NICK DELIO DEFEATS AUSTIN ROBERTS TO WIN 97th CALIFORNIA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Cal State Northridge sophomore become third Matador in 14 years to claim coveted title

Nick Delio of Valencia won the 2008 California Amateur Championship at Lakeside GC, 7 & 5, over Austin Roberts of Carmichael. Photo by Katie Denbo/SCGA.

By Robert D. Thomas
BURBANK, June 21 — Combining 320+ yard drives with a deft scrambling short game, 18-year-old Nick Delio of Valencia overpowered 15-year-old Austin Roberts of Carmichael, 7 & 5, in the 36-hole final match to win the 97th California Amateur Championship at historic Lakeside Golf Club today.

The Cal State Northridge sophomore became the third Matador in the past 14 years to claim the coveted gold medal; Jeff Sanday won in 1995 and Tim Hogarth captured the crown in 1999.

He also became the second consecutive 18-year-old to win the title (after Josh Anderson last year) and the fourth teen in the last six years to claim the crown. Delio also denied Roberts the opportunity of becoming the youngest champion in California Amateur history.

After an up-and-down morning round that saw the match all square after 15 holes, Delio birdied two of the final three holes to take a 2-up lead at intermission. In the afternoon portion, Delio turned as hot as the 100+ degree heat, making three birdies and an eagle in the first four holes to increase his lead to 6 up.

From that point, Delio — who was playing in just his second match play event (he lost in the first round of last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur) — scrambled on each of the next nine holes, but closed with eight pars and a bogey. Roberts, whose drives were frequently 40-50 yards behind Delio, hung tough but simply could not buy a putt. The match ended on the 293-yard 13th hole when, from the center of the fairway, Roberts pulled his approach shot into a bunker, could only get to the fringe, chipped long and conceded the match.

Overall, counting the normal match play concessions, Delio had nine birdies and an eagle in 31 holes; Roberts could muster only three birdies in the two rounds. “Once I got 6 up,” Delio said after his win, “I just told myself to stick to my game plan, hitting fairways and greens, and force him to make birdies to win holes. When you’re down, making six birdies is a tall order.”

Delio began his afternoon round by pushing his drive into the right tree line but hit a 140-yard wedge shot stiff to continue his birdie roll. On the 468-yard, par-5 second hole, Delio hit driver-wedge to 16 feet and rolled in the putt for an eagle 3.

After winning the third hole with a birdie 2, Delio’s rammed his second shot 254 yards to the green on the 568-yard, par-5 fifth hole and two putted for birdie to put himself 6 up. “I didn’t play all that badly,” said Roberts after the match (he was 1 over par in the afternoon), “but he just played better.”

Delio, the Big West freshman of the year, is so strong off the tee that, for the second time this week, he cracked his golf ball while hitting a fairway metal on the 11th hole. “I thought I hit the shot pretty well,” said Delio afterwards, “but it just died in the air and I asked the referee to let me check it. It was almost cracked in half.” Undaunted, Delio scrambled to a par 4 to maintain his 6-up lead.

Delio got into the tournament as an alternate a week before it began when E.J. Kahn withdrew because of an injury. Delio isn’t the first alternate to win — Charlie Wi won the title as an alternate in 1990 — but he’s one of the few to do so.

Because Lakeside allows the CSUN golf team to play every Wednesday, Delio came in with a “home course” advantage and thrived on it all week. “It was a pretty substantial advantage,” he noted, “but you still have to execute the shots and play well. I’m very proud of the way I played.”

Even on a course that measures just 6,530 yards, Delio’s length was a clear advantage. “Usually I’m longer off the tee,” he said, “so that usually gives me an edge. Plus, I hit my iron shots really well all week so that was a bonus.”

Delio opened the stroke play portion with a 4-under-par 66 at Lakeside and eventually tied for fourth in the stroke play portion of the venerable event. He defeated his college teammate, Erik Jarvey, in the first round of match play, then knocked out reigning NCGA Senior Amateur champion Jeff Burda and reigning NCGA Amateur champion Ryan Hallisey to reach the semifinals, where he defeated the No. 2 seed, Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes, 8 & 7, to reach the finals.

The win gives Delio an invitation into the Pacific Coast Amateur in August at Royal Colwood GC in Victoria, British Columbia. He had already qualified for the 109th SCGA Amateur Championship, which will be played July 18-20 at Saticoy CC in Somis. He also receives a 10-year exemption into future California Amateur Championships.

Looking at the sterling silver Edward B. Tufts championship trophy after his win, Delio said, “I join an elite group and I’m just thankful I got to play.”

View complete, hole-by-hole scores HERE.

View the final round photo gallery HERE.

Nick Delio of Valencia to meet Austin Roberts of Carmichael in the finals of the California Amateur

BURBANK, June 20 — Austin Roberts of Carmichael will chase both a title and history tomorrow. Nick Delio of Valencia hopes to take a giant step in his burgeoning golf career. They will meet tomorrow in the 36-hole final match of the 97th California Amateur Championship at Lakeside Golf Club.

Roberts, who at age 15 would be the tournament’s youngest champion (Mac Hunter was 16 when he won in 1972), defeated 18-year-old James Erkenbeck of San Diego, 3 & 2, in the quarterfinals this morning and then took out one of the two remaining medalists and the No. 1 seed, Matt Hoffenberg of Simi Valley, 5 & 4, in the semifinals this afternoon.

The 18-year-old Delio, a Cal State Northridge sophomore who got into the tournament at the last minute as an alternate, wore down reigning NCGA Amateur champion Ryan Hallisey of Granite Bay, 3 & 2, in the quarters and then dashed the hopes of the other remaining medalist and the No. 2 seed, 40-year-old Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes, with an 8 & 7 semifinal win...MORE

For complete, hole-by-hole scores, click HERE.

For the semifinal photo gallery, click HERE.

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