Coe takes San Diego City Amateur in playoff

July 31, 2011 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

- amateurgolf.com photo

Bucky Coe fires a final round 69 on the South Course and birdies the second hole of sudden-death to become the 2011 San Diego City Amateur Champion

By Glae Thien SAN DIEGO, CALIF. (July 31, 2011) -- It figured the final round of the San Diego City Amateur golf championship would result in a coronation of a college player from those crowding the top of the leaderboard. However, Bucky Coe instead won with some impressive postgraduate play. Coe, USD class of ’08, rallied from four shots off the lead after two rounds to prevail in a two-hole playoff with Ryan Barry for his first City Am title at Torrey Pines South on Sunday. “Some of these guys are probably future pros,” said Coe, of Encinitas. “To hang with them and come out ahead is pretty exciting.” After two days at Torrey Pines North, Coe turned in his best tourney round on the tougher South course with a three-under-par 69 to tie with Barry at 213, four shots ahead of second-round leader Tyler Torano. The women’s title went for the second straight year to Rancho Santa Fe’s Kaitlin Drolson, who took a four-shot edge into the day and survived an 80 to finish at 227, two strokes ahead of Devon Brown and Georgina Salant. Coe clinched the victory on No. 7 with a 3-foot birdie putt, set up by a strong 8-iron shot. For the tourney, he had no three-putts. “I just knew if I hit better, I’d play better,” said Coe, who placed third two years ago. “To get some better shots gave me a little confidence, and that made a big difference.” Barry, of Del Mar, faced a two-shot deficit to start the day and then highlighted his round in a final foursome of all college players with an eagle on the ninth hole. “I’m really not disappointed. I hit the ball quite well,” said Barry, who rooms at the University of New Mexico with fellow golfer and Torrey Pines High graduate James Erkenbeck. Defending champion Steven Kearney, a Carlsbad resident who plays at Stanford, had a 76 to finish in a tie for fourth (218) after a second-round 68 that put him two shots off the lead. Drolson claimed her repeat title after yielding a one-shot lead with five holes left to Brown, of Rancho Santa Fe, who competes at Northwestern. “A win is always good, however you get it,” said Drolson, a Pepperdine senior who plans to turn pro next year. “I appreciated having that lead (after two rounds).” Chula Vista’s Howie Knodt (219) won the men’s senior title for the second time in three years by six shots over defending champion John Hoffman.

Results: San Diego City Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Bucky Coe	Encinitas, CA	100	73-71-69--213
2	Ryan Barry	Del Mar, CA	65	71-71-71--213
3	Tyler Torano	Chula Vista, CA	30	70-70-77--217
T4	Steven Kearney	Carlsbad, CA	30	74-68-76--218
T4	Gary Robinson	San Diego, CA	30	73-74-71--218

View full results for San Diego City Amateur

About the San Diego City Amateur

Coe takes San Diego City Amateur in playoff

The format is 36-hole Gross Stroke Play with no cut and is open to all amateur golfers (no residency requirement), 18 years of age and over. Round 1 is at the North Course at Torrey Pines, and Round 2 at the site of the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens, the ...