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7:30 a.m.: (1) Kemp Richardson vs. (16) Mel Collins
Our No. 1 seed for this year’s Senior Match Play Championship has one of the best resumes you will find. In 2001 he captured both the United States and British Senior Amateur Championships. Two years later, he was once again crowned as the United States Senior Amateur Champion. Twice he has finished as low amateur at the U.S. Senior Open. Kemp will be seeking his first SCGA title this week, and hopes to avenge his loss in the finals of this event last year to Howie Knodt.
Mel Collins is relatively new to the SCGA senior circuit, but he’s been ripping up the senior city events throughout Southern California. Mel has captured titles at the San Clemente Men’s Amateur, LA City Senior, Pasadena City Senior, Anaheim City Senior, Oceanside City Senior, Orange County Senior and was recently runner up at the Long Beach City Senior and a semifinalist at the San Francisco City Senior. He’s an 11-time club champion spread out at three different clubs.
7:38 a.m.: (8) Karl Stewart vs. (9) Rich Tolly
Stewart recently won the Golfweek/Harmony Club Senior Championship (an event his opponent Mr. Tolly finished 5th in). He has won 17 club championships and 3 senior club championships in his career. His two biggest wins took place in Florida at the 1974 Citrus Amateur and the 1975 King Neptune Amateur. He also won the 2006 Inland Amateur Championship. He’s played in 5 USGA events including the 1991 Public Links, the 2002, 2004, 2005 Senior Amateurs, the 2005 British Senior Amateur, and the 2009 US Senior Open. This is Stewart’s first appearance in our Match Play.
Tolly is the 2007 SCGA Senior Amateur Champion, a seven time club champion and four time Senior club champion of El Niguel CC. He is also the 2010 Golfweek Senior Amateur Champion and the 2007 SCGA Senior Four-ball champion (with Boyd Martin).
7:46 a.m.: (4) Don Baker vs. (13) Steve Hakes
Don Baker was a 2nd team All-American at USC. Recently he finished in 5th place at 2010 Senior Amateur Championship. Played with Tiger in the 1994 SCGA Amateur Championship (which Tiger went on to win) and told him on the first tee that he had played in his first SCGA Amateur before Tiger was born. Don went on to finish 4th in this event behind Tiger, Mark Johnson and Charlie Wi. Don was a semi-finalist at the 2000 British Mid-Amateur at Royal Troon, runner-up at the 2001 SCGA Mid-Amateur and finished in the top 10 at the 2008 CGA Senior Amateur.
Steven Hakes recently finished in 11th place at the 2010 SCGA Senior Amateur Championship. Qualified for the Buick Invitational in 2005 as a 55-year old. Qualified for the 2004 U.S. Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Amateur - his first USGA championship since competing in the 1966 US Junior.
7:54 a.m.: (5) Chris Veitch vs. (12) Greg Hetzer
Veitch is a 5 time club champion and 3 time senior club champion at Santa Ana CC. He is a 2 time club champion @ La Quinta Citrus Golf Club, 6 time qualifier for Calif. State Amateur. In 2009 he played in Calif. State Amateur and Calif. State Senior Amateur finishing in 8th place at the Senior.
Hetzer is a member at Virginia Country Club and recently finished 5th at the 2010 SCGA Senior Amateur Championship. He finished 4th at the 2010 Long Beach City Senior Championship and finished 7th at the 2009 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship.
This is both players first time playing in our Match Play.
8:02a.m.: (2) Boyd Martin vs. (15) Steve Yavorsky
Boyd Martin won the inaugural Senior Match Play Championship in 2008 in dramatic fashion after coming down from a significant deficit on the back nine. In 2009, Martin made it to the semi-finals of the Senior Match Play, so he has proved to be a tough opponent at Sandpiper. Martin also won the 2007 Senior Four-Ball Championship along with partner, Rich Tolly. He has won 15 different club championships at Santa Ana Country Club and finished third in last year’s California Senior Amateur Championship.
Steve Yavorsky has been a participant in the Senior Match Play championship ever since the event’s inception. Yavorsky also qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship four straight years beginning in 2004 as well as the 2004 U.S. Senior Open. Prior to these feats, Steve won the LA Senior City Championship three straight times. He has captured titles at the Santa Barbara and Fresno Senior City Championships and is a four-time club champion at Talega Golf Club. This will be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal which Martin won, 3 & 2.
8:10 a.m.: (7) Ray Vanyo vs. (10) Jim Myers
Vanyo has qualified for 7 USGA Championships including the 1975 and 1986 US Amateurs, 1981 and 1987 US Pub Links, 1991 and 1994 US Senior Opens, 2006 US Senior Amateur. He is also the 2007 SCGA Super Senior Champion. This is Vanyo’s first appearance in our Match Play.
