LAGUNA NIGUEL, California (March 27, 2007) -- On a Winnie the Pooh-type day where pars were a golfer's long-lost friend, David Bartman of Los Angeles and Robert Funk of Canyon Lake rallied from four shots off the pace and then withstood a three-hole aggregate playoff to capture the 5th SCGA Foursomes Championship at El Niguel Country Club.

Bartman, the 2005 Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur champion, and Funk, who won both the Trans-Miss and SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship last year, had teamed to win the SCGA Four-Ball Championship last year at Oakmont CC in Glendale. They became the first duo to win both SCGA titles.

In the challenging alternate-shot format, Bartman and Funk played the three playoff holes in 1 over par. Bartman and Funk took an immediate lead by making par on the first hole. On the second playoff hole (the par-3 eighth), the McGihons got up and down for bogey after putting their drive in the water, while Bartman and Funk left the door open by three-putting from 35 feet for bogey on the same hole.

However, they closed out the victory when Bartman sank a 12-foot par putt on the third hole (the par-4 ninth), moments after Scott McGihon missed a 35-foot par putt on the same hole.

All players struggled in the blustery conditions today with winds gusting more than 30 mph. Bartman and Funk began the final round four shots behind the McGihon brothers but managed to manufacture a 3-over-par 75, the day's low score and one of just eight scores (out of 80 teams) below 80.

The McGihon brothers, who had shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round, were even par after eight holes today but went 8 over par for the last 11 holes and finished with 80. Both teams shot 148, 4 over par, for the two rounds.

Defending champions Don DuBois of Newport Beach and Will Tipton of Corona del Mar finished in third place at 152 after a 79 today, while Mark Etue of Carlsbad and Donald O'Connor of Carlsbad, who won the inaugural event in 2003, shot 78 to tie for fourth with Jason Bittick of Coto de Caza and John Adams of Corona del Mar.

Bartman (who, as always, played in Bermuda shorts) termed the weather conditions "incredibly difficult." With winds gusting to more than 30 mph and the wind chill in the low 40s, pars were at a premium for everyone. "I'm from the desert where the wind blows hard," said Scott McGihon afterward, "but it's always from the same direction. I've never played in this hard a wind where it shifted direction almost by the second. It was bizarre."

The McGihons began the day with a four-shot lead; however, after Bartman and Funk birdied two of the first three holes and the McGihons made double-bogey 6 on the ninth, the two teams were tied. From there, it was an endurance contest.

The McGihons reclaimed a one-shot lead when Bartman and Funk made double-bogey 6 on the 10th hole, but Bartman and Funk righted the ship with four consecutive pars and took a one-shot lead after the McGihons made double-bogey 5 on the 16th hole. Funk missed a 12-foot par putt on the 18th hole to open the door and the McGihons got into the playoff when Scott chipped from in front of the green to within three feet and Jon rolled in the par putt.

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5th SCGA Foursomes Championship
at El Niguel Country Club; Laguna Niguel, Calif.
7,006 yards; par 72
FINAL 36-hole results:

148 -- Robert Funk, Canyon Lake-David Bartman, Los Angeles 73-75; Scott McGihon, Bermuda Dunes-Jon McGihon, Palm Desert 68-80. (Bartman and Funk win title with a two-shot margin in a three-hole aggregate playoff).

152 -- Don DuBois, Newport Beach-Will Tipton, Corona De Mar 73-79.

153 -- Mark Etue, Escondido-Donald O'Connor, Carlsbad 75-78; Jason Bittick, Coto de Caza-John Adams, San Clemente 72-81.

155 -- Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel-James Meyer, Dana Point 75-80.

156 -- Steve Pircher, Manhattan Beach-Jim Ream Jr, Cerritos 74-82; Steven Hakes, San Diego-Robert Hakes, Coronado 73-83.

157 -- Jeffrey Gipner, Oceanside-Peter Ayers, Oceanside 80-77; Marty Temple, Anaheim-Peter Daley, Newport Beach 80-77; Tom Norys, Riverside-Todd Stires, Murrieta 79-78; Ed Cuff, Rancho Santa Fe-Michael Rowley, San Luis Obispo 76-81; D.J. Fernando, Frazier Park-Bruce Scurlock, Bakersfield 75-82.

158 -- David Ujihara, Brea-Gary Wing, Irvine 78-80; Mark Gardner, Redlands-Paul Rice, Redlands 78-80; Greg Sato, South Pasadena-Craig Steinberg, Oak Park 77-81; John Hoffman, San Diego-Patrick Duncan, Rancho Santa Fe 74-84.

160 -- Roger Egge, Santa Ana-Jeff Crosier, Aliso Viejo 79-81; James Popoff, La Habra Heights-Steve Bogan, Placentia 76-84; Eddie Cho, Los Angeles-Mark Rossi, La Verne 75-85.

161 -- Johnny Holmes, Riverside-Tim Hernandez, Riverside 80-81; Greg Merfeld, Agoura Hills-Jeff Johnston, Calabasas 79-82; Tim Wilkinson, San Diego-Gregg Kunkel, San Diego 79-82; Bret Taylor, Foothill Ranch-Rob Warren, Mission Viejo 78-83; Ian Underhill, Santa Barbara-Matt Free, Santa Barbara 78-83.

