by Pete Wlodkowski, amateurgolf.com

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STEVINSON, California (April 1, 2007) -- Jason Pridmore has played in just two amateurgolf.com events since discovering us in 2005 when we launched the Orange County Amateur, which he won. After winning the California Mid-Amateur on Sunday, the former world champion motorcycle racer kept his perfect record. Two events entered, two victories.

"I should really play in more of your events," deadpanned Pridmore, 37.

Pridmore entered Sunday's final round six strokes behind first round leader Steve Nichols of Lansing, Michigan, who flew to California on business, squeezed this event into his schedule, and de-thawed his game fast enough to fashion a nearly flawless round of 5-under-par 67. Playing among a logjam of players who also shot 73 in the first round, Pridmore continued his excellent ball striking, hitting 16 greens in regulation as he did in round one. Better putting resulted in shaving four strokes off his score, and when players in the final foursome struggling on Stevinson's difficult stretch of closing holes, Pridmore's 2-under tournament total of 142 started looking very good.

Michigan's Nichols "found my winter game today" and took himself out of contention fairly early (but still posted a very respectable 67-80=147) while Randy Haag (first round of 68), Casey Boyns (69) and Jerry Ledzinski (70) kept things close. Haag, from San Francisco's Olympic Club, has already won two amateurgolf.com events this year. Coming into the water-guarded par three 16th, he had emerged as leader of his group and looked to do it again.

But his tee shot on that hole found the water, Haag had trouble righting the ship and went through a full sleeve of balls in three holes when he hit into the hazards left of both seventeen and eighteen. Indeed, watching the final three or four groups play in afternoon winds was a perfect example of how being in the final foursome and teeing off last on Sunday isn't all it's cracked up to be. Haag, Boyns, and Ledzinski wound up tied for second place in the overall competition, while Haag and Boyns tied for first place in the Masters competition, for players aged 40-54. Pridmore won both the overall and the Mid-Am (ages 25-39) titles.

Senior Division: "Mr. Fresno" wins his first official senior event
Doug Johnson of Fresno turned 55 in January, making him eligible for official NCGA and USGA Senior events. In March, he came very close to capturing his first title at the San Francisco City Senior at Harding Park, losing to Carl Selkirk in the finals. On Sunday, he got his first taste of victory as a senior, certainly something that the multiple winner of the Fresno City Championship is no stranger to.

"This is my first senior victory, so amateurgolf.com will always have a special place in my heart," said Johnson, a supporter of the website for many years.

Johnson shot 2-under-par 70 in the first round, and was tied for the lead with Fresno's Rob Adolph. Playing in the final group with Adolph, Johnson not only outscored his group on Sunday, he finished birdie-birdie on his last two holes to make sure nobody else would catch him. John Enright of Montara, who was in the clubhouse at even par 144, took second place while Adolph and Charles Richesin of Lodi tied for third at 146.

Net Division: Steele wins another
Vince Steele of Concord is on somewhat of a roll -- he has won the net portion of the past two amateurgolf.com events. At the Diablo Valley Amateur at Brentwood Country Club, Steele won by four strokes. Here, the margin of victory was five. But Steele thought it was much closer than that playing his closing holes on the front nine, after teeing off on No. 10.

"I was hanging on to the lead by my fingernails, then I birdied No. 7 [a tricky par-3 where there were several "others"] and that did the trick," said Steele, who shot 2-under 142.

Noel Rush finished third at 147 and Harvey Hunter shot 148 to grab third place.

Special Thanks:
Thanks to George Kelley and the entire staff at Stevinson Ranch for once again hosting this event, which has grown into one of the strongest independently run tournaments in California. The course was in wonderful shape and the food and hospitality were, as always, fantastic. If you are reading this story and you haven't visited Stevinson Ranch, visit their website at www.stevinsonranchgolf.com and grab a stay-and-play package as soon as you can!

* * *
Final results from the California Mid-Amateur, played at the par 72 Stevinson Ranch Golf Club:

- Mid-Amateur and Masters Divisions (combined for points) -- par 72, 7060 yards
- Senior and Net Divisions -- par 72, 6646 yards

Note: Masters and Mid-Amateur divisions are combined for NCGA points. The combined tournament results are listed first followed by the age division breakdown. All $ paid in proshop credit at Stevinson Ranch G.C.