Myers is the 1984 SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion, the inaugural year that championship was held. He finished 4th at the 2009 SCGA Senior Amateur Championship and qualified for the 2008 US Senior Open.
8:18 a.m.: (3) Brad Larsen vs. (14) Warren Caves
Brad Larsen was the 1995 SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion. After taking time off to raise his family and focus on his career, Larsen came back to win the 2010 SCGA Senior Amateur Championship. He is the only player in history to win both titles. This is his first appearance in our Match Play.
Warren Caves qualified for the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur and the 2009 USGA Senior Amateur. He brought his 91 years young father with him to the Match Play and they will play the Valley Club together later in the week.
8:26 a.m.: (6) Bill Brammer vs. (11) Bob Carver
Brammer is the 2009 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Champion. He had a great year in 2009 qualifying for the California State Amateur and the CGA Senior Amateur Championships finishing 23rd in the Senior.
Carver is a three time SCGA Super-Senior Champion and has finished in 2nd Place twice at the SCGA Senior Amateur Championship, including at this year’s event. He is a 2-time club champion and 3-time senior club champion at Hacienda Golf Club. He participated in the 1996 US Senior Open and the 2004 US Senior Amateur held at Bel Air CC. This is both players first time playing in our Match Play.
8:34 a.m.: (1) Tim Hogarth vs. (32) Niall Platt
Our number one seed for this year’s championship is one of the most decorated amateur golfers in the country. He has won the 1996 U.S. APL Championship, the 1999 California Amateur and the 2004 SCGA Amateur. He is a four-time SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion, a six-time LA City Champion, a six-time Kelly Cup Champion and a three-time Pasadena City Champion. Tim made it to the semi-finals of this event last year before being ousted by eventual champion, Nick Delio.
Future Notre Dame Irishman, Niall Platt, was the last player to get into this year’s Match Play field. Platt has already had a standout summer after making it through local qualifying for the U.S. Open and finishing in a tie for 11th at the SCGA Amateur. Platt has enjoyed great success in the junior ranks going undefeated in league play the last three years – earning MVP honors each year. Niall has earned four top-5 finishes on the AJGA circuit and was named an AJGA Scholastic All American. He won the 2009 Lompoc City Championship. Home cooking proved to be a recipe for success at La Cumbre – the local talent should have a strong chance here at the Piper.
8:42 a.m.: (16) David Bartman vs. (17) Kevin Fitzgerald
Bartman recently finished 7th at the Trans Mississippi Championship, an event he won in 2005 when it was a match play format. He is a nine time Club Champion at Brentwood CC, winner of the 2007 SCGA Tournament of Club Champions, the 2007 SCGA Four-Ball and 2006 SCGA Foursomes Championships. Bartman played collegiately at UCSB so he should know the course well.
Fitzgerald, a senior at UC Riverside is the 2010 California State Amateur Co-Medalist and quarterfinalist. He was named to the 2nd Team All Big West Conference and won the 2008 Moreno Valley Amateur Championship. This is his first appearance in our Match Play.
8:50 a.m.: (8) John Pate vs. (25) Justin Warthen
Santa Barbara resident John Pate is the 1999 SCGA Amateur Champion and 2000 SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion and most notably, the 2010 SCGA Parent-Junior Champion with son Matthew (age 10). Qualified for 15 USGA events. Recently finished in 3rd place – 2010 SCGA Mid-Am.
Justin Warthen attended Allan Hancock College. First player in 5 years to qualify for Jr. College State Individual Championship out of Allan Hancock College, shooting an even par 144 at SoCal regionals (the last golfer to qualify was Justin's older brother, Josh Warthen). Made it to the round of 16 at the 2010 State Am and recent;y finished 31st at the 2010 SCGA Amateur. This is Warthen’s first time participating in our Match Play.
8:58 a.m.: (9) Joe Sanders vs. (24) Pete Fernandez Jr.
Sanders is a 4-time Northern Nevada Amateur Champion (including this year) and the current SCGA Foursomes Champion. He is the 2008 Stocker Cup Champion and 2009 Kelly Cup Champion and the 2009 Nevada State Amateur Champion. He is 2008 and 2009 Northern Nevada Golf Association player of the year.
Pete Fernandez, Jr. will be a freshman at UC Irvine next month. He’s had a great summer making it to the Round of 32 at the State Amateur and recently finished 11th at the SCGA Amateur. He was Bakersfield's High School Player of the Year in 2008 and won 20 high school tournaments over 4 years. Placed 2nd in CIF high school state championship 2008. He was 2nd in the 2009 Long Beach City Amateur (where he shot a career low of 65 in the opening round). He also represented Southern California in the Boys Jr America's Cup team 2009. This is Fernandez’s first time participating in our Match Play.
