Southern California Open Championship: Patrick Pockels wins by three shots

Patrick Pockels of Huntington Beach, Calif., shot 16-under 200 following his rounds of 66-65-69 to register a three-shot win at the 59th Southern California Open conducted by PGA Southern California at Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells, Calif.

Cameron Barzekoff from Las Vegas, Nevada, and Jared Sawada from Mililani, Hawaii, delivered stellar performances, finishing in a joint runner-up position at the tournament. Barzekoff posted rounds of 72-67-64, while Sawada matched his 13-under par total with rounds of 66-65-72.

Heading into the final round, Pockets shared the lead with Sawada at 13-under par. However, Pockets clinched the title with a final-round score of 3-under 69, outpacing Sawada's even par 72, securing his victory with a comfortable three-shot margin.

Among amateurs, Griffin Rhoads, a junior at the University of Arizona, carded rounds of 69-66-70 to register a T7 finish at 11-under par and earn the Low Amateur honors, followed by Isaac Rodea, a graduate student at Long Beach State who carded 65-69-72 for a T10 finish at 10-under par.

Pockels had a great 2023 campaign, winning twice: the Long Beach City Amateur and the Nipomo Amateur. 

222 players participated in the tournament, including 94 amateurs. Of these, 73 survived the 36-hole cut set at even-par 144.