LIVE SCORING

FRIDAY, DEC. 12 SCHEDULE & PAIRINGS (FOUR-BALL) 10:45 a.m. — Opening Ceremonies 11:30 a.m. — Knodt/Martin (SCGA) vs. Fiedler/Wisz (SCPGA) 11:40 a.m. — Bartman/Funk (SCGA) vs. Abraham/Gormley (SCPGA) 11:50 a.m. — Marsh/Pate (SCGA) vs. Kelly/Nakamura (SCPGA)  12:00 p.m. — Almquist/DuBois (SCGA) vs. Minerd/Sheehan (SCPGA) 12:10 p.m. — Edick/Mickelson (SCGA) vs. Miles/Starkjohann (SCPGA) 12:20 p.m. — Adams/McGihon (SCGA) vs. Mahlberg/Sowinski (SCPGA) SATURDAY, DEC. 13 SCHEDULE & PAIRINGS (FOURSOMES) 8:00 a.m. — Bartman/Funk (SCGA) vs. Kelly/Nakamura (SCPGA) 8:09 a.m. — Almquist/DuBois (SCGA) vs. Abraham/Gormley (SCPGA) 8:18 a.m. — Knodt/Martin (SCGA) vs. Fiedler/Wisz (SCPGA) 8:27 a.m. — Marsh/Pate (SCGA) vs. Miles/Sheenan (SCPGA) 8:36 a.m. — Edick/Mickelson (SCGA) vs. Mahlberg/Sowinski (SCPGA) 8:45 a.m. — Adams/McGihon (SCGA) vs. Minerd/Starkjohann (SCPGA) 11:30 a.m. — Awards reception following play

The SCGA's winning team is (l-r) captain Bob Lowe, Robert Funk, John Adams, Boyd Martin, Don DuBois, Howie Knodt, Scott Almquist, honorary captain Mark Johnson, Brian Edick, Tim Mickelson, David Bartman, Kevin Marsh, Scott McGihon, John Pate, and SCGA President Kent Keller. Photo by Katie Denbo/SCGA.

SCGA defeats SoCal PGA 23 1/2 to 12 1/2 to defend title in the 2nd Honors Matches

INDIAN WELLS, Dec. 13 -- The SCGA amateur team continued its commanding performance in today's foursomes matches, to defend its title and defeat the Southern California PGA team 23 1/2 to 12 1/2 in the 2nd Honors Matches at Indian Wells CC.

Beginning the day with a 12 1/2 to 5 1/2 lead over their professional counterparts, the SCGA concluded the championship by winning four of the six overall foursomes matches today.

Santa Barbara's John Pate set the pace for the SCGA team when on the par-4 10th, he holed out partner Kevin Marsh's drive from the fairway, a 7-iron shot from 164 yards in the alternate-shot format. He then had a 15-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 11th hole, which led to defeating Virginia CC's Mike Miles and Indian Wells CC's Butch Sheehan 4 and 2.

"My partner hardly had to putt today," Pate said with a laugh. The duo collected six birdies, an eagle and one bogey in their effort.

Canyon Lake's Robert Funk and Los Angeles' David Bartman, the 2006 SCGA Four-Ball and 2007 SCGA Foursomes champions, defeated Tamarisk CC's Kyle Kelly and Aviara Golf Academy's Bruce Nakamura 2 up in their match.

"We played well enough to win, although we could have played better" Funk, who is also the 2006 SCGA Mid-Amateur champion, said after their round. "You can't even compare it to yesterday's four-ball rounds, it's such a different format. We shot even-par though, which worked."

In other matches:

• Valencia's Brian Edick and San Diego's Tim Mickelson (SCGA) defeated Stadium Golf Center's Scott Mahlberg and Morgan Run Resort's Gary Sowinski, 3 and 2, after being all square for the first four holes of the match.
• San Clemente's John Adams and three-time SCGA Amateur champion Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes defeated the SCPGA's Chuck Minerd of Golf Made Easy and Torrey Pines Outings' Chris Starkjohann, 1 up. The SCPGA duo stalled on holes 13 through 16, going bogey-birdie-bogey-double bogey.
• SCGA's Scott Almquist of Coto de Caza and Don DuBois of Newport Beach halved their match between East Valley GC's Dale Abraham and Palos Verdes CC's Jim Gormley.
• Seniors Jerry Wisz of Alhambra GC and Jon Fiedler of Las Posas CC came back from yesterday's loss to defeat Howie Knodt of Chula Vista, SCGA Senior Player of the Year, and Boyd Martin of Corona del Mar, the 2008 SCGA Senior Match Play champion, 2 and 1.

