Steinberg Falters in Quarterfinals of State Amateur

Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 78th California Golf Assn. Amateur Championships on Thursday, losing to Tom Kennaday of Pacific Grove, 2-and-1, at the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

David Stockton, a sophomore All-American at Southern California, will meet Casey Boyns of Pacific Grove in today’s final.

Steinberg, 31, had advanced to the quarterfinals with a pair of match-play victories Wednesday. He moved to a 2-up lead over Kennaday through nine holes on Thursday but faltered down the stretch.

Kennaday sliced the lead to 1-up by winning the 10th hole with a birdie, and Steinberg then double-bogeyed the 202-yard, par-3 No. 12 and the match was even. Kennaday won the 13th hole with a birdie and won the 14th hole when Steinberg bogeyed.

Kennaday was eliminated in the semifinals by Stockton, the son of veteran PGA Tour member Dave Stockton.

Steinberg reached the semifinals of the state amateur tournament in 1982 and made it to the quarterfinals last year.

Steinberg is the current Southern California Golf Assn. amateur champion. He was a four-year member of the USC golf team and played on the squad that won the 1980 NCAA championship.

This was his 10th appearance in the state amateur tournament. He opened the tournament with a round of 70 at the Cypress Point Club and was tied for second place, one stroke behind leaders Buz Greene of Thousand Oaks and Jerry Michals of Vista.

In the second round, Steinberg shot a 72 at the tougher Monterey Peninsula Country Club course and finished the medal play portion of the tournament just a stroke out of first place.