Singer Knows the Way, Qualifies for U.S. Open

For Mark Singer, a little local knowledge went a long way Monday.

Singer, who formerly worked part-time as a locker room attendant at Valencia Country Club, earned a berth in the U.S. Open by firing a 36-hole total of even-par 144 at Valencia in a sectional qualifying tournament.

Singer, who lives in North Hollywood and attended Simi Valley High, finished third in the 59-player field.

The top four qualifiers advance to the U.S. Open on June 17-20 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J.

Singer, 27, who worked at Valencia from 1991-92, said he took the job “basically so I could have playing privileges there.”

Singer, who won his local qualifying tournament in Santa Cruz at the same course on which he played as a collegian at San Jose State, used his knowledge at Valencia to earn his first Open berth.

“At the beginning of the year, when I saw where the qualifiers were going to be played, I couldn’t believe it,” Singer said.

Mike Springer of Fresno and Kevin Wentworth of Manteca tied for medalist honors at three-under-par 141. Ted Oh, a 16-year-old amateur from Torrance High, also shot 144 to advance. It was not immediately known whether any player younger than Oh has ever qualified for the Open.

Springer, who won the California Amateur title in 1987, shot 71-70 and Wentworth, a left-hander who played at Oklahoma State, shot 72-69.

Failing to qualify were area amateur standouts Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys and Mitch Voges of Simi Valley.

Steinberg, who has won the Southern California Amateur three of the past five years, shot 80-74--154. Voges, the 1991 U.S. Amateur champion, shot 74-75--149.

Prep standout Eldrick (Tiger) Woods, 17, of Western High in Anaheim shot 77-74 and failed to qualify.

Woods, who won the Southern Section championship two weeks ago, played the front nine of his morning round in even par before falling apart on the back side. He lost his composure after three-putting the par-3 seventh hole (his 16th) for a bogey, and threw his ball into the water.

Woods hit his second shot fat on No. 8 and it squirted right and into the water. He took a double-bogey 6 and needed a birdie on No. 9 to finish the round at 77.

Woods and Oh played in the Open qualifier rather than participate in the Southern California Golf Assn. championships, held Monday at Stockdale Country Club in Bakersfield.

Singer was the No. 1-ranked player at Simi Valley when the Pioneers won the Southern Section team title in 1984. He has played the past three seasons on the Golden State Tour.

The course, rated 76.3 and 7,091 yards long from the championship tees, is considered among the the best layouts in Southern California. It was as tough as Singer expected.

“Valencia is always tough,” he said. “But today, wow .”