DOUBLE HONOR FOR THE MASTER'S.

Byline: DAVE SHELBURNE Golf

Five seasons after launching the men's golf program at The Master's College in Newhall, Jim Lundstrom is the National Christian College Athletic Association coach of the year and his team is NCCAA men's golf champion.

The twin accomplishments took place Tuesday, when Lundstrom's Mustangs, who had just two seniors among their 10 entries (three competing as individuals), outdistanced runner-up North Greenville College by 20 strokes to win the rain-shortened NCCAA championship at Seneca, S.C.

Led by junior Ryan Higton, who was tournament medalist at 2-under-par 70, senior Joe Chally (74) and Moorpark College transfer Chad Wensel (76), the Mustangs averaged 76 among their top five team scorers and also got top-10 efforts from sophomore James Lawson (74) and junior Jeff James (75), who competed as individuals at the Cross Creek Plantation course near Clemson University.

Lawson and James joined Higton and Chally as NCCAA All-Americans by virtue of their scores in the weather-reduced event. Freshmen Seth Cotter (78) and Andrew Lawson (82) completed the Mustangs' team scoring.

And the best might be yet to come for The Master's rising golf program.

``The bulk of our season is in the spring,'' said Lundstrom, who already has realized his goal of getting the Mustangs to the NAIA national championship (they finished 25th last spring) and believes this year's team has a good chance to do even better.

``We didn't play well there last spring, but we learned a lot about that level of competition and what it takes to be successful there. The way the program is now, if we get back there again and play well, I believe we can win the tournament.''

Lundstrom got a hint of what was possible when his team turned in a sensational final round at last year's NAIA final, passing nearly 10 teams, only to have the round canceled for everyone because of lightning and leaving The Master's next to last in its first national tournament.

On Tuesday, in their second national final, the weather was friendlier. Rain washed out the final round of the 36-hole NCCAA championship after Lundstrom's team had forged a 20-stroke lead in the first round.

``What goes around, comes around,'' said Lundstrom, who now can't wait for the spring golf season to come around.

--Secession forum: Craig Kessler, executive director of the Public Links Golf Association of Southern California, will moderate a public forum Tuesday at Sepulveda Men's Golf Club on how proposed secession of the San Fernando Valley from the City of Los Angeles will affect the valley's Encino, Balboa, Woodley Lakes and Hansen Dam golf courses.

The four courses are owned by the U.S. Government and leased long-term to the Los Angeles City's Recreation and Parks Department. The forum was organized to give golfers a chance to ask questions about the status of those courses should the Nov. 5 vote go for secession.

Laurette Healey, co-chair of the San Fernando Independence Committee and a golfer, will speak on behalf of secession. Larry Levine, also a golfer as well as a leader in the campaign for ``One L.A.,'' will speak on behalf of keeping Los Angeles intact as a city.

The forum, organized by the PLGA and Sepulveda Men's Golf Club and open to the public, is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Sepulveda Golf Complex Banquet Room, and the audience will be encouraged to ask questions.

--Names in the game: Joe Bolstad of Westlake Village teamed with Tom Garrett of St. Paul, Minn., to win the Senior Division championship of the 22nd Trans-Miss Four-Ball Championship, which ended Wednesday at Lakeside Golf Club. Bolstad and Garrett combined to shoot 70-71-70-211 for a five-stroke victory on the 6,539-yard, par-70 Toluca Lake course.

UCLA's John Merrick, the 2001 SCGA Amateur champion, former USC golfer Hunter Mahan and longtime Southern California junior sensation Henry Liaw are among 23 players invited to a U.S. Golf Association practice session to determine this year's Walker Cup team.

Mahan and Los Altos High of Hacienda Heights junior Liaw were U.S. Junior Amateur champions in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Mahan also was runner-up in this year's U.S. Amateur, won by Ricky Barnes of Stockton, who also has been invited to the Nov. 29-Dec. 1 Walker Cup practice session at Hilton Head Island, S.C. ...

Haesun Chun won the Sepulveda women's club championship by 42 strokes, averaging 75 for three rounds at par-72 Encino GC. ... Louann Leone won the Westlake women's club championship, shooting 231 for three rounds on the par-67 Westlake course. ...

Marshall Matz of Westlake Village GC made his second career hole-in-one a long one, acing Westlake's 182-yard, par-3 18th hole with a 3-wood.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

TIGER WOODS

Box:

ON THE GREEN