100TH FINAL EXPECTED TO BE TOUGH ONE.Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer The Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Golf Association punctuates its centennial year this week with the renewal of the nation's second-longest continuously contested competition. Defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del título defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre Greg Padilla and the 94 other golfers who open play Friday at Industry Hills are also playing a role in golf history. Only the Utah Amateur, which began in 1899, one year before the SCGA SCGA Southern California Golf Association SCGA Software Carrier Group Alarm was formed, has conducted as many as 100 consecutive championships. Padilla, reigning state amateur champion Tim Hogarth of Northridge, four-time SCGA winner Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys and the remainder of an SCGA field that includes 14 area golfers likely will focus more on the challenge than history. With good reason. In addition to the annually strong group of finalists, the 72-hole SCGA championship plays on two of the most-difficult adjoining courses in the state. Par-72 Eisenhower stretches 6,735 yards and poses problems with length, rough, water and some devilishly dev·il·ish adj. 1. Of, resembling, or characteristic of a devil, as: a. Malicious; evil. b. Mischievous, teasing, or annoying. 2. Excessive; extreme: devilish heat. sloped greens. At 6,600 yards, the Babe Zaharias course, also par 72, gives golfers some yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. relief but has all the other difficulty and is considerably tighter. Even at that, the SCGA finalists won't face Ike and Babe at their toughest. This week's field plays both courses from the blue tees. From the back, black tees, Eisenhower, which hosts Sunday's 18-hole final, plays to 7,181 yards. Although considerably reduced rough makes it easier than the 75.8 course rating it earned for its opening in 1979, Ike from its tips remains tough enough to sustain one of the highest course records in the state - 71, by 1992 PGA (1) (Professional Graphics Adapter) An early IBM PC display standard for 3D processing with 640x480x256 resolution. It was not widely used. (2) (Programmable Gate Array) See gate array and FPGA. Player of the Year Fred Couples Frederick Stephen Couples (born October 3, 1959) is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour. He has won numerous events, and is most famous for winning the 1992 Masters Tournament. . ``It will be very difficult,'' said Industry Hils head pro Dave Youpa, who guesses the winning total might be as high as four or five over par. ``The rough is up three inches on Ike, not so high on Babe, but Babe kind of takes care of itself because it's so tight. ``The tough part is both courses are so difficult. Every hole is a challenge, so you can't ever take a deep breath and say, `I made it through the tough part.' You've got to play hard ball.'' Youpa, who expects the greens speed to be about 9.5 on stimpmeter, said: ``That wouldn't be so brutal on a flat course, but with the undulation undulation /un·du·la·tion/ (un?ju-) (un?dyu-la´shun) 1. a wavelike motion; see also pulsation. 2. a wavelike appearance, outline, or form. that's actually pretty fast. We're excited.'' Players to watch besides Hogarth, Steinberg and Padilla include 1998 state amateur champ Ed Cuff, reigning SCGA mid-amateur champ Pat Duncan Pat Duncan (b. April 8, 1960) was a Liberal politician in the Yukon, elected from 1996-2006. Duncan served as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party from 1998-2005 and served as Premier of Yukon from 2000 until 2002. and Seaver Cup team member Scott McGihon, who led this tournament entering last year's final round. But there's always someone coming out of the pack or even from figuratively further back, as Padilla did last year. The then-20-year-old Arizona State golfer closed with rounds of 66 and 67 after needing a late withdrawal to get in the field because he failed to send his entry in on time. Another entry miscue mis·cue n. 1. Games A stroke in billiards that misses or just brushes the ball because of a slip of the cue. 2. A mistake. intr.v. mis·cued, mis·cu·ing, mis·cues 1. this year might produce the strongest SCGA showing yet by Hogarth. The 33-year-old former Alemany High standout and two-time Cal State Northridge All-American won the U.S. Public Links championship in 1996, earning a berth in the '97 Masters and a 10-year exemption into the Public Links final. Because of that exemption and what it could mean, he has focused more on the Public Links than the SCGA championship, which is always played near the time of the Public Links. But, despite his exemption, Hogarth still was required to send in his Public Links entry form, and he forgot to do that this year. Hogarth good-naturedly chastises himself about that but believes it could help him this week, when he won't have to fight off fatigue or struggle to focus. Two years ago, he needed to catch a red-eye flight A red-eye flight is a flight operated by an airline late at night or very early in the morning, during the period from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time. The term "red-eye" derives from the fatigue symptom of having red eyes. Red-eye flights are often called a "dry flight". from the Public Links in Kentucky and play the next day in the SCGA at Lakeside. He started poorly and withdrew. Last year, the Public Links began at Torrey Pines Torrey Pines can refer to:
``I was really thinking of Torrey Pines and getting ready,'' he said. ``This year, I have no excuses.'' Nor anything to excuse. No golfer enters the SCGA on a hotter streak than Hogarth, who has won five times in his last seven tournaments, including the state amateur, L.A. City and, ironically. the Southern California Public Links. Hogarth, who also was medalist in his state amateur qualifier, won the state amateur on the second playoff hole to complete a 36-hole final day of match play at Pebble Beach. Steinberg, one of the state's most-successful amateurs, is one of only three players to win four SCGA titles and one of five to win back-to-back. Should he repeat this week the championship form he showed in 1988, '91, '92 and '97, he will tie Paul Hunter
Other area entries include Chris Etue of Chatsworth, Steve White and Keith Kinsel (Glendale), David Johnson David Johnson may refer to:
Brisbois, the former Flintridge Prep golfer who just completed his freshman year at University of San Diego, enters with plenty of respect for Ike and Babe. ``They're both difficult,'' he said. ``They're both narrow and Ike's long. You have to be pretty accurate and not let it get to you.'' CENTURY MARK What: 100th SCGA amateur championship. Where: Industry Hills Eisenhower and Babe Zaharias courses. When: Friday through Sunday (7 a.m. start on both courses Friday; 7:30 a.m. start Saturday on Babe; 7:30 a.m. start Sunday on Ike). Vital stats: Both courses will be played from blue tees. Ike: par 72, 6,735 yards, course rating 72.9, slope 136; Babe: par 72, 6,600 yards, course rating 72.5, slope 134. Recent area champions: Brian Gaddy (Burbank) 1978; Charlie Wi (Westlake) 1995; Craig Steinberg (Van Nuys) 1988-91-92-97). Defending champ: Greg Padilla Tournament record: Tiger Woods, 18-under-par 280 at Hacienda GC in 1994. Directions: 210 freeway or 10 freeway east to Azusa, right (south) to course on right; 60 freeway east to Azusa, left (north) to course on left. Address: One Industry Hills Parkway. Phone: 1-626-810-4653. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO Reigning state amateur champion Tim Hogarth, sizing up a putt, is one of 95 golfers competing in the 100th SCGA final. Phil McCarten/Daily News BOX: CENTURY MARK (see text) |
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