9:06 a.m.: (4) Jason Bittick vs. (29) Matthew Siporin
Our number four seed’s name always lands amongst the SCGA’s longest bombers, which will bode well here at Sandpiper. Bittick’s name was first etched in the SCGA trophy case when he won the CIF Southern Section in 1986. More recently, he won the SCGA Foursomes Championship in 2008 along with John Adams, and he’s finished in second place at the past two SCGA Mid-Amateur Championships. Jason has qualified for the past two U.S. Amateurs as well as three of the last four U.S. Mid- Amateur Championships. He was a member of the So-Cal roster for the 2009 USGA State Team Championship.
Matthew Siporin is a member of the Cal-State Northridge golf team and gives teammate, Nick Delio, a run for his money in the long-ball category. Siporin won the 2009 LA City Match Play Championship, finished 6th at this year’s LA City Stroke Play and is coming off a strong showing at the 2010 SCGA Amateur Championship. This will be his first showing at the Match Play Championship. This is Siporin’s first appearance in our Match Play.
9:14 a.m.: (13) Buddy Duncan Jr. vs. (20) Greg Moss
Duncan Jr. made it to the 2nd round of last year’s match play championship and qualified for match play at the 2009 State Amateur. He also qualified for the 2009 US Amateur Championship.
Moss is this year’s Pasadena City Champion and recently finished 15th at the Pacific Coast Amateur. He has qualified for the last two US Amateur’s and will be playing at Chambers Bay later this month. He played collegiately at LMU, where he won the 2009 West Coast Conference Championship and was 1st Team All Conference. This is Moss’s first appearance in our Match Play. This is Moss’s first appearance in our Match Play.
9:22 a.m.: (5) Robert Funk vs. (28) Doug Fortner
Robert Funk is the 2006 SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion. Along with partner David Bartman, he held the SCGA Four-Ball title concurrently with the SCGA Foursomes title (2006 and 2007 respectively). He made it to the round of 32 at the 2009 US Mid-Amateur and has qualified for the last 3 US Mid-Amateur Championships. He won the 2006 Trans Mississippi Championship and recently made it to match play at the State Amateur and finished 7th at the SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship. He has some past tournament victories in this area winning the 2002 Santa Barbara County Championship and the 2002 Sandpiper Invitational.
As a recent grad and captain of the Notre Dame golf team, Doug Fortner earned All Big-East honors three consecutive years and is 8th on the all-time scoring list for the Irish. Fortner has turned in a strong summer by qualifying for both the U.S. Amateur Public Links and California Amateur Championships. Fortner finished in 8th place at the 2009 SCGA Amateur Championship and this is his first appearance in our Match Play.
9:30 a.m.: (12) Jack Perry vs. (21) Scott Clayton
Perry, this year’s youngest competitor and a Santa Barbara resident, looks to improve upon his 2nd Place Finish at this year’s SCGA Amateur Championship. Perry had a stellar high school career winning the 2010 Channel League Individual Championship and was named Channel League Golfer of the Year. He was runner-up at this year’s State High School Championship and help lead Santa Barbara High School to the State Team Title. He made it to match play at the 2008 and 2009 US Junior Amateurs and will be a freshman at Northwestern next month. This is his first appearance in the Match Play.
Clayton, a standout All American Scholar from UC Riverside is playing in what could be his last SCGA Event as he will look at playing on the Golden State Tour professionally. The 3 time San Bernardino County Amateur Champion qualified for match play at the last two California State Amateur Championships.
9:38 a.m.: (2) Kevin Marsh vs. (31) Max Homa
Our number two seed is one of the best mid-amateurs in the country. Kevin Marsh won the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and has come close on two other occasions as a quarter-finalist in ’04 and a semi-finalist in’07. Marsh has also advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur twice in 1993 and 2008 rounding out his career of 11 USGA championship appearances. Kevin’s name is engraved on “Big Bertha” – the SCGA Amateur Championship trophy – twice in 1996 and 2008. He won the SCGA Four-Ball in both 2008 and 2009 as well as the SCGA Foursomes in 2010. Kevin was the 2008 SCGA Player of the Year and was recently a semi-finalist at the 2010 California State Amateur.
Max Homa is a rising star from Valencia and will be entering his sophomore year at Cal-Berkeley. In 2008 he represented Southern Cal on the Junior America’s Cup. Homa has excelled in numerous AJGA and other national competitions throughout his junior golf career. Homa recently qualified for the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship and will be playing in our Match Play for the first time.
9:46 a.m.: (15) Bhavik Patel vs. (18) EJ Kahn
Patel is a Fresno State Junior where he was the Team MVP and 1st team All Conference. He was a Semi-finalist at last year’s US Amateur Championship. He won the 2010 USD Calloway Invitational at The Farms GC and recently made it to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Public Links Championship. Patel will be participating in the upcoming US Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay in two weeks.
