Woods Upset in Semifinals of State Amateur Golf Play

Temecula’s Ed Cuff provided the biggest surprise of the 83rd California Golf Assn.’s State Amateur Championship when he defeated Tiger Woods of Cypress in the semifinal round Friday at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Cuff, who needed 20 holes in the morning round to get past Goleta’s Kevin Marsh, beat Woods, the three-time USGA Junior Amateur champ, 2 and 1, to earn a spot in today’s 36-hole final.

He will go against medalist Steve Woods, who also won two matches, the second against Rocklin’s Steve Burdick, 2-up.

Cuff, 32, was the oldest of the four semifinalists. He failed to yield to the pressure of Woods, 18, who fired a 2-under-par 34 on the front nine but was only 1-up.

Woods went 2-up with a par at the 10th but lost the 11th. Cuff evened the match with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th. He went 1-up for the first time in the match with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 15th. Then, Woods three-putted the 16th and lost to a par. Both players parred the last hole.

Steve Woods, 22, was 1-down to Burdick after nine holes.

The margin was the same until Woods was conceded a birdie on the 16th hole to even the match. Woods then birdied the 17th with a 25-foot putt to go 1-up. He secured the victory with a birdie on the 18th.

In other morning matches, Steve Woods defeated Helendale’s Mark Johnson, 1-up. Burdick, playing 2-under-par golf, tripped Solana Beach’s Tim Hart, 2 and 1.

Tiger Woods fired a 3-under-par 33 on the front nine to build a 4-up lead and defeated Solana Beach’s Todd Andrews, 2 and 1.