Pos	OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP	Rd1	Rd2	Tot	Div
1	Jason Pridmore	73	69	142	mid.am
T2	Jerry Ledzinski	70	75	145	mid.am
T2	Casey Boyns	69	76	145	masters
T2	Randy Haag	68	77	145	masters
T5	Steve Nichols	67	80	147	mid.am
T5	Andrew Biggadike	72	75	147	mid.am
T5	Steve Wilson	71	76	147	masters
T5	Jamie Looper	73	74	147	masters
9	Brian Swenson	74	74	148	mid.am
T10	Dave Capel	74	75	149	masters
T10	Darryl Donovan	76	73	149	masters
12	Conrad Nilmeier	74	76	150	masters
T13	Michael Vera	72	79	151	mid.am
T13	Dave Rathjen	73	78	151	masters
T13	Tony McBroom	74	77	151	masters
T16	Martin Renaud	73	79	152	mid.am
T16	Zack Taylor	73	79	152	masters
T16	Bill Bates	76	76	152	masters
T19	Ty Murphy	75	78	153	mid.am
T19	Paul Rice	77	76	153	masters
	Craig King	73	81	154	mid.am
	Ben Whipple	79	75	154	masters
	Randal Cross	75	80	155	masters
	John Turnacliff	79	76	155	masters
	Andrew Overton	76	80	156	masters
	Garth Watrous	80	77	157	mid.am
	John Carrido	76	81	157	masters
	Michael Donnelly	80	77	157	masters
	David Ober	82	76	158	mid.am
	Eric Smith	79	79	158	masters
	Eugene Medlock	79	79	158	masters
	Dominic De Bellis	81	78	159	mid.am
	Gregory Sgarlato	79	81	160	masters
	Steve Pacheco	79	81	160	masters
	Jud Spencer	81	80	161	mid.am
	Wayne Bass	80	81	161	masters
	Joe Zanassi	83	78	161	masters
	Mike Amarant	81	81	162	mid.am
	Mike Granelli	80	82	162	masters
	Patrick Burda	82	81	163	mid.am
	George Erbez	79	84	163	masters
	David Thielke	82	82	164	masters
	Keith Schwartz	82	82	164	masters
	Dirk Godsey	85	80	165	masters
	Michael Olivas	82	84	166	masters
	Roger Brandao	91	75	166	masters
	Lincoln James	83	84	167	mid.am
	Gary Maniery	86	82	168	masters
	Sean Fredkin	85	84	169	mid.am
	Anthony Hollis	87	86	173	mid.am
	Vince Ambrosia	89	85	174	masters
	Troy Laughlin	87	88	175	mid.am
	Joseph Woo	89	90	179	mid.am
Pos	MID-AM DIVISION (ages 25-39)	Rd1	Rd2	Tot	div	$
1	Jason Pridmore	73	69	142	mid.am	250
2	Jerry Ledzinski	70	75	145	mid.am	170
T3	Steve Nichols	67	80	147	mid.am	150
T3	Andrew Biggadike	72	75	147	mid.am	100
5	Brian Swenson	74	74	148	mid.am	70
6	Michael Vera	72	79	151	mid.am	50
7	Martin Renaud	73	79	152	mid.am	50
8	Ty Murphy	75	78	153	mid.am
9	Craig King	73	81	154	mid.am
10	Garth Watrous	80	77	157	mid.am
11	David Ober	82	76	158	mid.am
12	Dominic De Bellis	81	78	159	mid.am
13	Jud Spencer	81	80	161	mid.am
14	Mike Amarant	81	81	162	mid.am
15	Patrick Burda	82	81	163	mid.am
16	Lincoln James	83	84	167	mid.am
17	Sean Fredkin	85	84	169	mid.am
18	Anthony Hollis	87	86	173	mid.am
19	Troy Laughlin	87	88	175	mid.am
20	Joseph Woo	89	90	179	mid.am
Pos	MASTERS DIVISION (ages 40-54)	Rd1	Rd2	Tot	div	$
T1	Casey Boyns	69	76	145	masters	350
