Victorville, California (Nov 6, 2005) -- Joe Sawaia of Henderson, Nevada fired a final round 67 to win his second consecutive Hi-Desert Amateur Championship by one shot over Jeffrey Chen of Walnut, and Michael Reese of Apple Valley. Aaron Hobbs finished fourth with a two-round total of 142.

Sawaia’s first-round goal was to shoot low enough to play in the final group on the second day. He fired an even par round of 72, and missed his goal by one group, so he needed a new goal for the second round: “I wanted to post a low enough number so that those ahead of him on the scoreboard, but behind him on the golf course couldn’t catch me,” he said.

He succeeded with a solid 7-birdie, 2-bogey round on a golf course playing unseasonably easy due to an uncharacteristic lack of wind, but simultaneously devilish due to pins tucked in corners and on crowns.

Sawaia, a 37 year-old former baseball player who only took up golf when he was 23, played the final 27 holes of the tournament in 8-under par after struggling to an opening nine total of 3-over 39 on the first day of play. The key to his later success? “Hitting greens.”

“The greens here are very small, and chipping to them can be very difficult – especially with the pins placed where they were for both days of the tournament,” said Sawaia, who has made himself into one of the better mid-amateur players in the West over the last few years.

“Although I’m from Nevada, I like to play this tournament because I have family here. Plus the tournament just keeps getting better and better. I noticed a lot more college bags this year than last,” he said.

The college kids will likely keep coming to the tournament, and one of these days one of them might even beat Sawaia.

Story by David Ober, for amateurgolf.com

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Final results of the 2005 Hi-Desert Amateur Golf Championship, held at the par 72, 6,643 yard Green Tree Golf Course in Victorville, California:

Name	Hometown	Total
Sawaia, Joe	Henderson, NV	139
Chen, Jeffrey	Walnut, CA	141
Reese, Michael	Apple Valley, CA	141
Hobbs, Aaron	Ontario, CA	142
Burke, Micah	San Bernardino, CA	143
Valentine, Ron	Lancaster, CA	144
Beck, Josh	Victorville, CA	145
Sacilottto, Gianni	Diamond Bar, CA	145
Ober, David	Riverside, CA	146
Montanez, Ricky	Helendale, CA	147
Plummer, Ryan	San Bernardino, CA	147
Drake, Michael	Riverside, CA	148
Matthews, Todd	Hesperia, CA	148
Woo, Min Wook	Davis, CA	148
Shope, Eddie	Temecula, CA	149
Bussey, Matt	Victorville, CA	150
Lyford, Ted	Redlands, CA	150
Newman, Bryan	San Bernardino, CA	150
Ober, Jeffrey	Riverside, CA	151
Brown, Marty	Lake Havasu, AZ	152
Yoon, Daniel	Temecula, CA	152
Clayton, Bill	San Bernardino, CA	153
Melendez, Martin	Hesperia, CA	153
Bohler, Chris	Sierra Madre, CA	154
Lynch, Brock	Victorville, CA	154
Brolsma, Dirk	Apple Valley, CA	156
Marasigan, Kix	West Covina, CA	156
Marshall, Riley	Valencia, CA	156
Stires, Todd	Murrieta, CA	156
Butkys, Kris	Thousand Oaks, CA	157
Schenk, Matthew	Riverside, CA	157
Baden, Chris	Bakersfield, CA	158
Labrador, Alfred	Fontana, CA	159
Bagnell, Dane	Rancho Mirage, CA	160
Elkara, Hassan	Chino Hills, CA	160
Farish, Will	Riverside, CA	161
Overton, Andy	Lakewood, CA	162
Norys, Tom	Riverside, CA	163
Fennessy, Bill	Pasadena, CA	164
Hutchason, Ross	Apple Valley, CA	164
Mischook, Maurice	Altadena, CA	164
George, Jim	Lake Forest, CA	165
Phillips, Robby	Apple Valley, CA	165
Schumacher, Cody	Riverside, CA	165
Walker, Garvie	Yucaipa, CA	166
Michels, Darren	Henderson, NV	167
Doty, Adam	South Pasadena, CA	168
Phillips, Mark	Apple Valley, CA	168
Rodriguez, Emilio	Montebellow, CA	168
Barker, Bill	Pasadena, CA	169
Buiniskis, Robert	Fort Irwin, CA	170
Sandoval, Bryan	La Habra, CA	170
Doucett, Bruce	Apple Valley, CA	173
Sackheim, Craig	Calabasas, CA	178
Reece, Chris	Victorville, CA	180
Trejo, John	Whittier, CA	181
Hallissey, Josh	Warner Springs, CA	82/DQ
Wierzbinski, Steve	Hesperia, CA	N/A
Barre, Brian	Garden Grove, CA	WD
Jordan, Paul	Redondo Beach, CA	WD
Mena, Ed	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	WD