Berganio, Voges Reach Match Play of U.S. Amateur

Forgive David Berganio Jr. of Sylmar if he breaks into a celebratory version of the Tennessee Waltz over breakfast this morning.

Berganio, playing at the U. S. Amateur golf championship outside of Chattanooga, not only made the cut Wednesday to advance to today’s match play, but he did it by outplaying some big names.

Berganio’s round Wednesday--a three-under-par 67 at the Cleveland Golf and Country Club in Cleveland, Tenn.--combined with his even-par 72 at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., on Tuesday--left him with a combined stroke-play score of 139.

That score placed Berganio fifth overall and bested the 140 posted by Gary Nicklaus of North Palm Beach, Fla., the son of Jack Nicklaus. Allen Doyle of LaGrange, Ga., and John Harris of Edina, Minn., shared medalist honors at six-under-par 136.

“I have a lot of confidence in my putter right now,” said Berganio, who recorded four birdies on the back nine Wednesday. “I’m playing at the top of my game right now and when I do that, I feel I can hit it with the best of them.”

But perhaps more impressive was the fact that Berganio also topped defending U.S. amateur champion Phil Mickelson of San Diego, who shot a two-day total of 145.

Both Nicklaus and Mickelson made the cut of 147. Nineteen players tied at 148 will play this morning for the final nine spots of the 64-player field. The rest of match play will be held at the par-72, 7,064-yard layout at The Honors Course.

Berganio heads into match play with a bit of momentum. Earlier this summer, he won the U.S. Public Links championship and followed that by winning the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur championship.

Berganio, 22, a 1988 graduate of Alemany High, will start his junior year at the University of Arizona later this month.

Another area golfer making the cut for this afternoon’s first round of match play was Simi Valley’s Mitch Voges. Voges, 41, followed Tuesday’s 72 with a 75 on Wednesday to total 147.

“I kinda thought 149 would be the magic number, so I knew I was OK,” Voges said. “I played real steady today and both days, for that matter. I hit the ball well. I didn’t make very many birdies, but I hit it well.”

Voges said that he and other golfers have had trouble with greens that he said have very little grass on them.

“It’s scary,” Voges said. “I’ve been in about 10 of these amateur tournaments and I don’t think I’ve ever seen greens devoid of grass like these. You play a few of these greens and pretty soon you have brain damage.”

Two area golfers failed to make the cut. Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys followed Tuesday’s 79 with a 74 and missed the cut at 153, and Thousand Oaks’ Charlie Wi, the 1990 California State Amateur champion, shot an 81 Wednesday to finish at 155.