Steinberg Tries to Take the Fifth

Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys tries again to make history beginning today in the 101st Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club.

Steinberg has won the title four times and will be trying to equal the record of Dr. Paul Hunter, who won the championship in 1908, 1909, 1921, 1924 and 1926.

The course, with its narrow fairways and small greens, could play into Steinberg’s hands. It is similar to Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake, where Steinberg won his last SCGA title in 1997.

“I like the golf course . . . I always do well on tough courses that require accuracy off the tee and that have hard, fast greens,” said Steinberg, who added shooting par could win the event. “I was out there [Thursday] morning. They have the rough up to four inches. It’s almost in U.S. Open condition.”

Max Behr designed the Rancho Santa Fe and Lakeside courses in the 1920s.

Steinberg also won in 1988, 1991 and 1992.

Johnny Dawson, the only other four-time winner, won titles in 1942, 1944, 1945 and 1952.

John Pate of Santa Barbara, brother of PGA Tour veteran Steve Pate, won the title last year at Industry Hills Golf Club.

Other former champions include Tiger Woods in 1994, Paul Stankowski in 1989, John Jacobs in 1966 and Al Geiberger in 1959 and 1956.

Among those who tried and failed to win the title are Phil Mickelson, Corey Pavin, Mark O’Meara, Scott Simpson, Craig Stadler and Steve Pate.

Charlie Wi of Westlake Village won in 1995 at Santa Ana Country Club.

Tim Hogarth of Northridge, the defending California Amateur champion and the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, has won practically every amateur title except the SCGA.

“This year I feel like I might redeem myself,” said Hogarth, who last weekend successfully defended his L.A. City championship. “My game has taken a dramatic turn up the last two years.”

Hogarth became the first golfer since Irving Cooper in 1950-51 to win consecutive L.A. City titles when he was the only player to shoot four rounds under 70. Hogarth became the third player to win three L.A. City titles, tying Bud Bradley, who won in 1969, ’71 and ‘73, and Michael Turner, who won in 1987, ’90 and ’97.

“I felt last weekend was the best I’ve played all year,” said Hogarth, who is looking forward to the tough conditions at Rancho Santa Fe. “I enjoy it any time you put a premium on driving straight and hitting a small, hard green.”

Rancho Santa Fe is a classic golfing treasure that opened in 1927.

Bing Crosby founded his famous Clambake at Rancho Santa Fe in 1937 and held it there until moving up the coast to Pebble Beach in 1947. Sam Snead won three times at Rancho Santa Fe.

Also in the field are J.T. Kohut of Simi Valley, Ryan Nomura of Carpinteria, Travis Matye of Lancaster, Scott Fulkerson of Simi Valley, Jeff Morrison of Castaic and Keith Kinsel of Glendale.

There will be 36 holes played today, with the field cut from 92 players to the low 42, including ties.

The third round is Saturday and the final round Sunday, with a sudden-death playoff following in the event of a tie.

*

Matye and Alex Kuyumjian of Thousand Oaks, former College of the Canyons teammates, qualified for the USGA Amateur Public Links tournament.

Matye, who helped Canyons win the state title this spring, shot 72-66--138 on Wednesday at Los Serranos Country Club. Kuyumjian, who played in 1998-99 at Canyons, finished in a four-way tie for second at 74-71--145.

The two advance to the national tournament July 10-15 at Heron Lakes Golf Course in Portland, Ore.

*

David Naish, Jeremy Bovill and Nicole Mayo won their respective divisions in the Ventura County Junior Golf Assn. event at River Ridge Golf Course in Oxnard on Monday.

Naish shot a one-over-par 73 to defeat Brandon Beck and Chris Finefrock by one stroke in the boys’ 15-17 division.

Bovill tied Jason Wilk at 76 and won in a card-off in the boys’ 13-14 division.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

LEADERBOARD

L.A. CITY MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Balboa, Encino, Harding and Wilson

Golf Courses

June 10-11 and 17-18

270--Tim Hogarth, Woodland Hills C.C. (68-69-67-66)

274--Brock Shafer, Los Serranos G.C. (70-62-66-66)

275--Scott Bashin, CS Northridge (70-64-69-72)

Craig Steinberg, Rancho Park G.C. (69-66-66-71)

280--Greg Puga, Brookside G.C. (68-70-71-71)

282--Bob Valerio, Skylinks G.C. (67-71-70-74)

