(SCGA Photo)
GLENDALE, CALIF., Nov. 14 -- David Bartman of Los Angeles and Robert Funk of Canyon Lake withstood a furious charge from Tim Hogarth of Northridge and John Pate of Santa Barbara to win the 16th Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) Four-Ball Championship by two shots at Oakmont Country Club.
Using a better-ball format, Bartman and Funk, who shared the first-round lead after a 5-under-par shot 66 yesterday, came back today with a 68 and finished at 134, 8-under par over the challenging Oakmont layout. Hogarth and Pate posted 67 today and finished with a 136 total. Two-time defending SCGA Amateur champion Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes and Jason Bittick of Coto de Caza finished third at 137 after shooting 67 today, while yesterday's other co-leader, Jim Camaione of Upland and Michael Nubel of Los Angeles eased to a 72 today and tied for fourth at 138 with Bryan Hogan and Tyler Hurst of Bakersfield, who posted the low round of the day, 5-under-par 66.
Funk, the reigning SCGA Mid-Amateur and Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur champion, and Bartman, the 2005 Trans-Mississippi titleholder, had a three-shot lead over Hogarth and Pate beginning the round, but Hogarth -- the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links, 1999 California Amateur and 2004 SCGA Amateur champion -- and Pate, the 1999 SCGA Amateur champion, trimmed that margin to one shot as Hogarth shot 2-under-par 34 on his own ball on the front nine.
However, on the 405-yard, par-4 10th hole, Hogarth struggled to a bogey 5 and Pate made double-bogey 6, which ultimately spelled their doom. After Funk and Bartman made par 4s on the 10th hole, Bartman hit an "easy" six iron to within 15 feet on the 182-yard, par-3 11th hole and drained the putt to reestablish a three-shot margin.
Hogarth and Pate refused to wilt; they posted 3s on the next five holes to draw even, but the 369-yard, par-4 16th hole proved to be the decider. Hogarth hit his drive into the lateral hazard and Pate pulled his drive into the trees on the left; both ended up making bogey 5. Meanwhile, Bartman drained a downhill, 15-foot birdie putt to increase the margin to two shots, and then sealed the deal on the 368-yard, par-4 finishing hole. After hitting his drive 40 yards right of the fairway, he sailed his approach over trees to within 8 feet and ultimately made par 4 to complete the day.
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ABOUT THE SCGA Four-Ball
This event is open to members with handicap indexes
of 6.4 and below. Players will compete over 18 holes of
qualifying four-ball stroke play to determine the 52
teams which advance to the championship. The
Championship is conducted over 36 holes of stroke
play.
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