GOLF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AMATEUR : Oxnard’s Stankowski Leads by One Stroke

Listening to Paul Stankowski of Oxnard describe his play in Saturday’s third round of the Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship, one would assume that he was far behind the leaders.

“It was a little scary out there,” Stankowski said. “I was all over the lot. Just out of control.”

But “out of control” for Stankowski, a junior at the University of Texas El Paso, meant a four-under-par 68 over the Wilshire Country Club course. He will take a one-stroke lead into today’s final round.

Stankowski won the SCGA Amateur in 1989, and a victory today would make him only the fifth player in the 91-year history of the tournament to win consecutive titles.

He began the third round in a tie for second place with Mitch Voges of Simi Valley, a stroke behind Pat Duncan of Rancho Santa Fe. Duncan shot a 70 and is a stroke behind Stankowski. Voges shot a 75 and fell seven shots behind the leader.

Stankowski won the Western Athletic Conference championship earlier this year and tied for medalist honors at the California Amateur championship last month before losing to eventual winner Charlie Wi of Thousand Oaks in the semifinals.

Wi, 18, struggled Friday when the field of 80 golfers played 36 holes, but came back Saturday with a round of 69. He trails Stankowski by 10 strokes.

“I picked up a few strokes on everybody today, but tomorrow will be tough,” Stankowski said. “These guys are good. And I only hit seven fairways all day. I’ve got to bring it back under control tomorrow, or I won’t have much of a chance. I recovered from trouble OK today, but I don’t want to have to do that again.

“I just lost confidence in my swing on the back nine. I was just was not confident standing over the ball. I’ve got to get that confidence back on the practice range today or tomorrow morning.”

Bob Clark of Santa Ana also shot a 68 and was at 211. Chris Gonzales of Montebello shot a 69 and was tied with Voges at 215.

Another shot back was Craig Anderson of Fallbrook. Chris Zambri of Thousand Oaks, Bill Albers of Indio, Pat Carrigan of La Verne and David Schnider of San Diego were tied at 217.

The SCGA Amateur is the oldest continuously played amateur golf tournament in the nation.