Lovett Beats Pros, Will Join Them Later : Century Club : SDSU senior leads the amateurs to victory in the Matches tournament.

John Lovett Jr. goes to San Diego State. He’s 23. He’ll get his bachelor of arts degree in psychology in May.

Lovett also plays golf. He’s just an amateur, mind you, but he’s planning to turn pro next fall.

What a relief that will be for San Diego County club professionals. With Lovett out of the way, maybe the club pros won’t be quiet as embarrassed by the amateurs in the Century Club Matches tournament next year.

They lost by 46 points Sunday at the San Diego Country Club, the second worst defeat since this 21-year-old event--matching the county’s top pros and amateurs--switched to a three-way, best-ball scoring format in 1979.

With Lovett, the youngest of the 20 players, and Jim Peters each shooting even-par 72, the guys who do it for fun beat the guys who do it for a living, 90 1/2-44 1/2.

This is nothing new. With the victory, the amateurs lead the series, 11-10.

Scott Bentley, teaching pro at Mt. Woodson Country Club in Ramona, had the best score, 71. Ron Reiss, a pro at Stardust Country Club, shot an ace on the par-three 11th hole and finished five over at 77. Bob Madson of Singing Hills Country Club had 72. But it wasn’t enough to stem the tide. Those amateurs are just getting too tough. They’ve now beaten the pros in six of the last nine Century showdowns.

“I’m proud,” said Lovett. “We’ve got a great team. The pros got a lot of good players, too. But we just beat ‘em. We outplayed ‘em.

“Look at the score.”

The last time the pros took this bad a shellacking was in 1984, when the amateurs won by 62. Last year, the amateurs turned a 69-66 victory after trailing in the first of this two-round event.

Not so this year. The amateurs led, 31 1/2-13 1/2 after Saturday. The pros folded early to the challenge presented not only by the opponent, but also by the demanding 6,887-yard Country Club course, with its greased-lightning greens and bouncy fairways.

“This is the best golf course in San Diego County,” said Lovett. “These are the best greens I’ve played since the U.S. Sectional in Lake Merced.”

Those greens tamed a few, like Bentley, who, despite his 71, hit a 30-foot uphill putt on 17 that stopped short of the cup then rolled all the way back to its original position.

Madson, 31, had a chance at a two-under 70, but ran out of gas.

“I kind of lost my enthusiasm,” he said, knowing a victory was hopeless by the time he reached the back nine. “This course is tough. It has tremendous variety, and the characteristics of the ground . . . I can’t think of many courses like this in Southern California. My stroke is way too big for these greens.

“I don’t think the focus should be on the final score. This is a celebration. I’ve been waiting two years to get to this point. All the best guys are here.”

Ah, but neither side wanted to lose, as was evident in a good-natured, pre-tournament jousting by the amateurs’ Pat Duncan and pros’ Chris Starkjohann last week.

Both used the words “butt kicking” to accentuate their intentions.

While Craig Anderson blasted a perfect chip shot out of bunker three feet to the pin on 18, his buddy Duncan chimed from the gallery, “Nice shot, Craig. Gotta pickup some points bad. It’s close.”

Anderson, who was finishing a tidy round of 73 for the amateurs, looked over his shoulder and flashed a smile at Duncan.

Then Duncan peered through the audience from underneath his Titleist visor and said, “Where’s Starkjohann?”

The amateurs’ rout was no fluke. The scoring system wouldn’t permit it. Each foursome consisted of two players from each side matching scores three ways: head-to-head and the best ball of partner’s match at stroke play. Every player’s performance, from top to bottom, figured in outcome.

“This is by far the best team we’ve had in the last few years,” said Duncan, who high-fived his teammates. “Even on their bad days, they won’t shoot (as low as) 80.”

Hey, they’re just amateurs. But they’re good and they’re a little cocky.

“I’ll tell you where you’ll see me next,” said Lovett. “At the (PGA) Buick Open, Torrey Pines. I’m qualifying.”