Rancho Santa Fe Amateur Championship Results

Santaluz Plays Difficult at Rancho Santa Fe Amateur; Playoffs Abound

Rancho Santa Fe, CA—The Golf Channel Amateur Tour held the 5th annual Rancho Santa Fe Amateur Championship on Monday, marking the 3rd year in a row the Tour has been at The Santaluz Club.  Santaluz more then held its own, with difficult native areas and speedy greens.   Four flights saw playoff action, the high number for playoff this season. 
The Championship Flight saw the 2nd 3-way playoff in a month on Tour.  Taylor Massey of Carlsbad, playing in his 1st event on Tour, was 4-under par after eleven holes but had some difficulty getting into the clubhouse.  Massey made a few bogeys coming in, finishing at 2-over par 74 to join Tom Isaak of San Diego and Scott Stevens of Encinitas.  On the first playoff hole, Massey, a very talented player who can hit it very deep, pulled his tee shot into the native area and was eliminated after Isaak and Stevens both hit excellent approach shots and converted their respective birdie putts on the 583 yard par five 1st hole.  The playoff headed to #2, which played as the most difficult hole on the course for the tournament.  Stevens would come up short with his approach shot, hitting into a hazard and a tough lie short of the green on the 442 yard par-four.  Isaak would hit his approach shot brilliantly to 15-feet and looked poised for the win.   Stevens would hit a miraculous recovery pitch from the deep native hazard area to 6 feet.  With Isaak three-putting for bogey, Stevens would bury the 6-footer for par and his 2nd win in as many weeks on Tour.   Stevens looks poised for a strong finish to the season, while Isaak virtually locked up Player of the Year honors with the T2 finish after wins in the San Diego Open and Western Masters this season.  Reigning National Champion Don O’Connor birdied his last hole on Sunday.  Surprisingly still winless this season, O’Connor finished just a stroke back at 75 along with Phil Walker of Rancho Santa Fe. 

The Palmer Flight, like the Championship, also saw a 3-way playoff on Monday.    82 would be the low round shot in this flight, with three players accomplishing this feat.  Kevin Stutts, Michael Mariotti, and Mick Yanoschak would need extra holes as well.  Both Mariotti and Stutts would par the opening playoff hole, with Yanoschak eliminated after an untimely bogey.   Stutts would ultimately prevail, using some likely experience on his way to his 2nd tournament victory of the season.  Mariotti, who was seeking his 1st ever Tour win, will have to wait at least two weeks for another opportunity but did tie for his best finish on Tour to date.  Craig Hagen rounded out the top 4 at 84. 

The Hogan Flight, like the Championship and Palmer Flight, also needed extra holes to determine the champion after Allen Cornwall and Keith Fifield tied with 81’s.  Both players tied with par on the opening playoff hole, with Cornwall getting some unique revenge on 2nd playoff hole.  Cornwall made a “9” on the par-four 2nd hole, which was also the 2nd hole of the playoff.  Getting some revenge, Cornwall improved by five strokes and made par to claim the RSF Championship in the Hogan Flight!  Darin Beeghley continued his hot play of late, finishing in 3rd place at 83. 

In the Sarazen Flight the wins keep on racking up for Dean Jacobs of Ramona.  Jacobs won for the fourth time on Tour this season, claiming the flight by a single stroke over Chris Nayve who was just lucky to be in the field.  Nayve, who was on the waiting list, was able to play after a no-show in the Sarazen Flight on Monday and he took advantage, following up his win last week with a 2nd place finish.  Eric McKay finished in third place at 88. 

The Jones Flight saw some very tight action, with Justin Dang and Randy Kilburn the last two standing at 88.   With Kilburn seeking his 2nd win on Tour and Dang looking for his 1st Tour victory ever, it would be Dang who would return to the clubhouse victorious after the sudden-death playoff. 

Gene Konrad enjoyed the smooth greens and was able to claim the Snead Flight with a round of 95 on Monday to win by a stroke.  Notably, Konrad overcame a score of “12” on the 16th hole and was able hang in there mentally for the win. 

With two players withdrawing from the flight, Art Harris would prevail over three others to claim the Senior Palmer Flight.  Harris was the only player to break into the 70’s, shooting 78 good for the win. 

In the Senior Hogan Flight, Scott Ulrich would be the only player to break into the 80’s and was rewarded with his first win since July of 2009!  Donald Chick finished in 2nd place just two strokes back at 81. 

In the Senior Sarazen Flight Ted Masek would go on to win by a single stroke, besting Ron Henley, 88-89. 
The Tour returns to action on Sunday, August 7 with the Poway Championship at Maderas Golf Club. 

Top Finishers & Results

Championship

74-Scott Stevens ($200 and Trophy)*
74-Tom Isaak ($125)
74-Taylor Massey ($125)
75-Phil Walker ($75)
75-Don O’Connor ($75)
*Won on 2nd playoff hole

Palmer Flight

82-Kevin Stutts ($150 and Trophy)*
82-Michael Mariotti ($75)
82-Mick Yanoschak ($75)
84-Craig Hagen ($25)
*Won on 3rd playoff hole

Hogan Flight

81-Allen Cornwall ($150 and Trophy)*
81-Keith Fifield ($100)
83-Darin Beeghley ($75)
84-Greg Velasquez ($25)
*Won on 2nd playoff hole

Sarazen Flight

83-Dean Jacobs ($150 and Trophy)
84-Chris Nayve ($75)
88-Eric McKay ($25)

Jones Flight

88-Justin Dang ($150 and Trophy)*
88-Randy Kilburn ($50)
*Won on 1st playoff hole

Snead Flight

95-Gene Konrad ($125 and Trophy)

Senior Palmer Flight

78-Art Harris ($150 and Trophy)

Senior Hogan Flight

79-Scott Ulrich ($125 and Trophy)
81-Donald Chick ($50)

Senior Sarazen Flight

88-Ted Masek ($125 and Trophy)
89-Ron Henley ($50)

Optional Skins Game Results

Group 1 (Championship & Palmer)

#2-Gary Robinson ($100)
#8-Adrian Reyes ($100)
#11-Phil Walker ($100)
#14-Dave Nilson ($100)
#17-Jeff Hunter ($100)

Group 2 (Hogan & Sarazen)

#3-John Usilton ($80)
#10-Scott Goedecke ($80)
#12-Ed Quinby ($80)
#13-Allen Cornwall ($80)
#14-Jeffrey Fishel ($80)
#17-Rick Offley ($80)

Group 3 (Jones & Snead)

#2-Randy Kilburn ($20)
#4-Randy Kilburn ($20)
#6-Brian Strate ($20)
#7-Alan Malmquist ($20)
#12-John Tyczki ($20)
#13-Paul Hitchcock ($20)
#14-John Tyczki ($20)
#17-Randy Kilburn ($20)
#18-Larry Boval ($20)