The Honors Matches began last year as joint effort between the SCGA and SCPGA, and honored two individuals who have contributed to their respective associations. Len Kennett, longtime junior golf advocate and professional, was the honorary captain of the SCPGA's team, while Mark Johnson, multiple SCGA titleholder, led the amateur team.

"The SCGA team did excellent today, it was nice to see some of the guys I played with in the past and the new players coming up," said Johnson, who has won more SCGA championship titles than any golfer in the SCGA's history. "I feel so honored to be here and it brought back a lot of great memories for me, although I was itching to get out there and play myself after watching them."

Past SCPGA President and PGA captain Patrick Casey of Brentwood CC concurred. "The guys are all such gentlemen, and there was some great golf played out there today."

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

View the final-round photo gallery HERE.

The SCGA team (left) poses with the SCPGA team and TaylorMade representatives (center) at the first tee. Photo: Chris Austin/SCPGA.

SCGA leads SCPGA 12.5 to 5.5 going into final round of 2nd Honors Matches

INDIAN WELLS, Dec. 12 -- The SCGA amateur team took a commanding lead over its professional counterparts in the 2nd Honors Matches, leading the Southern California PGA 12.5 to 5.5 after today's four-ball matches at Indian Wells CC.

The SCGA's Boyd Martin of Corona del Mar, the 2008 SCGA Senior Match Play champion, teamed with Chula Vista's Howie Knodt, the SCGA Senior Player of the Year, to represent the event's senior contingent, and together the duo combined for a best-ball 64 over the 1956 Eddie Susalla designed Classic Course to defeat the SCPGA's Jon Fiedler and Jerry Wisz, 2 and 1.

Martin, shooting a 67 on his own ball, was the second-lowest score of the day only to 2008 SCGA Amateur champion Kevin Marsh of Henderson, NV, who collected a 66. Marsh, who eagled the par-5 18th hole to shoot a 31 on the back side, teamed with Santa Barbara's John Pate to halve their match between Tamarisk CC's Kyle Kelly and Aviara Golf Academy's Bruce Nakamura.

In other matches, Los Angeles' David Bartman and Canyon Lake's Robert Funk (SCGA) defeated East Valley GC's Dale Abraham and Palos Verdes CC's Jim Gormley (SCPGA), 1 up; Coto de Caza's Scott Almquist and Newport Beach's Don DuBois (SCGA) defeated Golf Made Easy's Chuck Minerd and Indian Wells CC's Butch Sheehan (SCPGA), 2 up; and San Clemente's John Adams and Bermuda Dunes' Scott McGihon (SCGA) defeated Stadium Golf Center's Scott Mahlberg and Morgan Run Resort's Gary Sowinski (SCPGA), 3 and 2.

The SCPGA's only overall victory came from the team of Virginia CC's Mike Miles and Torrey Pines Outings' Chris Starkjohann, who defeated the SCGA's Brian Edick of Valencia and Tim Mickelson of San Diego, 1 up.

Tomorrow's final round will consist of foursomes matches and the first tee time begins at 8:00 a.m. Spectators are welcome free of charge.

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

For a photo gallery, click HERE.

SCGA looks to defend Honors Matches title against SCPGA December 12-13 at Indian Wells CC

By Katie Denbo
Southern California Golf Association

Twelve of the Southern California Golf Association's top amateurs will try to defend their title when they take on twelve of the Southern California Section of the PGA's strongest professionals in the 2nd Honors Matches, December 12-13 at Indian Wells CC.

The SCGA is the defending champion of the event. In 2007 the amateur team defeated the SCPGA 8.5 to 6.5 in a competition that came down to the final hole where the SCGA's David Bartman sank a birdie putt on 18 to secure the win (see last year's site HERE).

As part of the Honors Matches tradition, each team will salute an influential person in their respective associations. The SCGA will honor multiple SCGA championship titleholder Mark Johnson, while the SCPGA will honor Len Kennett, longtime junior golf advocate and professional. They are being honored for their past performances and years of dedicated service to the game and will serve as honorary captains of each team for the event...MORE