-- SCGA
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2011) -- Rising UCLA sophomore Anton Arboleda, who recently placed second at the Pacific Coast Amateur, continued his hot play this week, winning the SCGA Match Play Championship. Arboleda secured his final round victory over Greg Moss with a 30-foot birdie on the 17th hole at Sandpiper GC.
Check back later for a full recap, as well as video footage and interviews, from Arboleda's victory.
Howie Knodt won his second SCGA Senior Match Play Championship Wednesday, defeating defending champion Brad Larsen 5 & 4 in the final round. Knodt had previously won the title in 2009.
"It's always terrific to win an SCGA event," said Knodt. "To be able to win here against all these guys is terrific. I couldn't be happier."
The three-day Championship was held at Sandpiper GC in Goleta, and Knodt, the two-seed from Chula Vista, got off to a somewhat rocky start Monday, needing 19 holes to defeat Mel Collins of Long Beach in an opening round match.
According to Knodt, however, it got easier to read the greens as he moved through each of his four round of play. By Wednesday, his confidence was high.
"I think I was keeping the ball pretty much in play and giving myself a good chance of hitting the greens," he said. "I felt really confident with my putting. After four rounds, I finally got the greens figured out."
Knodt had five birdies and one bogey in Wednesday's round.
Larsen, who won the event in 2010, is the SCGA's reigning Senior Player of the Year.
ABOUT THE Southern California Match Play
The Match Play and Senior Match Play
championships
began in 2008 as a means of bringing new credence
and incentive to the SCGA points program. The
SCGA
points program awards points to golfers who give
strong performances in SCGA, USGA, CGA and other
selected outside tournaments. This Championship is
open to SCGA members with a
Handicap index of 5.4 or below. Players must qualify
or earn an exemption into the
championship field.
The championship format is single-elimination match
play.
View Complete Tournament Information