th place at 291, and Ted Richards of Bel-Air, who won in 1954 and 1961, was four strokes back at 295.

Brian Gaddy, the 1978 champion from Annandale CC, suffered the misfortune of being disqualified after the third round. He discovered he had signed a card with a wrong score and reported his error. Gaddy had a 74 in the third round and signed for a 73.

Another former champion, Ben Alyea of Rancho Park GC who won in 1960, had rounds of 77-81—158 and failed to make the finals.

Doug Clarke of La Jolla CC, who won in 1977 at his home club, the only other time the championship was staged in the San Diego area, was among the spectators for the final round. Clarke, a student at Stanford and former member of the Cardinal golf team, will be an assistant in the golf program at Stanford during the coming year.

The tournament will be a memorable one for John Burckle of Mesa Verde CC. He had a hole-in-one on the 164-yard fifth hole. Burckle hit his 6-iron about four feet to the right of the hole and it spun back into the cup.

Richards at age 59 and the CGA and SCGA senior champion, was the oldest contestant in the final 34 of the championship field. But it was not quite the young man's event it has sometimes been. Thirteen of the final 34 players were 25 years old or older.

And there were some older golfers in the handicap flights. One of them, John Gable, a 70-year-old senior from Soboba Spring CC, placed fifth in the Secretary's Flight. Gable, an 18-handicapper, had nets of 72-67-139.

Robert Flanagan, a 7-handicapper from Meadowlark GC, won the President's Flight with a net 66-66—132. Donald Robbins, a 12-handicapper from Valencia GC, led the Vice President's Flight with a net 68-66-134. Gunnar Anderson, a 15-handicapper from Quail Lake, was tops in the Secretary's Flight with a 68-67—135.

SCGA Amateur Championship News

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FAIRWAYS, GREENS AND HISTORY

CADEN FIORONI PAINTS A MASTERPIECE

Past Champions

Year Winner Site
2024 Jaden Soong The Saticoy Club
2023 Greyson Leach Rolling Hills CC
2022 Caden Fioroni San Diego CC
2021 Clay Seeber Virginia CC
2020 Luke Potter Goose Creek GC
2019 Sahith Theegala Lakeside GC
2018 Joe Fryer La Jolla CC
2017 Sam Choi Mission Hills CC
2016 Rico Hoey Barona Creek GC
2015 Nathan Celusta Oakmont CC
2014 Beau Hossler Rancho Santa Fe GC
2013 Beau Hossler San Diego CC
2012 Bhavik Patel Big Canyon CC
2011 Patrick Cantlay San Gabriel CC
2010 Scott Travers La Cumbre CC
2009 Austin Graham Wilshire CC
2008 Kevin Marsh Saticoy CC
2007 Brett Kanda Victoria Club
2006 Scott McGihon Bakersfield CC
2005 Scott McGihon Tijeras Creek GC
2004 Tim Hogarth Hillcrest CC
2003 Roy Moon Torrey Pines GC
2002 Nico Bollini El Caballero CC
2001 John Merrick La Jolla CC
2000 Scott McGihon Rancho Santa Fe GC
1999 John Pate Industry Hills GC
1998 Greg Padilla The SCGA GC
1997 Craig Steinberg Lakeside GC
1996 Kevin Marsh Santa Maria CC
1995 Charlie Wi Santa Ana CC
1994 Tiger Woods Hacienda GC
1993 Todd Demsey Brentwood CC
1992 Craig Steinberg Fairbanks Ranch CC
1991 Craig Steinberg Bel-Air CC
1990 Pat Duncan Wilshire CC
1989 Paul Stankowski Glendora CC
1988 Craig Steinberg Annandale GC
1987 Greg Starkman Braemar CC
1986 Dave Sheff Hillcrest CC
1985 Brad Greer Virginia CC
1984 Brad Greer San Gabriel CC
1983 David Hobby Santa Maria CC
1982 Mark Blakely Stockdale CC
1981 Greg Twiggs Stardust CC
1980 Jon (Bud) Ardell Oakmont CC
1979 Jeff Hart Hacienda GC
1978 Brian Gaddy Bel-Air CC
1977 Doug Clarke La Jolla CC
1976 Tony Sills California CC
1975 Lee Davis Wilshire CC
1974 Jim Porter Brentwood CC
1973 John Richardson El Niguel CC
1972 Mark Pfeil Hillcrest CC
1971 John Beetham Virginia CC
1970 Gary Sanders Oakmont CC
1969 U.T. Thompson III Hacienda GC
1968 Barry Jaeckel Lakeside GC
1967 Greg Pitzer Riviera CC
1966 John A. Jacobs Victoria Club
1965 Richard Davies Annandale GC
1964 Larry O. Brown San Gabriel GC
1963 Bruce McCormick Hillcrest CC
1962 Larry Bouchey Virginia CC
1961 Ted Richards Jr. Los Angeles CC
1960 Ben Alyea Brentwood CC
1959 Alan Geiberger Oakmont CC
1958 Frank Hixon Wilshire CC
1957 Verne Callison Lakeside GC
1956 Alan Geiberger Santa Ana CC
1955 Jerry Steelsmith Annandale GC
1954 Ted Richards Jr. San Gabriel CC
1953 Fletcher Jones Los Angeles CC
1952 John W. Dawson Hillcrest CC
1951 Jim Ferrie Virginia CC
1950 Jim Ferrie Oakmont CC
1949 Jerry Douglas Victoria Club
1948 Bruce McCormick Wilshire CC
1947 Bruce McCormick Los Angeles CC
1946 Bobby Gardner Virginia CC
1945 John Dawson San Gabriel CC
1944 John Dawson Lakeside GC
1943 Smiley Quick Hillcrest CC
1942 John Dawson Los Angeles CC
1941 Pat Abbott Oakmont CC
1940 Smiley Quick Lakeside GC
1939 Frank Hixon Annandale GC
1938 Pat Abbott California CC
1937 Jack Gaines Riviera CC
1936 Roger Kelly San Diego CC
1935 Harry Wesbrook Los Angeles CC
1934 Charles Seaver Bel-Air CC
1933 Harold Thompson Brentwood CC
1932 Jack Gaines San Gabriel CC
1931 David Martin Los Angeles CC
1930 Fay Coleman Midwick CC
1929 Gibson Dunlap Bel-Air CC
1928 Fay Coleman Midwick CC
1927 George Von Elm Lakeside GC
1926 Paul Hunter California CC/Brentwood CC
1925 George Von Elm Los Angeles CC
1924 Paul Hunter Annandale GC
1923 Willie Hunter Midwick CC
1922 George Von Elm Flintridge CC/Pasadena GC
1921 Paul Hunter Los Angeles CC
1920 E.H. Seaver Los Angeles CC
1919 Douglas Grant Los Angeles CC
1918 R.J. Cash, Jr. Los Angeles CC
1917 Windsor B. Walton Midwick CC
1916 Harold B. Lamb Los Angeles CC
1915 E.S. Armstrong Midwick CC
1914 Carleton Wright San Gabriel CC
1913 Norman Macbeth Los Angeles CC
1912 E.S. Armstrong Los Angeles CC
1911 Norman Macbeth Los Angeles CC
1910 Wm. Frederickson Annandale GC
1909 Paul Hunter Annandale GC
1908 Paul Hunter Los Angeles CC
1907 Sterling Liness Los Angeles CC
1906 Wm. Frederickson Los Angeles CC
1905 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1904 W.K. Jewett Los Angeles CC
1903 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1902 H.M. Sears Pasadena CC
1901 Walter Fairbanks Los Angeles CC
1900 Charles E. Orr Los Angeles CC
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