Weekend Primer: All eyes on 'The City'

It's the calm before the storm. The scehdule across the country is just about ready to heat up but this is one of the last weekends of the "early spring" where we have only a few tournaments to cover.

But, one of them sure is a big one.

The San Francisco City Championship takes another step towards crowning a champion this weekend with the Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches scheduled for its three division -- Men's Championship, Men's Senior and Women's Championship.

Upsets stole headlines during last week's play with top seed and defending champion Will Brueckner falling to No. 32 Shintaro Ban. No. 2 seed Kris Server fell on Day 1, leaving Justin Suh (3rd) as the lowest remaining seed.

In the Senior Division, top-seeded Gary Vanier, who won last year's event, remains. But qualifying medalist Herb Jensen lost last weekend.

The major upsets halted in the Women's Divison, though. Defending champion and national power Casie Cathrea rolled through her opponent and seems like a tough matchup for anyone this weekend.

Amateurgolf.com will have full coverage of the San Francisco City Championship, including results and recaps from all divisions this weekend.

Elsewhere in Northern California, the amateurgolf.com 2014 Monterey County Four-Ball presented by Callaway Golf tees off. The loaded field will take aim at one of the tour's most popular events and hope to come away victorious (and dry) from Pacific Grove Golf Links.

On the opposite side of the country, one of the year's most underrated team events kicks off from historic Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C. -- just outside of Pinehurst. The Pine Needles Invitational began Thursday and runs through Sunday at the exquisite Donald Ross original. Defending champions Brian Westveer and Scott Harvey are two of well-known names on the mid-amateur circuits in the Carolinas and beyond while Harold Payne and Steve Fox, the 2013 Senior Flight winners, are perennial contenders on the national senior circuit.

And finally, in Texas, we'll be following the progress of the North Four-Ball at Stonebriar Country Club. Always an important early-season event, the North Four- Ball officially kicks off the competitive season in the northern part of one of the busiest amateur golf states.