162 -- John Pate, Santa Barbara-Tim Hogarth, Northridge 81-81.

163 -- Chris Veitch, Newport Beach-William Welch, Newport Beach 80-83; Rick Nolan, Trabuco Canyon-John McDonald, San Clemente 79-84; Steve Gormly, Mission Viejo-Ted Olsen, Coto de Caza 79-84; Greg Hash, Bakersfield-John Balfanz, Bakersfield 77-86; Robert Gross, Pasadena-Paul De Forest, Pasadena 84-79; Michael Carpenter, Newport Beach-Warren Caves, Newport Beach 76-87.

165 -- Eric Tabanico, San Marcos-Dean Siskowski, Vista 84-81.

166 -- John Thornes, Redlands-Scott Daniels, San Bernardino 81-85; Craig Calkins, Manhattan Beach-Rick Sanders, La Mirada 80-86; Bill Conlin, Norco-Greg Church, Yorba Linda 81-85; Michael Nubel, Los Angeles-James Camaione, Upland 81-85; Tony Behrstock, Los Angeles-Scott Morey, Dana Point 80-86; Jerry Marheine, Oceanside-Joel Young, Fallbrook 79-87; John Schmid, Newport Beach-Rich Tolly, Laguna Hills 78-88; Neil Moore, Redondo Beach-Tom Bennett, Carlsbad 77-89; Joel Fieri, San Diego-Kent Taylor, Ramona 76-90; Dick Engel, Lancaster-Ken Reynolds, Lake Hughes 88-78.

167 -- Vince Amato, Yorba Linda-Kipton Kahler, Anaheim 80-87; Robert Gibson, Bakersfield-Dale Keene, Bakersfield 82-85; Wade Calmer, La Habra Hts-Tim Schilling, Fullerton 83-84.

168 -- Eric Schwarz, Indio-Rick Winslow, La Quinta 79-89; Jeffrey Payne, Garden Grove-Scott Crawshaw, Pasadena 82-86; Bill Albers, La Quinta-Hap Albers, La Quinta 86-82.

169 -- Larry Grant, Westminster-Todd Marskell, Anaheim 80-89; Stan Ware, Oak Hills-Keith Gulla, San Bernardino 80-89; Derek Bedell, Long Beach-Christopher Cabot, San Marino 85-84; John Gilchrist, Santa Ana-Gregory West, Santa Ana 85-84; David Neish, Aliso Viejo-Dave Shultz, Laguna Niguel 77-92.

170 -- Dan Hogan, Bakersfield-Bryan Hogan, Bakersfield 81-89; Brett Atkinson, Rancho Bernardo-James Myers, Oceanside 85-85; Joe Byrom, San Diego-Jim Plotkin, Carlsbad CA 87-83.

171 -- John Plewes, Rancho Santa Fe-Cliff Martin, Los Angeles 79-92; Robert Ball, Aliso Viejo-Jeff Nightengale, Corona 85-86; Patrick Mahoney, Anaheim-Danny Mahoney, Northridge 86-85; Rick Turner, Sun City-William Reid, Fountain Valley 87-84.

172 -- Jonathan Petke, Rancho Santa Margarita-Jon Petke, Mission Viejo 83-89; Fred Hoffman, Riverside-John Sanhamel, Chino Hills 87-85.

174 -- Robert Forster, Huntington Beach-Mike Marmer, Wilmington 79-95; Michael Hernandez, Rancho Cucamonga-Raymond Duffy, Chino Hills 79-95; Mel Collins, Long Beach-Ryan Snyder, Long Beach 83-91; Ron Breuer, Toluca Lake-Wade Mikels, Sun Valley 87-87.

175 -- Jim Clark, El Cajon-Lance DeGrazier, San Diego 85-90; Jim Lovell, Yorba Linda-Wesley Tamashiro, Yorba Linda 86-89; Steve DeLine, Yorba Linda-Robert Fullagar, Atwood 88-87.

176 -- Gary Logsdon, Oceanside-Gary Chung, Oceanside 84-92.

177 -- Gregory Desario, Los Angeles-Ray DeLapp, Simi Valley 87-90.

178 -- Rick Herrera, Orange-Boyd Martin, Corona del Mar 82-96; Greg Grohs, Arcadia-Fred Schermerhorn, Temple City 89-89; Robert Latiano, Carlsbad-Robert Bird, Lakeside 88-90.

180 -- David Neshat, Carlsbad-Warren Shafer, San Diego 86-94.

181 -- Richard Simonin, Riverside-Kurt Yaeger, Riverside 79-102.

182 -- Rod Ambrose, Capistrano Beach-John Manning, San Clemente 96-86.

188 -- Mark Uehli, San Clemente-Roy Miller, San Clemente 88-100

WD -- Chip Bridges, Encinitas-David Johnson, Del Mar 89-WD; Jack Rector, Thousand Oaks-Mark Monreal, Moorpark WD; Richard Rudell, Whittier-Robert Polzel, La Mirada WD; Kevin Unck, Alta Loma-Fred Williams, Fontana WD.

DQ -- Kenneth Lindt, Newport Beach-Michael Granger, Placentia 86-89.