Fischer Shoots Another 65 to Win Title

It was so much fun the first time, Todd Fischer decided to do it again.

The 29-year-old from Pleasanton continued his hot putting streak Friday at Coyote Hills in Fullerton and shot a second consecutive 65, holding off a charge by Bryan Hepler of Scottsdale, Ariz., and won the California Open by four shots.

Fischer, 29, reeled off 13 birdies during the final two rounds and his 10-under-par total during those rounds was five better than anyone else. He finished at 15-under 265.

He was the only player to break par in all four rounds and won $15,000 for his first victory since the Long Beach Open last summer.

“I made some putts that were totally unexpected,” Fischer said. “I knew it would take some birdies to win, but I didn’t really think about a number. I was more worried about my swing and making good shots.”

He made plenty of those, especially with the putter.

Leading by three shots over Hepler with six holes to go, he made birdie at Nos. 13, 14 and 15 to extend the lead to six.

Fischer, who had not seen the course until he arrived an hour before his first-round tee time on Tuesday, took a few holes to get warmed up in the final round.

Hepler, trailing by four entering the round, made birdies on the second and third holes to pull within two shots of Fischer. The the leader took the cue.

Fischer made a birdie at the fourth to extend his lead to three. Then after Hepler bogeyed the sixth, Fischer drained a downhill putt on the seventh for birdie and a five-shot lead.

Hepler cut the lead to four with a birdie on the eighth, but when Fischer rolled in a 25-foot putt from the fringe on the 10th, Hepler acknowledged that it was a race for second place.

“He makes that from off the green and that was it,” said Hepler, who also shot a final-round 65. “I wanted to make some birdies today and I did that, but it did nothing for me. When he started making birdies, I knew it was over. He could have shot 63 today if he needed to.”

Fischer bogeyed the last, his only bogey of the day and just his fourth of the tournament.

Hepler, who played the Hogan (now Nike) Tour in 1990 then gave up professional golf for seven years to work as a stockbroker, made a 30-foot putt for birdie on the last hole to take sole possession of second place and the $8,000 runner-up check.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Hepler, who spends much of his time traveling the country trying to qualify on Monday for PGA Tour events. “This is like winning for me. This is the biggest check I’ve made this year.”

Jeff Sanday of South Pasadena, who also shot 65, finished third at 10 under and earned $5,000.

Steve Shriver of Cypress shot 68 and was the top Orange County player. He finished in a tie for 14th at 281 and won $1,300. Darren Ernst of Huntington Beach was a shot behind Shriver and PGA Tour player Steve Jurgenson of Newport Beach finished at 283.