Rock-Solid Conway Trails by 1

Rest assured, Steve Conway will not be attending any rock concerts tonight.

The 18-year-old from Dove Canyon planned on getting a good night’s rest at the nearby home of a family friend, waking up early today and coming to Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club well-prepared for his third round in the Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship.

Conway, a recent graduate of Santa Margarita High who is headed to UCLA, shot rounds of 71-68 Friday for a total of three-under-par 139 and is one shot behind leader Darin Sullivan of San Diego.

It’s a familiar position in this tournament for Conway, who led after 36 holes last year at Industry Hills, but went to see a rock concert by the Offspring after the second round and shot 80 the next day.

A year later Conway is showing more maturity.

“No concerts tonight,” Conway said. “Last year I didn’t really think I needed to play well in this tournament, but I guess it means a lot more to me now. I was thinking about all the tournaments I’ve played in the last year and how much more I’m focused this year.”

Conway, who set a CIF-SCGA record by shooting seven-under-par 65 at the SCGA Members’ Club on June 6, started with 10 pars in his morning round, which began on the more difficult back nine at Rancho Santa Fe.

The back nine includes a treacherous stretch of the 453-yard 11th, 450-yard 12th and 428-yard 13th--all par fours.

He was six shots behind first-round leader John Mallinger of Long Beach, who opened with a course-record 65, but followed with a 76 and is three shots back.

In the afternoon, Conway took advantage of the easier front nine, making birdies on four of his first six holes with crisp iron play.

He hit 14 greens in regulation, including shots to within six feet on Nos. 4, 5 and 6. He made birdies on all three.

“I could feel it early this morning,” Conway said. “When I got through 11, 12 and 13 with pars, I felt pretty comfortable and this afternoon was the best I’ve focused in a while.”

Sullivan, the leader, may have the advantage of local knowledge. The 22-year-old UC San Diego student works in the cart barn at Rancho Santa Fe.

Players with Orange County ties hold five of the top eight spots. Scott McGhion, a graduate of UC Irvine and runner-up last year, is two shots back in third place. Bret Parker of Villa Park and UC Irvine’s Eric Wang are tied for fifth at 142. Terry Noe of Fullerton is tied for eighth at 144.