What started with more than 780 hopefuls ended with four champions, as the 2016 SCGA Amateur Net Championship concluded at Industry Hills GC at Pacific Palms Resort. Both the Ike and Babe courses were used for the two-day tournament, hosting 180 players who had already made it through 18 holes of qualifying to earn a spot in the SCGA's premier net championship. The championship field is divided into four flights of different handicap levels.
Jeffrey Brown of Tustin Ranch GC, playing in his third SCGA Amateur Net Championship, earned his first victory, shooting net rounds of 68 and 74 to win by two strokes.
"Yesterday I played really well, and today I just held on," said Brown, a stainless steel salesman who lives in Irvine. "I played well on the front today, and then started thinking about possibly winning, which is not the thing to do."
Brown's two-day total of 1-under par 142 was his second Top-5 finish in the Championship, having placed fifth in 2013 at The Alisal.
Greg Alfie of Chameleon Golf came in second place, with a two-day total of 1-over par 144, and Edward Fernandes of Porter Valley CC earned third, one stroke behind.
The Jack Nicklaus Flight, where competitors played the Babe Course Monday followed by the Ike Course Tuesday, was won by Derek Holland of Black Gold GC.
"I got lucky when I needed to," said Holland. "I scrambled really well both days. I didn't hit the ball straight at all, but I was able to make it work."
Holland, a personal injury lawyer from Yorba Linda, qualified at Navy GC for the Championship for the first time. He managed to shoot net rounds of 71 and 72 to earn the 3-stroke win at even par 143.
Following behind Holland was Sau Kwong Tan, Kyle Carmona and Harry Bobbitt, who all finished at 3-over par 146 after two days of play. Using the USGA-suggested tiebreak method of a card-off, using the player's back nine scores from Round 2, Tan was awarded second place, Carmona third and Bobbitt fourth.
Angelo Cofino of the SCGA eClub earned his second-straight win in his flight, having also won in 2015. Cofino, who's first win at the SCGA Amateur Net was in 2003, had to wait 12 years in between his first two victories between 2003-2015, but just 12 months this time around.
"I had no three-putts all tournament, so that was a big help," said Cofino. "I was able to get up and down and that did it for me."
Cofino, a frequent SCGA One-Day Series competitor, shot rounds of 65 and 66 to run away with a 5-stroke victory.
Earning second place was Carmelo Valdivia, who finished at 7-under par 136, with Marco Reyna earning third place three strokes behind.
Ajay Anand, another first-time SCGA Amateur Net participant, earned the victory in the Ben Hogan flight, fighting through a tough day on the Ike course Monday to play extremely well on Babe Tuesday.
"Ike was treacherous," said Anand. "I had two holes where I blew up for an 8. But today I sunk a 30-foot putt on a par 3 hole and that really got me going."
Anand shot a net 65 on Tuesday, following up his net 75 during Round 1. Anand, a health care executive, called Tuesday "a fantastic day." His two-day total of 3-under par 140 tied Michael Klein, who after a card-off was awarded second place. Ji Crabb finished at 2-under par 141 for third place.