CITY OF INDUSTRY, July 1 — Clark Heath of Coto de Caza almost didn’t make the field for the 31st SCGA Senior Amateur Championship, but he made his first appearance in the event a memorable one by grinding out a one-shot victory today at Industry Hills Golf Club.

The 56-year-old Heath, a Continental Airlines pilot for 30 years, had to survive a two-hole playoff in a qualifying round at Shadowridge CC to get into the field.  Once there, he shot 71-73 — 144, 2 over par over the challenging Zaharias Course, and finished one shot ahead of Michael Miyasaki of La Habra, who had today’s best round, an even-par 71, for a two-round total of 145.

Steve Rhorer of Costa Mesa finished third at 146 (74-72), a shot in front of three golfers, including first-round leader Frank Merhar of La Jolla, who slipped to a 77 today after shooting 70 yesterday.

With his wife, Trish, as his caddie, Heath, a three-time club champion at Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club, posted three birdies on the front nine and his 2-under-par total for 27 holes had him four shots clear of the field.  Then the wheels came off, as he went bogey, bogey, double bogey over the next three holes and saw his lead shrink to one.  “It was a struggle out there,” he admitted after the tournament was over.

With Miyasaki sitting in the clubhouse at 3 over par for the tournament, Heath righted the ship, making three consecutive pars before knocking a wedge approach shot to within six feet of the hole on the 416-yard 16th hole and sinking the birdie putt.  “That was huge,” he said later, “because it gave me a little cushion going into the last two holes.”

On the 188-yard 17th hole, Heath two-putted from 80 feet (“another turning point,” he would say later), and although he made bogey 6 on the final hole, it was enough for the victory, which Heath termed his “biggest win ever.”

Miyasaki had closed to within a shot of the lead after making birdie 2 on the 179-yard 14th hole but a bogey 5 on the 16th hole turned out to be the difference.  “I had my chances,” he said later, “and just couldn’t close the deal.”

Rhorer had a severely up and down beginning to his round, making just one par in his first eight holes, along with three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey 5 on the par-3 seventh hole.  He finished with nine pars and a birdie 2 on the 17th hole but it proved to be too little, too late.

After posting a 2-under-par 70 yesterday, Merhar could not follow it up in his bid become a two-time champion (he won in 1998).  He made six bogeys today and his only birdie came on the par-5 finishing hole.

The top six finishers will be among the 16 seniors who will play in the SCGA Senior Match Play Championship August 12-14 at Sandpiper Golf Course in Santa Barbara.  The “junior” portion of the event will feature 32 golfers; that list will be finalized in early August.

Full results from 6,531-yard, par-71 Industry Hills Golf Club's Zacharias Course follow: