Clark Heath of Coto de Caza wins 31st SCGA Senior Amateur

Clark Heath of Coto de Caza won the SCGA Senior Amateur, in what he describes as his "biggest win ever." Photo by Katie Denbo/SCGA

CITY OF INDUSTRY, July 1 — Clark Heath of Coto de Caza almost didn’t make the field for the 31st SCGA Senior Amateur Championship, but he made his first appearance in the event a memorable one by grinding out a one-shot victory today at Industry Hills Golf Club.

The 56-year-old Heath, a Continental Airlines pilot for 30 years, had to survive a two-hole playoff in a qualifying round at Shadowridge CC to get into the field.  Once there, he shot 71-73 — 144, 2 over par over the challenging Zaharias Course, and finished one shot ahead of Michael Miyasaki of La Habra, who had today’s best round, an even-par 71, for a two-round total of 145.

Steve Rhorer of Costa Mesa finished third at 146 (74-72), a shot in front of three golfers, including first-round leader Frank Merhar of La Jolla, who slipped to a 77 today after shooting 70 yesterday.

With his wife, Trish, as his caddie, Heath, a three-time club champion at Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club, posted three birdies on the front nine and his 2-under-par total for 27 holes had him four shots clear of the field.  Then the wheels came off, as he went bogey, bogey, double bogey over the next three holes and saw his lead shrink to one.  “It was a struggle out there,” he admitted after the tournament was over.

With Miyasaki sitting in the clubhouse at 3 over par for the tournament, Heath righted the ship, making three consecutive pars before knocking a wedge approach shot to within six feet of the hole on the 416-yard 16th hole and sinking the birdie putt.  “That was huge,” he said later, “because it gave me a little cushion going into the last two holes.”

On the 188-yard 17th hole, Heath two-putted from 80 feet (“another turning point,” he would say later), and although he made bogey 6 on the final hole, it was enough for the victory, which Heath termed his “biggest win ever.”

Miyasaki had closed to within a shot of the lead after making birdie 2 on the 179-yard 14th hole but a bogey 5 on the 16th hole turned out to be the difference.  “I had my chances,” he said later, “and just couldn’t close the deal.”

Rhorer had a severely up and down beginning to his round, making just one par in his first eight holes, along with three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey 5 on the par-3 seventh hole.  He finished with nine pars and a birdie 2 on the 17th hole but it proved to be too little, too late.

After posting a 2-under-par 70 yesterday, Merhar could not follow it up in his bid become a two-time champion (he won in 1998).  He made six bogeys today and his only birdie came on the par-5 finishing hole.

The top six finishers will be among the 16 seniors who will play in the SCGA Senior Match Play Championship August 12-14 at Sandpiper Golf Course in Santa Barbara.  The “junior” portion of the event will feature 32 golfers; that list will be finalized in early August.

For complete, hole-by-hole scores, click HERE.

For the winners' photo gallery, click HERE.

Frank Merhar of La Jolla leads SCGA Senior Amateur after first round

Frank Merhar of La Jolla leads the 31st SCGA Senior Amateur Championship going into the final round. Photo by Robert D. Thomas/SCGA

By Robert D. Thomas
CITY OF INDUSTRY, June 30 -- There’s a logjam atop the leaderboard at the 31st SCGA Amateur Championship and two of the leaders will chase a major slice of history in tomorrow’s final round over the Industry Hills Golf Club’s Zaharias Course.

Frank Merhar of La Jolla fired a 1-under-par 70 today has a one-shot lead over Robert Carver of Fullerton and Clark Heath of Coto de Caza. The 66-year-old Merhar, who won this event in 1998, posted four birdies and three bogies today and is the only player to be under par over the challenging, 6,531-yard Zaharias Course.

Should he hold on tomorrow, Merhar’s 10-year span between victories would be the longest in tournament history. Ted Richards went three years between winning his third title in 1981 and his fourth in 1984.

Carver, a three-time and the defending SCGA Super Senior Amateur champion, had four birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey 7 on the 18th hole (his ninth today) to finish at even par. At age 72, Carver, who lost in a playoff to Rich Tolly last year, could become the oldest winner if he can rally tomorrow. Earlier this year, he teamed with Brian Edick to finish runner-up in the SCGA Foursomes Championship at Rancho San Marcos GC.

The 56-year-old Heath played the steadiest golf all day, posting just one birdie and one bogey en route to his even-par round of 71.

Chip Bridges of Encinitas posted a 1-over-par 72 today and sits in fourth place, a shot ahead of seven golfers who shot 73, including Tolly, who will try to become the fourth golfer in 31 years to win back-to-back titles.

Steve Bogan of Placentia, an Industry Hills member who won this title in 2004 and 2006, shot 76 today, as did Kemp Richardson of Laguna Niguel, a former two-time USGA Senior and British Senior Open Amateur champion...MORE

Rich Tolly looks to defend title at 31st SCGA Senior Amateur

STUDIO CITY, June 27 -- Rich Tolly, who completed a magical 2007 tournament season by winning the SCGA Senior Amateur and SCGA Senior Four-Ball crowns, will be back to defend his title when the 31st SCGA Senior Amateur Championship is contested at Industry Hills Golf Club’s Zaharias Course on June 30-July 1.

The 57-year-old Laguna Niguel resident shot 74-73—147, 5 over par, at Hacienda GC last year and topped 2007 SCGA Super Senior Amateur champion Robert Carver, 2006 SCGA Senior Amateur champion Steve Bogan and Bakersfield’s Jim Seymour by two strokes in a three-hole playoff for the title. It was also Tolly’s first career major amateur win.

Traditionally played in the fall, the event (for players 55 and older) was moved to the summer to allow players to compete in the California Golf Association State Senior Championship, which pushed its dates back to September this year after previously being played in conjunction with the California Amateur Championship on the Monterey Peninsula. This is the first time the SCGA Senior Amateur will be played at Industry Hills, and it will use the 6,531-yard Zaharias “Babe” Course, which also hosted flights of this year’s SCGA Amateur Net Championship. The 36-hole championship tees off at 7:30 a.m. on June 30, and is free of charge for spectators.

This is also the first year since its inception in 2000 that the SCGA Super Senior Amateur championship, the 65-and-older division, will be conducted separately from the senior amateur. The super senior championship is slated for September 30-October 1 at The River Course at The Alisal, site of three past SCGA championships...MORE