by John Reger, for amateurgolf.com
CARMEL , California (October 15, 2006) –-
Though the team portion of the Stocker Cup
Championship ended Saturday, Bob Niger
continued the theme in the final round,
Sunday at The Preserve Golf Club.
Niger approached
the final green not knowing where he stood in
relation to the leaderboard, but his wife,
Wendy, gave him an assist, telling him how
far ahead of the field he was.
It turned out he
needed the information. Niger made a bogey
on the final hole, but managed to hold off
Michael Goodes to win by a stroke. Niger shot
a final round 71 to finish at 11-under par 277.
Goodes tied the low round of the day, a 69, to
finish 10-under 278.
“It was a lot closer
than I wanted it to be,” Niger said. “I had
two three putts and one bad drive on No. 10,
but didn’t hurt myself too badly.”
While Niger made
mistakes, he minimized their damage, though
there was little he could about a hard charging
Goodes.
Goodes, who was
playing in the group in front of Niger , shot a
front nine 32 and he birdied four of five holes
beginning on No. 4. His birdie on No. 8 gave
Goodes the lead briefly at 11-under until
Niger countered with a birdie on the same hole
to tie him.
“I played great on
the front nine,” Goodes said. “I had some
opportunities on the back nine and couldn’t
take advantage of them.”
Niger birdied the
10th to retake the lead and never gave it
back, though he tried. He made a bogey on
14 and when his approach shot on 18 flew the
green and came to rest in the rough behind
the hole.
It was a similar shot
he faced the following day and made a great
up and down to save par.
Niger didn’t know
where he stood and that is when Wendy
stepped in to help. She ran from the 18th
green to the scorer’s table and found out that
Niger had a two-stroke lead.
“I had already hit
the pitch shot but I needed to know if
(Goodes) was at 10 under,” Niger said. “I didn’t
know if I had to try and make the putt. I told
her to just nod if he was at 10.”
She did and he
knew he could make a bogey and still win the
tournament.
The caliber of
competition impressed both Niger and
Goodes.
“I think it’s a great
golf course,” Goodes said. “The players are
some of the best amateurs in the country. It
seems to get better every year.”
Not only does the
field have some of the best amateurs from
California, but golfers from North Carolina, New
Jersey, and Japan accepted invitations to play
in the event.
Even if Niger wasn’t
going to be defending champion, he would be
returning to the event.
“I love everything
about this tournament,” said Niger, who
played in his second Stocker Cup
Championship. “I love The Preserve, it’s like a
national park. It’s very peaceful. I look forward
to coming back.”
Tatum Cup
goes to Lutz
Chip Lutz, a member
at Pine Valley Golf Club, won the Sandy
Tatum Cup portion of the event. The trophy is
given to the low senior golfer. Lutz, who shot
a four-day total of 2-over 290, defeated last
year’s winner and defending champion of the
main event, Paul Simson and Graham
Banister.
Craig Doell
and Jack Myers Capture The Newly Named
Elliott Cup
The team
competition -- named the Elliott Cup in memory
of former Tournament Co-Chairman Jack Elliott,
who passed away earlier in 2006 -- concluded
Saturday. The title was won by 2004 Individual
Champion Craig Doell of Victoria, BC and Jack
Myers of Claremont Country Club in Oakland
(Jack Elliott's club). The duo shot a total of
26-under. Click here
for final team scores.
