For high-resolution photos, e-mail Katie Denbo of the SCGA at kdenbo@scga.org
HEADLINES
PAIRINGS ANNOUNCED FOR THE HONORS MATCHES NOVEMBER 16
AT THE SCGA GOLF COURSE
November 14 – Pairings have been announced for the inaugural playing of The Honors Matches with 10 top players from the Southern California Golf Association competing against a contingent from the Southern California Section of the PGA in four-ball matches on Friday, Nov. 16, at The SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta.
The event, which is sponsored by TaylorMade-adidas, kicks off with the opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. The matches will begin at 9 a.m. Spectators are welcome at no charge; the course is located at 39500 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Murrieta (east of I-15 and I-215). Live scoring will be at www.scga.org.
PAIRINGS
• 9:00 a.m.: (SCPGA) Jerry Wisz, Alhambra GC, and Bob E. Smith, Ventura, vs. (SCGA) Rich Tolly, El Niguel CC, and Steve Rhorer, Mesa Verde CC.
• 9:10 a.m.: (SCPGA) Butch Sheehan, Indian Wells CC, and Ryan Kennedy, Saticoy CC, vs. (SCGA) John Pate, The Valley Club, and Tim Hogarth, Brookside GC.
• 9:20 a.m.: (SCPGA) Dave Podas, Bel-Air CC, and Dale Abraham, PGA of So. Calif. GC, vs. (SCGA) Scott McGihon, Avondale CC, and Tim Mickelson, The Farms GC.
• 9:30 a.m.: (SCPGA) Jim Gormley, Palos Verdes GC, and Scott Miller, North Ranch CC, vs. (SCGA) David Bartman, Brentwood CC, and Robert Funk, Bear Creek GC.
• 9:40 a.m.: (SCPGA) Scott Heyn, Black Gold GC, and Dave Hutchens, Black Gold GC, vs. (SCGA) Joe Greiner, Valencia CC, and Brian Edick, Vista Valencia GC.
In four-ball matches each side is represented by two players; each plays his own ball and the better score of the two players is the team score for the hole. Each match will be worth three points (one point for the front side, one for the back and one overall). Pairings will be announced next week.
Each of the 10-man teams must contain at least two seniors (age 55 or older). Per NCAA regulations, they cannot be playing in college golf programs. The SCGA team was picked from its 2007 “Player of the Year” and “Senior Player of the Year” points lists.
SCGA, SCPGA TO INAUGURATE THE HONORS MATCHES NOVEMBER 16
AT THE SCGA GOLF COURSE IN MURRIETA
The Southern California Golf Association and Southern California Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America will inaugurate The Honors Matches with 10 top players from each association competing in four-ball matches on Nov. 16 at The SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta.
The Honors Matches, which is sponsored by TaylorMade-adidas, will salute two outstanding Southern California golf legends, former Bel-Air CC head professional Eddie Merrins of Los Angeles, and former U.S. Junior Amateur and two-time SCGA Senior Amateur champion Bud Bradley of Palm Desert. They are being honored for their past performance and years of dedicated service to the game and will serve as honorary captains of each team for the event.
In four-ball matches each side is represented by two players; each plays his own ball and the better score of the two players is the team score for the hole. Each match will be worth three points (one point for the front side, one for the back and one overall). Pairings will be announced next week.
Each of the 10-man teams must contain at least two seniors (age 55 or older). Per NCAA regulations, they cannot be playing in college golf programs. The SCGA team was picked from its 2007 “Player of the Year” and “Senior Player of the Year” points lists.
Each match will be worth three points (one point for the front side, one for the back and one overall).
The SCPGA team, captained by SCPGA Past President Bill Hulbert of Black Gold GC, is comprised of the following players (click on The Pros link above to see individual accomplishments): Dale Abraham (PGA of Southern California Golf Club Director of Instruction), Jim Gormley (Palos Verdes Golf Club), Scott Heyn (Black Gold GC), Dave Hutchens (Black Gold GC), Ryan Kennedy(Saticoy CC), Scott Miller (North Ranch CC), David Podas (Bel Air Country Club head golf professional), Butch Sheehan, (senior, Indian Wells CC), Bob E. Smith, (senior, Ventura), and Jerry Wisz, (senior, Alhambra Golf Club).
The SCGA team, captained by SCGA Immediate Past President Ed Holmes, is comprised of the following players: David Bartman (Los Angeles), Brian Edick (Valencia), Robert Funk (Canyon Lake), Joe Greiner (Saugus), Tim Hogarth (Northridge), Scott McGihon (Bermuda Dunes), Tim Mickelson (San Diego), John Pate (Santa Barbara), Steve Rhorer (senior, Costa Mesa), and Rich Tolly (senior, Laguna Niguel).
ABOUT SCGA HONORARY CAPTAIN BUD BRADLEY
Foster “Bud” Bradley won the 1954 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, beating a field that included future PGA Tour stars such as Deane Beman, Tommy Aaron and a kid named Nicklaus. A lifelong amateur and graduate of USC, Bradley won six Los Angeles City championships, five Pasadena City Amateur titles, two SCGA Senior Amateur championships and club titles at four different clubs, including 11 times at Wilshire CC.
In 1997, almost 43 years later to the day he won the Junior Amateur, Bradley captured the British Senior Amateur Championship at the English clubs Sherwood Forest and Coxmoor. He also competed in 20 USGA national championships.
ABOUT SCPGA HONORARY CAPTAIN EDDIE MERRINS
Affectionately known as the “Little Pro,” Eddie Merrins has long been revered as a golf guru. For nearly 40 years Merrins was head golf professional at Bel-Air CC; he also coached the UCLA men’s golf team that won the NCAA championship in 1998.
Merrins has played golf since he was an 11-year-old in Meridian, Mississippi. He won the Mississippi state amateur title at 17 and was awarded an athletic scholarship to Louisiana State University after winning the 1950 Jaycee National Junior tournament. He also won the prestigious Western Amateur Championship in 1955 before turning professional in 1957. He played in more than 200 PGA Tour events.
After stints as an instructor at the legendary Merion Golf Club outside Philadelphia, Thunderbird Country Club in Palm Springs, and the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, in 1962 he became head professional at the Bel–Air CC, working with prominent members in the entertainment industry along with such PGA Tour professionals as Duffy Waldorf, Tom Pernice, Jr., Corey Pavin and Bob May.
ABOUT THE SCGA
Founded in 1899, the SCGA is one of the nation’s oldest and largest state/regional golf associations, with more than 160,000 individuals who belong to more than 1,200 member clubs throughout Southern California and Baja California. The SCGA provides USGA-approved handicap indexes for its members; measures and rates more than 450 golf courses; has one of the nation’s most significant tournament programs, with more than 150 days of events available to golfers of all abilities; is active in turfgrass research, junior golf and many education activities through the SCGA Foundation; publishes FORE Magazine and the annual Southern California Directory of Golf; and communicates to members and the golfing public at large through SCGA E-Communications and the SCGA Web site.
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION OF THE PGA
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has grown into the world's largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game. The Southern California Section is one of 41 PGA Sections nationwide. With over 1,800 professionals it is second largest Section in the country. The SCPGA stages numerous professional events and educational opportunities throughout the Southland all designed to keep the PGA Professional as a leader in the game. It also operates the SCPGA Junior Tour, one of the largest junior golf associations in the country.
|
