Pate Claims SCGA Title With Birdie on 18th Hole

Eventually, John Pate figured, he would have to win the SCGA Amateur championship.

The older brother of PGA Tour player Steve Pate held leads late in the tournament four times in the last 10 years, but hadn’t finished higher than third.

On Sunday, he didn’t have a chance to let a lead slip away. He did not have it.

At least not until his birdie putt on the 18th hole on Industry Hills’ Eisenhower course dropped, giving him a one-shot victory over Scott McGhion of Bermuda Dunes.

Pate, a 39-year-old stockbroker from Santa Barbara, was two shots behind McGhion, a UC Irvine graduate, with three holes to play.

When McGhion three-putted from 100 feet on the 16th, the lead was one. Pate then birdied the final two holes to clinch the title with a four-day total of one-over-par 287.

“It’s especially satisfying when you’re as old as I am and haven’t ever won anything,” Pate said. “For a lot of the guys playing here this is like a stepping stone to something else, but a tournament like this is a big deal for me.”

Pate, who had his clubs stolen on a recent trip to Ireland, was using a new set his brother gave him. Not yet used to the driver, he used a 2-iron off the tee on most holes and it saved him on the 18th.

After hitting a pitching wedge to within three feet and making a birdie on 17, Pate pulled his 2-iron tee shot toward a lake on the left side of the par-5 finishing hole and the ball bounced and stopped four feet from the water.

He played a layup shot, then hit a wedge from 100 yards to within two feet.

McGhion’s wedge shot ended up 18 feet from the hole. His birdie attempt slid by and Pate tapped in for the victory.

“I was so nervous over that putt,” Pate said. “I just wanted to go up there and hit it in as fast as possible.”

It is the second consecutive year that McGhion has held the third-round lead and let it slip away.

“I feel a lot worse this year,” McGhion said. “I kept thinking that this was my year. After making the turn in 34, I was like ‘Dang, this is a good round.’ ”

Jason Beach of Cypress finished tied for sixth with a four-round total of 296. Han Lee of Fullerton was two shots behind Beach. Steve Conway of Dove Canyon, who shared the lead after two rounds, finished in 25th at 304.