Jack Mack owns the early California Senior Am Lead

PAUMA VALLEY, CA (November 6, 2017) - A Southern California player has won each of the last three California Senior Amateur Championships. Early on, the boys from the Southland are looking good again. John Mack, of Alta Loma near Rancho Cucamonga, grabbed the lead in Monday’s first round of this week’s championship at par-71 Pauma Valley Country Club, posting a solid 2-under 69 that featured six birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey. Overall, of the 10 players at 72 or better, only one is a NorCal guy. Terry Foreman of Brentwood, who’s missed time due to injuries, led the NorCal contingent with a 72. The defending champion, John Pate of Santa Barbara, won in 2014 and last year at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City. In 2015, SoCal’s Mark Harding took the title. Pate opened this year’s championship with a 75. Other NorCal players near the top of the leaderboard are former NCGA Senior Valley Am champ Mark Morgan, David Nelson of Reno, Dennis Dachtler of Folsom and Olympic Club member Randy Haag. The four each are T-11 after opening round scores of 73. In the annual Senior Cup, which pits three players from the SCGA versus three players from the NCGA (best two scores out of three), the SCGA grabbed the first round lead, 144-148. Representing the NCGA are Haag (73), recent NCGA Senior Championship winner Tony Padilla (75) and Casey Boyns (79). The SCGA squad is comprised of Michael Rowley (72), Craig Davis (72) and Pate. Following Tuesday’s second round a cut will be made with the low 33 and ties advancing to Wednesday’s final round.