California Senior: Nelson leads as SCGA wins challenge with NCGA

Reno resident David Nelson will take a one shot lead into Wednesday’s final round of this week’s annual California Senior Amateur Championship. Playing at par-71 Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, Nelson posted a second round 74 to come in with a two-day total of 1-over 143. Nelson, who made it to match play at this year’s U.S. Senior Amateur, had started the day a shot behind David Oas of Carlsbad. Oas fell back to ninth place after posting a 78. Just a shot behind Nelson is Don Dubios, who carded a 69 with three birdies and a bogey. Just two shots off the lead at is a pack of six players including 2012 winner Casey Boyns, Scott Anderson of Bakersfield and 2013 champ Jim Knoll. Boyns also made a move with a 69, posting four birdies to go against two bogeys. Knoll had a 74 and Anderson a 71. Only four shots behind at 147 is Jeff Burda. One of only two players to win the event three times (Jim McMurtrey is the other), and the only player to ever win the event three straight times (2008-10), Burda slid into a T-10 spot after a 70. Defending champ Jeff Wilson, the 2018 NCGA Senior Player of the Year, is T-15 at 149. The cutline (low 30 and ties) came at 11-over 153. In the annual North/South Senior Challenge, which pits three of the NCGA’s best players against three players from the SCGA (best two-out-of-three), the SCGA won, 289-299. The SCGA team’s scores were Davis (71), Don Dubois (69) and John Mack (77). Team NCGA (pictured, above) was represented by Senior Player of the Year Randy Haag (80), Wilson (73) and 2019 NCGA Senior winner Mike Rowley (75). Also pictured is team captain and 2020 NCGA President Michael Weeks.