GOLF / STATE AMATEUR TOURNAMENT : Barstow’s Johnson Tops the Qualifiers

Two Southern California players needed more than the scheduled 36 holes to decide medalist honors in qualifying for the California Golf Assn.’s 79th annual State Amateur Tuesday on the Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course.

Mark Johnson of Barstow and Paul Stankowski of Oxnard shot two-under-par 69s, after having one-over-par 73s Monday at Cypress Point, to complete 36 holes tied at 142.

Johnson, 36, won the trophy and the top seeding in the match-play portion of the tournament with a birdie on the second hole. He was the 1989 SCGA Mid-Amateur champion and teamed with professional Larry Babica to win the 1988 National Skins Competition.

Stankowski, 20, a student at Texas El Paso, is the current SCGA Amateur champion.

First-round leader Brad Hansen finished with a 149 after shooting 77 on the second day.

It took a 36-hole score of 152 to get into a playoff for the last five spots in the 32-player match-play field. There will be two rounds today and Thursday, leading to Friday’s 36-hole championship final.

Defending champion Casey Boyns of Pacific Grove survived the playoff, but 1989 runner-up David Stockton of Mentone did not.

Paced by Johnson and Stankowski, the South defeated the North, 728-750, in the annual team competition. Six players from each section were selected before the 36-hole qualifying round, with the five best scores counting each day.

Southern California players also posted the best two scores of the day. Kevin Claborn of Brea shot a four-under-par 67 and qualified easily at 145. Charlie Wi of Thousand Oaks had a 68 and advanced to match play with a 143.