Grant Martens dominates SCGA Public Links Championship
8/23/2024 | by Cameron Spraggins of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for SCGA Public Links, El Dorado Park Golf Club
San Diego native fired two sub-70 rounds to win by three strokes
Grant Martens of San Diego, California, captured the Southern California Public Links Championship with rounds of 67 and 69, securing a three-stroke victory at El Dorado Park Golf Course in Long Beach.
His consistency, breaking 70 on both days, was key to his six-under finish—three strokes clear of second place. Martens has an impressive amateur golf record, including four years on the Cal Poly men's golf team.
He also qualified for the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Colorado Golf Club and the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club. At home in California, he claimed back-to-back titles at the San Diego City Championship in 2022 and 2023.
Martens started strong with a 67 in the first round, placing him just one shot behind leader Dick Engel, who opened with a tournament-low 66. In the final round, Martens quickly tied Engel with a birdie on the first hole, setting up a tight battle.
The pivotal moment came on the seventh hole, where a two-stroke swing gave Martens the lead after he birdied and Engel bogeyed. A double bogey on the eighth temporarily evened the score, but Martens regained a one-stroke advantage on the ninth.
On the back nine, Martens extended his lead to three strokes as Engel faltered with bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes. Despite late charges from Amaan Patel and Drew Jankowski, who both shot final-round 67s, Martens sealed his victory with a birdie on the 18th, finishing at six-under for the tournament.
Patel finished second at three-under, while Jankowski tied for third with Engel, Damon Krause, and Chad Smith at two-under.
Results: SCGA Public Links
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego, CA | 180 | 67-69=136 | |
| 2 | Chino, CA | 120 | 72-67=139 | |
| T3 | El Segundo, CA | 60 | 73-67=140 | |
| T3 | Los Angeles, CA | 60 | 70-70=140 | |
| T3 | Valdosta, GA | 60 | 69-71=140 |
About the SCGA Public Links
The SCGA Public Links Championship is formerly the PLGA Amateur Championship, which started in 1968. This Championship is open to amateurs who are members of the SCGA who have a current Handicap Index of 5.4 or below at the time of registration. Play...
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