Woods Marches On in State Amateur Golf

Tiger Woods, who won three USGA Junior championships and a record-tying three Southern Section titles at Western High School, played 4-under-par golf Wednesday while ousting David Burroughs of Pebble Beach, 7 and 6, in the first round of the 83rd California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship.

The big opening-round upset was pulled by Steve Burdick, who helped Stanford win the 1994 NCAA Division I championship and aced the par-3 seventh in his stunning 5 and 4 victory over defending champion Casey Boyns of Pacific Grove at famed Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Burdick, who is from Rocklin, followed his hole-in-one with a par-4 on the eighth hole and then birdied the tough par-4 ninth to go 3-up at the turn. When the match ended at the 14th, Burdick was 4-under-par.

Burdick’s victory overshadowed the play of Steve Woods of Upland, Helendale’s Mark Johnson and Elk Grove’s Jeff Gilchrist. Steve Woods wasted little time disposing of Chatsworth’s Jamey Forsyth, 8 and 6, with a 1-under-par showing.

Johnson outlasted Joey Ferrari from Lodi in a 21-hole match. Both players birdied the first two extra holes before Johnson added another birdie to win.

Gilchrist beat Fallbrook’s Craig Anderson, 8 and 6. Other winners included Pleasant Hill’s Gary Vanier, the 1982 winner, Charlie Wi of North Hills, Chris Berry of Yorba Linda, Tim Hart of Solana Beach, Kevin Riley of San Diego, Todd Andrews of Solana Beach, Randy Haag of Danville, Kevin Marsh of Goleta, Roger Tambellini of Templeton, David Hutchens of Whittier and Ed Cuff of Temecula.

Play continues with a single round today. Quarterfinals and semifinals will be Friday and the 36-hole final is on Saturday.