Duncan Trails by Four Strokes

Pat Duncan of Rancho Santa Fe, trying to become the first back-to-back champion in six years, fired a three-over-par 73 at the 6,483-yard Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles Saturday and trails co-leaders Bob Clark of Murrieta and Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys by four shots after three rounds of the 92nd Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship.

Clark and Steinberg are tied at 209 after 54 holes, while Duncan, who had rounds of 72 and 68 the first two days, is tied for fourth at 213 with Barstow’s Mark Johnson. San Diego State golfer Tim Todd, of Yorba Linda, had the day’s best round, a three-under 67 and moved up to third place, two strokes back at 211.

Jim Myers of Oceanside shot a 72 to give him a 225 total and San Diego’s Jim Almand is at 226 after a round of 76. A victory by Duncan would make him the first back-to-back champion since Brad Greer in 1984 and 1985 and just the second successful defender in 40 years.

El Cajon’s Mark Strickland fell to defending champion Michael Combs of Kennewick, Wash., 5 and 4, and was eliminated in the match-play U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at the par-72, 7,075-yard Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind.