Hogarth Stays Right on Course at Hillcrest

Tim Hogarth is among the favorites just about any time he tees up in a golf tournament, but if he was ever going to add the Southern California Golf Assn. amateur championship to his resume, many figured this year would be his best chance.

The course, Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, is a short, tight layout that rewards control more than driving distance and putting. It set up perfectly for Hogarth and he knew it.

He did not waste the opportunity.

Hogarth, 38, of Northridge, overcame two bogeys in his first three holes, shot one-under-par 69 in the final round Sunday and won by four shots with a four-round total of one-under 279.

Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes shot 70 and finished second at three-over 283. Steve Conway, twice a runner-up in this event, shot 72 and finished third at 284.

“There were a lot of expectations on me this week,” Hogarth said. “A lot of people expected me to win. I kind of fluffed it off.

“It’s a compliment when your competitors say those things, but I still had to go out there and play.”

Hogarth won the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links championship, the 1999 California amateur championship and is the only four-time winner of the Los Angeles City championship.

But the former Golden State Tour pro, who regained his amateur status in 1996, had never been in contention at the SCGA amateur until this year.

He entered the final round tied for the lead with Greg Lopez. But Hogarth will be the first to say that when he is playing well, he can be very good and when he isn’t, he can struggle.

So after he squandered that lead with the two early bogeys and then hit his drive left into deep rough on No. 4, Hogarth had a talk with himself.

“I thought, ‘Here we go again,’ ” he said. “I was supposed to do some damage in the first few holes, but here I am going the other way.”

The group in front needed a ruling, which proved to be a turning point for Hogarth, standing in the rough waiting to hit his second shot on the fourth.

“It gave me time to think about what I was doing,” he said. “I shortened my swing, and I’m proud that I was able to turn it around.”

Hogarth made birdie on that hole and didn’t make another bogey until No. 16. In between he made birdies on Nos. 9, 10 and 14 to take control. Lopez faded with a double bogey-bogey-bogey stretch on Nos. 9 through 11. He shot 77 and finished seventh.

McGihon got to within a stroke after Hogarth bogeyed the third, but he was three back by the turn and did not threaten the lead on the back nine.

“I know better than anyone that when it’s your time, it’s your time,” said McGihon, who won in 2000 after several near-misses.

“Tim played great. Under par is very good on this course.”

Hogarth was the only one who broke par for the tournament. He and Lopez were the only players with two rounds in the 60s and Hogarth made par or better on a tournament-best 58 of 72 holes.

“They finally came to a course suited to my game,” Hogarth said. “I’m a strange player because I’m not good all the time. But sooner or later, I knew I would have my good stuff at this tournament.”