After winning a slew of partner events, Brookside GC member Dan Sullivan won his first individual SCGA title Sunday, beating Kevin Fitzgerald of Riverside in a playoff at the 2012 SCGA Public Links Championship. Sullivan birdied the first playoff hole, the par 4 first hole of Brookside's #1 course, to secure the victory.
"I've been playing in these events for a long time, and it feels great to finally win one," said Sullivan.
Entering the day with a two-stroke lead, Sullivan got out to somewhat of a rough start Sunday, bogeying his first hole of the day. After finishing the front nine at 2-over par, the Pasadena resident finally earned his first birdie of the round on the par 5 559-yard 11th hole. He would eventually finish the round at even par, giving him a three-day total of 9-under par 205.
Fitzgerald matched Sullivan's score of 205 for the tournament, carding a 2-under round of 70 Sunday to force the extra hole. His tee shot on the first playoff hole went right of the fairway, however, leaving the door open for Sullivan to make his move. After firing his tee shot right in the middle of the fairway, Sullivan hit what he called his best shot of the weekend, landing his second shot just two feet from the hole. He would tap in the easy putt for birdie and the win.
"I hit a bad drive there earlier in the day, so approaching the tee I was really just focused on hitting a good first shot," said Sullivan. "I was fortunately able to do that."
16-year-old Jonah Texeira of Northridge earned himself third place at the event, finishing just one stroke behind Sullivan and Fitzgerald. Texeira kept himself in the hunt with the day's best round, a 4-under par 68, but trailed the leaders by one stroke heading into the 18th hole. He was unable to birdie the hole on a tough uphill putt that went wide of the hole.
Sean Birren of La Verne finished in fourth place while defending champion Tim Hogarth, Brennan Amirkhizi and Jeff Coburn tied for fifth. Sullivan had also won the event back in 2008 when it was still called the PLGA Amateur Championship.
Industry Hills member wins Net flight
Sean Trundy of Industry Hills GC fired rounds of 70 and 67 to win the net portion of the 2012 SCGA Public Links Championship, besting first-round leader Robert Parker by two strokes. The best round of the event came off the clubs of Sean Martin, who fired a second-round score of 65 Sunday on Brookside's #2 course.