State Amateur Golf : USC’s Miskell Wins Title From Teammate Blewett

Terrence Miskell of Salinas built up a commanding lead and held off a brief challenge by college teammate Mike Blewett of Burlingame Saturday to win the 75th California Amateur Golf Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Miskell, a 19-year-old sophomore at USC, won the match 5-and-4, piling up a five-stroke lead with four holes to play in the afternoon half of the scheduled 36-hole match.

He moved five holes up after birdies on the second and third holes in the afternoon and eventually closed out the match when both players bogeyed the 14th.

“I wish we both could have played better and made it a head-to-head match, but I’m happy I won,” said Miskell, who shot a two-over-par 74 for the morning round and was four shots over par for the afternoon.

Blewett, a 21-year-old senior at USC, won the 10th and 11th holes during the afternoon to cut Miskell’s lead to four holes, but he was unable to break par on any of what turned out to be the three final holes.

“I was never in a position to attack,” said Blewett, who shot 77 for the morning round and was six over par for the afternoon. “I was always just trying to get on the green. It put a lot of pressure on my putting.”

Both said the wind and long rough on the course made for difficult conditions.

“It made it particularly tough for me when Terrence got that big lead,” Blewett said. “I thought I might be able to chop it down, but after those birdies on the second and third holes I became discouraged. It’s tough to come back on a guy like him. He’s so explosive.”