40th Annual NCGA Senior Amateur Championship: Birdie Barrage Gives Stewart Title.

Sports Editors/Golf Writers & Columnists

STOCKTON, Calif.--(BW SportsWire)--April 24, 2001

Santa Rosa Country Club's Earl Stewart survived a splashdown on the 17th hole Tuesday to score a come-from-behind two-stroke victory in the Northern California Golf Association's 40th annual Centennial Senior Amateur Championship at Brookside Country Club.

The 57-year-old Stewart wielded a hot putter through the first 14 holes, recording eight birdies and a single bogey on the par-72 layout. He moved to 5-under for the tournament and a two-stroke lead over first-day leader Joe Dudley from Almaden GCC.

Stewart stumbled with a three-putt bogey on No. 15, but parred the 16th. After a 10-minute wait, it was his turn to hit to the treacherous 175-yard, par-3 where the flagstick was tucked in the right corner of the green. His 6-iron effort was hit just a bit thin and found the lake fronting the green.

Stewart hit the middle of the green with his second effort and two-putted for a double-bogey. Stewart, playing in the last group, now was tied with Dudley at 2-under. That tie last less than 10 minutes. Dudley also found the water on the 17th and three-putted for a triple.

Stewart thought he had to make a birdie on the par-5 finishing hole and narrowly missed his ninth birdie. Still, it was enough to win the tourney. He finished the day with a 4-under 68 and a 142 total.

In the meantime, The Olympic Club's Bob Callan moved into the second slot at even-144 with two rounds of 72. Callan was the first-place medal winner in the 55-64 age bracket. Dudley, 68-77--145, was second. Dave Carroll from Silverado CC also had second-day problems and shot 69-78--147 for third.

Fort Washington CC's Bobby Fries shot 78-74--152 to win the Super Senior (65 and over) division. Chuck Van Linge from Sharon Heights CC was second at 75-80--155 and Jim McMurtrey third with his 78-78--156. McMurtrey, Diablo CC, was the defending overall champion.

"This is an unbelievable victory," said an ecstatic Stewart after the event. "This is by far my biggest win." Stewart won 11 times, including four-ball events, in 2000 and was the San Francisco City champion.

He made 25-footers for birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 and rolled in a 30-footer from the fringe on the fifth. The champion made a 10-footer on No. 7 and then a 3-footer on No. 9. He opened the back nine with three straight birdies, all from within 15 feet.

The top five players qualified for spots in the California Golf Association State Amateur in June.

Following are the final results:

Earl Stewart, Santa Rosa, 74-68--142 Robert Callan, Olympic Club, 72-72--144 Joe Dudley, Almaden, 68-77--145 David Carroll, Silverado, 69-78--147 Roly Lamontagne, Swenson Park, 75-73--148 Dave Parsons, Club Shakespeare, 78-72--150 Terry Coffee, Sierra View, 77-73--150 Gary Conti, DeLaveaga, 73-77--150 Michael Davis, Serrano, 74-76--150 Robert Olds, Brentwood, 77-74--151 Lee Jeberjahn, San Luis Obispo, 77-74--151 David Ellis, Granite Bay, 75-76--151 Clifford Davis, Green Valley,75-76--151 Bobby Fries, Fort Washington, 78-74--152 Jeff Newkirk, DeLaveaga, 76-76--152 John Jones, Monterey Bay, 75-77--152 Shelly Washburn, Santa Rosa, 75-77--152 Jim Ono, Cypress, 79-74--153 Geoffrey Duncan, Baywood, 79-74--153 Skip Kemp, Blackhawk, 77-77--154 Paul Rasmussen, Blackhawk, 75-79--154 Jim Loustalot, Green Hills, 80-75--155 John Boccabella, Indian Valley, 79-76--155 Eb Luckel, Richmond, 78-77--155 Robert L Heaton, Antioch, 77-78--155 James Clarke, San Luis Obispo, 76-79--155 Dallan Ragland, Kings River, 76-79--155 Larry Murchan, HP Silicon Valley, 75-80--155 Chuck Van Linge, Sharon Heights, 75-80--155 Joel Halverson, Sunset Whitney, 80-76--156 Dick Dallagiacomo, Tierra Oaks, 79-77--156 John Cahoon, Sharon Heights, 78-78--156 Jim McMurtrey, North Ridge, 78-78--156 R F Martin, Recce Point, 81-75--156 James Clark, Cameron Park, 81-75--156 Ed Anderson, Butte Creek, 79-78--157 Steve Kilmer, Contra Costa, 81-76--157 Joe Alvarez, Gleneagles Intl, 82-75--157 William Greene, Contra Costa, 76-81--157 Gary Vandeweghe, San Jose, 75-82--157 Rich Mickel, Alta Sierra, 80-78--158 Tony Reboton, Nor Cal Left Handed, 78-80--158 Gene Ackerman, Valley Hi, 77-81--158 Larry Wagner, Blackhawk, 77-81--158 Steve Miraglia, Sequoyah, 76-82--158 Dick Rautmann, Bolado Park, 75-83--158 Phill Van Tassell, Antioch, 80-79--159 Ted Gehrke, De Laveaga, 80-79--159 Dick Ollis, Whitney Oaks, 79-82--161 John Arnold, River Oaks, 81-80--161 James Scott, Davis, 83-78--161 Dale Welin, Discovery Bay, 83-78--161 Robert Frey, De Laveaga, 80-82--162 Gordon Harris, Rooster Run, 81-81--162 Sage Suo, Cameron Park, 78-84--162 Bob Pieroni, El Dorado Hills, 82-80--162 Wayne Mosher, Salinas Fairways, 84-78--162 Richard Thompson, Sunset Whitney, 80-83--163 Russ Matesso, Monterey Peninsula, 80-83--163 Jerome Chirpich, San Luis Obispo, 78-85--163 Michael Frey, Butte Creek, 84-79--163 John Hunt, Las Positas, 81-83--164 Henry Guerin, Alameda, 83-81--164 Ron Greenwood, Sunnyside, 85-80--165 Richard J Kabler, Castlewood, 80-86--166 Hiroshi Sakamoto, Pacific, 80-87--167 Robert R Kovash, Gleneagles Intl, 81-86--167 Chris Philbrick, Ukiah, 81-86--167 James Solis, Rancho Murieta, 81-86--167 Dave Austin, Pasatiempo, 88-79--167 Ruben De Los Santos, Wilcox Oaks, 84-84--168 Gary Borst, Lake Tahoe, 84-84--168 Corey Eastwood, Stockton, 83-86--169 Joe Gossi, Eureka, 84-85--169 Allan Abbott, Stanford University, 81-89--170 Donel Geisen, Bayonet/Black Horse, 83-87--170 Jerry Millerick, California Greens Golf, 82-88--170 Robert Ackerman, Oakdale, 86-84--170 Joel Berryhill, San Geronimo, 89-82--171 Gerry Naegle, Contra Costa, 86-86--172 Douglas Webber, Concord, 87-86--173 George Beach, Sacramento, 84-90--174 Gilbert Carpio, San Jose, 88-86--174 Hugh Pease, Corral De Tierra, 85-90--175 Robert Schick, Las Positas, 92-86--178 Craig Allen, Palo Alto, 85-WD--WD Richard Jay, Stanford University, WD Carl Stephenson, Laguna Seca, WD Roy Renfro, Cameron Park, 81-WD--WD Tom Perkins, Castlewood, WD Allen Sharpe, Monterey Peninsula, WD R K Bailey, Oakhurst, 78-WD--WD Ted Dietz, Merced, WD