PEBBLE BEACH, California (June 23, 2006) -- On a day when two golfers chasing significant pieces
of history went down to defeat, USC student Jordan Nasser of Anaheim Hills and
Jeff Gilchrist of Carmichael each won two matches to advance to the final match
of the 95th California Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
USC rising senior Jordan Nasser won two matches today to advance
to the final match of the 95th California Amateur Championship. |
The 22-year-old Nasser defeated fellow USC student Brad Shaw of Pacific Palisades,
1 up, in a quarterfinal match this morning, then knocked out defending Trans-Mississippi
Mid-Amateur champion David Bartman of Los Angeles, 2 & 1, in the semis this
afternoon. Bartman had eliminated medalist Steve Woods of Cupertino, 5 & 4,
this morning. Woods was bidding to become the first person to win medalist honors
and the championship in the same year twice; instead, he became the 85th medalist
who failed to complete the double.
The 34-year-old Gilchrist, a reinstated amateur who was medalist here 10 years
ago, defeated St. Mary's College golf coach Scott Hardy of Pittsburg, 3 & 1,
in the quarters and turned back 18-year-old Joseph Bramlett of Saratoga, 3 & 2,
in the semifinals. Bramlett was hoping to become just the fourth player in California
Amateur history to lose the championship match one year and come back to win
the following year.
The 36-hole championship match will be played tomorrow with tee times beginning
at 6:10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. For live hole-by-hole scoring
click
here.
Nasser never trailed in his match against Bartman. He took a 1-up lead when Bartman's
drive on the par-5 second hole landed in a fairway bunker and, after exploding
out, his third shot bounced hard over the green into a lateral hazard behind
the green. Bartman squared the match by winning the fourth hole with a par 4,
but Nasser won the sixth, seventh and ninth holes to grab a lead he never surrendered.
"He's a very good player," said Nasser of Bartman after the match. "Other
than one hole (No. 15), I played very consistently and just happened to hit a
few shots closer." Nasser's drive on No. 15 plugged in a fairway bunker
and he ended up making double bogey to cut his lead to 2 up. "He gave me
a little life there," said Bartman later, "but I couldn't capitalize
on it. I just couldn't make any birdies this afternoon. I 'm happy with my week,
but disappointed with the way it ended."
In the second match, Bramlett grabbed an early lead, but Gilchrist won three
of four holes with pars, beginning with the eighth hole, and then halved the
next five holes to secure the win. The key, said Gilchrist later, was No. 4. "He
had about four feet for birdie and I had 12," said Gilchrist. "There
have been four or five times during the week when I told myself I had to make
a particular putt, and this time was one of them. I made mine and even though
he made his, it gave me a little bit of momentum. Then I won the next hole and
took off."
Jeff Gilchrist will face Jordan Nasser in the final match of the
95th California Amateur Championship. |
In his quarterfinal match with Shaw, Nasser was 2 down after seven holes but
rallied to deadlock the match with a birdie 3 on the 11th hole. Shaw squared
the match with a par 5 on the 14th hole and the match remained all square until
Shaw hooked his second shot into the ocean lining Pebble Beach's famed par-5
finishing hole. Despite that, the match wasn't over until Shaw lipped out a 40-foot
par putt and Nasser sank a three-foot par putt to seal the victory.
"It was hard playing a good friend," said Nasser after the match concluded. "I'll
never root against Brad. It was a tough match and I just managed to grind it
out."
Gilchrist, who was Woods' teammate at San Jose State, was 2 down after four holes
to Hardy but squared the match with a birdie 2 on the seventh hole. Gilchrist
eventually assumed control on the back nine as Hardy struggled with five bogies
in seven holes.
Both players are looking forward to the championship match. "This championship
is just a step below the USGA events," said Gilchrist, "and I really
want to win it." "How can you not enjoy playing for your state's championship
on Pebble Beach," said Nasser. "I've had my dad on the bag all week
and that's made it even more special."
95th California Amateur Championship
At Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA
6,833 yards, par 72
Match play results:
QUARTERFINALS:
- Jordan Nasser, Anaheim Hills, d. Brad Shaw, Pacific Palisades, 1 up
- David Bartman, Los Angeles, d. Steve Woods, Cupertino, 5 & 4
- Jeff Gilchrist, Carmichael, d. Scott Hardy, Pittsburg, 3 & 1
- Joseph Bramlett, Saratoga, d. Gerry Simoni, Carlsbad, 5 & 4.
SEMIFINALS:
- Nasser d. Bartman, 2 & 1
- Gilchrist d.. Bramlett, 3 & 2
NOTE:
The 36-hole championship match is scheduled for Saturday at Pebble Beach
Golf Links. Tee times are at 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
ABOUT THE California Amateur
The Championship is open to amateur golfers
who have established current indexes of 4.4
and are members in good standing of the
Southern California Golf Association, the
Northern California Golf Association, or the
Public Links Golf Association of Southern
California. Nonexempt players must qualify. An
entrant may play in only one qualifying event,
even
if
the golfer
belongs to clubs in both Southern California
and Northern California. The 18-hole
qualifying
rounds will determine the qualifiers.
The championship field will play 36 holes of
qualifying at a Northern or Southern California
Location, with the low 32 golfers from that
combined field moving on to match play (with
a
playoff, if necessary, to determine the final
spots).
Two rounds each of 18-hole match play will
follow on Thursday and Friday and the 36-hole
final match will be on Saturday.
The location will rotate yearly between
Northern and Southern California locations.
View Complete Tournament Information