Kahn is a senior at USF where he has played in two conference championships for the Dons and earned a top 10 finish in the 2009 Triumph at Pauma Valley. He has qualified for the match play in the last three State Amateurs including a Round of 16 finish in 2009. This is Kahn’s first appearance in our Match Play.
9:54 a.m.: (7) Dan Sullivan vs. (26) Bryson Groat
Dan Sullivan made it to the round of 16 at the 2009 US APL; Round of 64 at the 2009 US Mid-Am. He is the 2008 Southern Cal Public Links Golf Association Champion and won the 2010 NCGA Master Division Championship by holing out a 3-wood from 225 yards on his last hole at Poppy Hills and defeated Randy Haag in a playoff.
Bryson Groat is a relative newcomer to the tournament scene. Having only been competing for a few years, Bryson recently won The Palms Club Championship. He also finished third in the 2010 Foursomes with Tyler Crawford, as well as finishing in the top ten at the 2009 Foursomes and Four-Ball Championships, also with Crawford.
10:02 a.m.: (10) Harry Rudolph III vs. (23) Mark Miller
Rudolph is the 1991 California State Amateur Champion, the 1992 State Amateur Medalist and Runner-up in this year’s State Amateur. He won this year’s Kelly Cup and recently finished 6th at the Porter Cup. Rudolph will be playing in the US Amateur later this month.
Miller is the current Brookside Club Champion and finished 2nd in the 2009 SCGA Tournament of Club Champions. He qualified for the 2009 US Mid-Amateur and earlier this year finished 19th at the SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship. He has qualified for the past two State Amateur Championships. This is both players first appearance in our match play.
10:10 a.m.: (3) Tyler Crawford vs. (30) Sam Yi
Tyler Crawford is always near the top of the SCGA leader boards, most recently tying for second at the 2009 Mid-Amateur and third at the 2010 Mid Amateur. Crawford has competed in three U.S. Mid-Amateurs since 1999 and is a seven-time club champion (five of which were at Mission Hills CC). Crawford’s most decorated year was 1994 when he won the Billy Hitchcook Collegiate, the Music City Collegiate, the Spirit of America Invitational and was a participant of the Porter Cup, U.S. Amateur and Western Amateur Championships.
Sam Yi made it to match play at this year’s California State Amateur Championship, qualified for this year’s SCGA Amateur Championship and was runner-up at the 2010 San Diego County Amateur. This will be Sam’s first appearance at the Match Play Championship.
10:18 a.m.: (14) Scott Almquist vs. (19) Connor Driscoll
Almquist is the 2010 California State Amateur Co-Medalist and quarterfinalist. He is a 5-time club champion at Coto de Caza Golf Club. He was a Semi-finalist at the 2003 State Amateur and has advanced to the round of 16 at the US Public Links and US Mid-Amateur Championships. He is a former 2 time team MVP and WAC All Conference player at San Diego State.
Driscoll is a junior at UCLA and recently finished 13th at the SCGA Amateur Championship. He finished 9th at the 2009 Calloway Invitational and made it to the Round of 32 at the 2009 US Amateur Championship. This is both players’ first appearance in our Match Play Championship.
10:26 a.m.: (6) Nick Delio vs. (27) Tony Behrstock
Nick Delio, a senior at Cal State Northridge is our defending champion of the SCGA Match Play, beating Austin Graham in the finals at 2009. He performs extremely well in match play winning the 2008 State Amateur Championship and making it to the Semis of the 2009 State Amateur. This year he won the 2010 NCAA Southwest Regional Championship enabling him to advance to the NCAA championship.
Tony Behrstock is the 14-time Club Champion at Hillcrest Country Club where he also holds the course record of 62. Winner of the 2000 SCGA Tournament of Club Champions and has qualified for the US Amateur twice (2000, 2007) and the US Mid-Amateur once (2009). This is Tony’s first appearance in our match play.
10:34 a.m.: (11) George Downing vs. (22) John Adams
Downing, who will be celebrating his 30th Birthday at the 2010 US Amateur later this month, looks to make another strong run in this year’s Match Play Championship on his home stomping grounds. Last year George was the local favorite and lost to eventual Champion Nick Delio in the Quarterfinals. George is the 2008 and 2009 SCGA Four-Ball Champion and a 3-time club champion at La Cumbre Country Club. He also qualified for the 2003 US Amateur and the 1997 US Junior.
Adams is the 2008 SCGA Foursomes Champion and has qualified for 4 of the last 6 US Mid Amateurs. He is a 2 time San Clemente City Champion and is in the Saddleback Junior College Hall of Fame.
