Area Trio Reach Match Play in State Amateur

Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys led a trio of Valley-area golfers into today’s opening-round of match play in the 81st California Amateur golf championships on the Monterey Peninsula.

Also surviving 36 holes of stroke play and gaining a berth in the 32-man match-play field were Charlie Wi of Thousand Oaks, the 1990 state amateur champion; and David Berganio Jr. of Sylmar, the 1991 U.S. Public Links champion and the 1991 Pacific Coast Amateur champion.

Steinberg, 34, is the reigning Southern California Golf Assn. amateur champion. He tamed the brutal Pebble Beach course Tuesday with a round of even-par 72, giving him a 36-hole total of 147 after an opening-round 75 at Spyglass Hill.

The top qualifier for match play was Harry Rudolph III of La Jolla, who shot a 69 at Pebble Beach on Tuesday after an opening-round 74 at Spyglass for a total of 143.

Wi, 20, a junior at Nevada, swept to an improbable victory in 1990 in the tournament two weeks after graduating from Westlake High. He shot an opening-round 75 at Pebble Beach on Monday and a 77 at Spyglass on Tuesday, making the match-play field by three strokes.

Berganio, 23, also opened with a 75 Monday at Spyglass and shot a four-over 76 Tuesday at Pebble Beach for a 151 total.

Failing to qualify for match play were Chris Zambri of Thousand Oaks, a junior at USC; Kelly Morman of Granada Hills and Jimmie Jones of Palmdale. Zambri shot rounds of 79-77 for a 156 total and Morman shot rounds of 85 and 81 for a 166. Jones lost in a five-way playoff for the last berth in the match-play field after rounds of 80-75--155.

Match play continues Thursday with the 36-hole championship match Friday.