* * *
Final individual results (players who survived
54-hole cut only are shown below) from the
Stocker Cup Invitational Golf Tournament,
played at the 6974-yard, par 72 Preserve Golf
Club in Carmel, California:
| Pos | Player | Hometown | Rd1 | Rd2 | Rd3 | Rd4 | Tot | To Par |
| 1 | Bob Niger | El Dorado Hills, CA | 71 | 66 | 69 | 71 | 277 | -11 |
| 2 | Michael Goodes | Reidsville, NC | 70 | 72 | 67 | 69 | 278 | -10 |
| 3 | Marc Peterson | Modesto, CA | 73 | 66 | 66 | 75 | 280 | -8 |
| 4 | Randy Haag | Burlingame, CA | 73 | 66 | 75 | 69 | 283 | -5 |
| 5 | Gene Elliott | W. Des Moines, IA | 70 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 285 | -3 |
| T6 | Jeff Wilson | Fairfield, CA | 69 | 74 | 70 | 74 | 287 | -1 |
| T6 | Craig Doell | Victoria, British Columbia | 74 | 73 | 66 | 74 | 287 | -1 |
| T6 | Kevin Marsh | Las Vegas, NV | 70 | 68 | 73 | 76 | 287 | -1 |
| T9 | Robert Gerwin II | Cincinnati, OH | 73 | 71 | 74 | 71 | 289 | 1 |
| T9 | John Pate | Santa Barbara, CA | 73 | 71 | 73 | 72 | 289 | 1 |
| 11 | Chip Lutz | Wyomissing, PA | 77 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 290 | 2 |
| T12 | Bert Atkinson | Charleston, SC | 73 | 76 | 69 | 73 | 291 | 3 |
| T12 | David Nelson | Reno, NV | 74 | 69 | 74 | 74 | 291 | 3 |
| T12 | Graham Banister | Raleigh, NC | 70 | 72 | 71 | 78 | 291 | 3 |
| T15 | Joe Sanders | Incline Village, NV | 69 | 76 | 72 | 75 | 292 | 4 |
| T15 | Paul Simson | Raleigh, NC | 68 | 74 | 72 | 78 | 292 | 4 |
| 17 | Brad Wilder | Florence, KY | 72 | 75 | 70 | 76 | 293 | 5 |
| 18 | Casey Boyns | Pacific Grove, CA | 75 | 72 | 71 | 76 | 294 | 6 |
| 19 | Brady Exber | Las Vegas, NV | 72 | 70 | 77 | 76 | 295 | 7 |
| 20 | Joe Hillman | Zionsville, IN | 73 | 73 | 73 | 90 | 309 | 21 |
| Failed to qualify for final 18 holes: |
| Bryan Toth, Gorge Vale Golf Club, 67-79-74- -220 |
| Cass Traub, Virginia Country Club, 73-75-72- -220 |
| Michael Wharton-Palmer, Texarkana Country Club, 70-75-75--220 |
| Keith Kinsel, Oakmont Country Club, 71-72-78- -221 |
| Garth Watrous, De Laveaga Golf Club, 79-68-75- -222 |
| John Finster, Heritage Golf Club, 73-76-74- -223 |
| Michael Kelley, The Golf Club, 71-73-79--223 |
| Nick Ushijima, Olympic Club, 75-74-74--223 |
| Alex Stamey III, Olympic Club, 75-75-74--224 |
| Bob Burton, Estacia Club, 71-74-79--224 |
| Jerry Ledzinski, Tehama Golf Club, 74-74-77- -225 |
| Kevin Kobalter, Meadow Club, 74-77-74--225 |
| Mike Rowley, San Luis Obispo Country Club, 71-75- 79--225 |
| Chris Carlson, Highlands Ranch Golf Club, 76-74- 76--226 |
| Garrett Larson, UC Golf Club, 77-74-75--226 |
| Chris Kilkenny, Beau Pre Golf Club, 79-72-76- -227 |
| Jim Lehman, Windsong Farm Golf Club, 77-73-77- -227 |
| Ken Weixel, New Albany Country Club, 76-73-78- -227 |
| Mark Maguire, Claremont Country Club, 73-80-74- -227 |
| John Desantis, Coral de Tierra Country Club, 73-75- 80--228 |
| Phil Ebner, Windsong Farm Golf Club, 76-75-78- -229 |
| Tim Rouillard, Shadow Hills Country Club, 75-75- 79--229 |
| Mike Butler, Olympic Club, 80-73-79--232 |
| Harold Chuhlantseff, Sunnyside Country Club, 81-78- 74--233 |
| Phil Huff, IV, Olympic Club, 80-74-80--234 |
| Robert Funk, Bear Creek Golf Club, 77-81-78- -236 |
| George Kelley, Stevinson Ranch Golf Club, 80-74- 83--237 |
| Steve John, Tehama Golf Club, 80-76-81--237 |
| Tripp Davis, Belmar Golf Club, 81-77-79--237 |
| Todd Barsotti, San Joaquin Country Club, 87-77- 77--241 |
| Mike MacDonald, eClub South Bay, 85-79-78- -242 |
| Rob Martin III, Rancho Murieta Country Club, 85-89- 79--253 |