Wood Ranch Plays Host to Qualifier : Golf: Eighty-two players, including 30 with area ties, will vie for five U.S. Amateur berths.

Here’s to local knowledge and all of the advantages therein.

Eighty-two top golfers will be seeking berths in the U.S. Amateur championship when sectional qualifying begins Monday at Wood Ranch Golf Club.

Only five berths are up for grabs, which must make the 10 Wood Ranch members in the field feel better about their chances.

The Wood Ranch qualifier is one of five to be held in Southern California.

The Amateur will begin Aug. 22 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Wood Ranch members entered in the qualifier include Charlie Wi, Al D’Amato, David Saylor, Kelly Schlender and Justin Wright.

At least 30 players with ties to the region are entered, including Cal State Northridge Coach Jim Bracken, former Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur champion Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys and 17-year-old Brandon DiTullio of Thousand Oaks, who advanced to the round of 16 in last week’s U.S. Junior Amateur in New Jersey.

The last area player to win the U.S. Amateur title was Mitch Voges of Simi Valley in 1991.