Scott Harvey (L) and senior champion Mark Sear (photo submitted)
Scott Harvey has a stranglehold on the George C. Thomas Invitational. On Saturday, the former U.S. Mid-Amateur champion won the event at Los Angeles Country Club for the fourth consecutive year. Harvey, 41, beat several of the top mid-amateurs in the country to do that.
The Kernersville, N.C., resident entered the final round with a three-shot lead. He birdied his opening hole to grow it a little bit more. From there, however, Harvey made four bogeys in the next 12 holes before making his next – and last – birdie at No. 14. He ended the day with a 74, his highest round of the week, but still came out two shots ahead of Taylor Haden.
This latest title makes Harvey’s spring and early summer that much more impressive. He won the Coleman Invitational at Seminole Golf Club in April, and shortly after that combined with Todd Mitchell to win the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Bandon Dunes.
Behind Harvey, Haden had a final-round 73 to get within two shots of the lead.
The best final-round performance came from Brett Boner, the U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up who has amped up competition schedule in 2019 on the heels of his USGA title run. Boner had a final-round 69 that included three birdies and an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole at LACC. He tied for third with Taylor Wood.
First-round leader Jeronimo Esteve fell to rounds of 73-77 after his opening 69 and finished in a tie for sixth at 8 over.
Nathan Smith, the four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, was 15 over and in a tie for 21st.
Todd Mitchell, who teamed with Harvey to win the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball earlier this year, was 18 over and tied for 25th.
In the senior division, Mark Sear rallied after an opening 75 with closing rounds of 69-71 and at 3 over, defeated Brady Exber by one shot. Exber had a similar rally, carding the best score of the final round, a 67 that included two eagles (Nos. 8 and 12), to climb into solo second.
ABOUT THE George C. Thomas Invitational
54-hole stroke play invitational with Mid-Am and
Senior divisions is named for George C. Thomas, Jr.,
the legendary golf course architect who designed the
courses for Bel-Air Country Club, The Los Angeles
Country Club, Riviera Country Club and others in the
1920s. Thomas was a prominent rose breeder on
the
East Coast before gaining fame as a golf course
designer. Los Angeles Country Club was the host of
the 2017 Walker Cup.
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