284--Brian Woolf, Porter Valley C.C. (71-68-71-74)

285--John Denny, California C.C. (68-72-71-74)

Brian Miller, unattached (70-71-69-75)

Lew Murez, Sepulveda G.C. (68-69-74-74)

David Solomon, unattached (70-69-74-72)

*

U.S. SENIOR OPEN QUALIFYING

C.C. of Rancho Bernardo, San Diego

June 19

68--Rick Sprouse, El Cajon

Ray Carrasco, Irvine

Alternates

69--Alan Tapie, Dana Point

Kent Brown, Fallbrook

*

U.S. SENIOR OPEN QUALIFYING

Redlands Country Club

June 19

69--Jimmie Jones, Palmdale

Brian Gaddy, Palm Desert

Alternates

70--Ben Lantz, Palm Desert

Ted Lyford, Redlands

Skip Whittet, Rancho Mirage

*

U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN QUALIFYING

Glendora Country Club

June 13

70--Anne Lee, Northridge

71--Jae Jean Ro, San Jose

72--Christina Monteiro, Las Vegas

Anna Pianalto, Hermosa Beach

73--Dorothy Joy Delasin, Daly City

Dana Arnold-Ebster, Modesto

Alternates

74--Megumi Higuchi, San Gabriel

Yumi Kubota, Carlsbad

Stephanie Martin, Camarillo

75--Cheryl Musser, Valencia

*

AJGA LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Eagle Bend Golf Course, Lawrence, Kan.

June 20-22

211--Naree Song Wongluekiet, Bradenton, Fla. (68-71-72)

212--Aree Song Wongluekiet, Bradenton, Fla. (68-72-72)

Virada Nirapathpongporn, Bradenton, Fla. (71-71-73)

216--Ina Kim, Encino (69-73-74)

216--Catherine Cartwright, Bonita Springs, Fla. (74-69-74)

221--Erica Blasberg, Corona (74-72-75)

223--Paula Creamer, Pleasanton (73-79-71)

224--Lisa Ferrero, Lodi (73-72-79)

225--Kristi Larsen, Scottsdale, Ariz. (77-75-73)

Ashley Prange, Noblesville, Ind. (73-72-80)

Hana Kim, Encino (72-76-78)

226--Charlotte Mayorkas, Chula Vista (76-77-74)

Others

228--Angela Rho, Fullerton (74-79-75)

232--Kristin Thompson, Napa (76-79-77)

234--Erin Long, Napa (74-82-7)

235--Yvonne Choe, Temple City (78-80-77)

237--Candy Herrera, Apple Valley (82-74-81)

239--Ella Asbun, Miami (80-79-80)

241--Young Pak, Cerritos ( 82-79-80)

244--Sara Jones, Valencia (79-83-82)

248--Rebecca Norris, Thousand Oaks (80-83-85)

Tee Times

A look at tournaments in the region or major events involving top regional players:

JUNE

* Today-24: The Niguel Championship, El Niguel CC.

* 23-25: 101st SCGA Amateur Championship, Rancho Santa Fe GC.

* 26-28: AJGA Compaq Junior All-Star Classic, Kingwood Country Club, Kingwood, Texas.

* 26-29: AJGA OSSO Junior, Oak Tree Country Club, Edmund, Okla.

* 26-29: AJGA Langdon Farms Junior Classic, Langdon Farms Golf Club, Portland, Ore.

* 26-30: IZZO Cup Ullna Golf Course, Stockholm.

* 27: SCPGA Pro-Junior Championship, Temeku GC, Temecula.

* 27: Ventura County Junior Tournament, Sinaloa GC, Simi Valley.

* 28-30: Long Beach Women’s Championship, El Dorado GC, Skylinks GC, Recreation Park GC.

* 29: U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying, Singing Hills Resort, El Cajon.

* 30: SCPGA Pro-Junior Championship, San Luis CC, Bonsall.

*

JULY

* 3-6: AJGA Nabisco Junior, Mission Hills Country Club, Palmer Course, Rancho Mirage.

* 3: Ventura County Junior Tournament, Buenaventura GC.

* 5: U.S. Amateur Entry Deadline.

* 6: SCGA Mid-Amateur Qualifying, SCGA Member’s Club, Murrieta.

* 8-9: Oxnard City Championship, River Ridge GC, Oxnard.

* 10: SCPGA Skins Game, Monterey CC, Palm Desert.