Golf Roundup : Voges Loses Playoff in Match Play

Mitch Voges of Simi Valley, the No. 2 qualifier from a starting field of 156 golfers, was ousted from the 86th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship in Thursday’s opening round of match play when he lost to the second-to-last qualifier, Norb Anderson of St. Paul, Minn.

Voges, 39, who had finished 36 holes of qualifying just a stroke behind top qualifier Jack Spradlin of San Diego, opened match play against Anderson with a flourish, winning the first two holes to take a 2-up lead at La Jolla Country Club.

But Voges faltered, and with six holes remaining in the match Anderson had built a 4-up lead. Voges made a comeback, however, carding two birdies over the final six holes while Anderson stumbled with a pair of bogeys.

The pair finished regulation play tied, but on the first playoff hole Voges pushed his tee shot into a bunker and could only manage to bogey the hole. Anderson took a par and the match to advance to today’s round of 32.

Emilee Klein of Notre Dame High was defeated in the semifinals of the Western Golf Assn. Junior Girls Golf Championships near Seattle on Thursday, losing, 5-3, to Tracy Hanson, 17, of Rathdrum, Ida.