T1	Randy Haag	68	77	145	masters	270
T3	Steve Wilson	71	76	147	masters	200
T3	Jamie Looper	73	74	147	masters	150
T5	Dave Capel	74	75	149	masters	100
T5	Darryl Donovan	76	73	149	masters	100
7	Conrad Nilmeier	74	76	150	masters	75
T8	Dave Rathjen	73	78	151	masters	75
T8	Tony McBroom	74	77	151	masters	60
T10	Zack Taylor	73	79	152	masters	60
T10	Bill Bates	76	76	152	masters
12	Paul Rice	77	76	153	masters
13	Ben Whipple	79	75	154	masters
T14	Randal Cross	75	80	155	masters
T14	John Turnacliff	79	76	155	masters
16	Andrew Overton	76	80	156	masters
T17	John Carrido	76	81	157	masters
T17	Michael Donnelly	80	77	157	masters
T19	Eric Smith	79	79	158	masters
T19	Eugene Medlock	79	79	158	masters
T21	Gregory Sgarlato	79	81	160	masters
T21	Steve Pacheco	79	81	160	masters
T23	Wayne Bass	80	81	161	masters
T23	Joe Zanassi	83	78	161	masters
25	Mike Granelli	80	82	162	masters
26	George Erbez	79	84	163	masters
T27	David Thielke	82	82	164	masters
T27	Keith Schwartz	82	82	164	masters
29	Dirk Godsey	85	80	165	masters
T30	Michael Olivas	82	84	166	masters
T30	Roger Brandao	91	75	166	masters
32	Gary Maniery	86	82	168	masters
33	Vince Ambrosia	89	85	174	masters
Pos	SENIOR DIVISION (age 55+)	Rd1	Rd2	Tot		$
1	Doug Johnson	70	70	140		350
2	John Enright	71	73	144		280
T3	Charles Richesin	72	74	146		220
T3	Rob Adolph	70	76	146		150
5	Shelton Washburn	71	76	147		100
T6	Dave Carroll	71	77	148		100
T6	George Kelley	72	76	148		70
T8	Frank Abbott	72	78	150		70
T8	Doug Dusenbury	77	73	150		70
T8	Carl Selkirk	76	74	150		50
T8	Sandy McCall	73	77	150		50
T12	Tom Lyons	76	75	151		50
T12	Mike Flood	77	74	151
T12	Mark Miller	77	74	151
T12	Bob Olds	73	78	151
T12	Marshall Raymer	78	73	151
17	Raul Perez	73	81	154
18	Jim Welsh	77	78	155
T19	Sherman Haggerty	74	82	156
T19	Jeff Early	78	78	156
T21	Earl Stewart	77	81	158
T21	Bob Fries	80	78	158
T21	Rob Thompson	80	78	158
24	John Anderson	81	78	159
25	Greg Futch	80	80	160
26	Neil Duffy	82	79	161
27	Patrick Rauber	82	80	162
28	Charles Balisha	81	82	163
29	Tony Wilmer	82	81	163
T30	Vic Shellenberg	84	81	165
T30	Terry Gilmore	85	80	165
T30	Jim Sands	88	77	165
33	Jeffrey True	81	86	167
34	Dave Patty	88	87	175
	Walt Edgerley	76		WD
	Terry Ackerman	79		WD
	Greg Saiki	84		WD
	Ron Johnson	85		WD
	Thomas Hitchcock	96		WD
Pos	NET DIVISION	Rd1	Rd2	Tot		$
1	Vincent Steele	69	73	142		200
2	Noel Rush	75	72	147		150
3	Harvey Hunter	71	77	148		100
4	James Grensted	71	82	153		70
5	Gary Koshaba	78	77	155
6	Tim Yager	73	83	156
7	Ron Staley	83	80	163
8	Scott Carelli	84	82	166
9	Korsen Yu	85	84	169
10	Bill Strahan	86	87	173
11	Roger Soell	93	81	174
12	Al Richardson	90	89	179
13	Bruce McGraw	93		WD

 

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