Tim Hogarth wins his fourth-straight Pasadena City golf title

Tim Hogarth has done it again.

For the fourth-straight tournament (and 8th overall) the 54-year-old from Northridge has won the Pasadena City Championship -- matching legendary amateur Bruce McCormick's run from 1948 to 1951.

Southern California golf historians can tell you that the duo have more in common than their record of success in the City of Roses. Both are also winners of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, a USGA event that had an almost 100 year run from 1922 through 2014. (McCormick won in 1937, Hogarth in 1996.)

Just one year after the 2020 Pasadena City Championship was postponed to June by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 tournament was played in its traditional timeframe -- the last weekend in March.

That meant Hogarth only had to wait about 9 months to hold a trophy again, and to tie McCormick's record of four-straight. Competing against a recent-record field of 384 players -- with another 100 on the wait list -- Hogarth found two Brookside courses that were unlike anything he had experienced in the past.

"I’ve never seen Brookside play this firm and fast," said Hogarth. "It was a challenge that i haven’t seen in the 20 years that I’ve been playing the Pasadena City."

- Bob Paz photography

But the conditions that Hogarth describe lend themselves to experienced players, and Hogarth has seen just about everything around the greens -- including those of Augusta National, where he earned an invitation to the 1997 Masters after winning the "Publinx" in 1996.

Opening with a round of 75 on Friday, (the highest scoring day of the tournament) Hogarth returned Saturday to fire 67, stealing Ivan Barahona's early lead after a 70. But Pete Griffith was "right there" after rounds of 72 and 71.

But Hogarth's 67 was one better, meaning he would tee off with the lead in the final group on Sunday.

The result may have been the same if he was tied, or one back, but you don't want to give Hogarth the lead, in a tournament he's defending, well aware of the history laying in front of him.

Hogarth backed up his 67 with a final round 68, separating himself from Griffith with a birdie on No. 17 that gave hime a two stroke cushion on No. 18. Despite a double-bogey on No. 18 that made things look less close than they actually were, Griffith took solo second, while Benjamin Hong (who closed with a 70) finished in third.

"70 years ago legendary amateur Bruce McCormick won 4 consecutive Pasadena City tournaments," said Hogarth. "I am very proud to be able to put my name alongside his."

- Bob Paz photography

Turning 55 in June, Hogarth is likely to keep his game in tip-top shape and be a force on the California (and National) senior amateur golf circuit.

Don't bet against him in Pasadena next year.