Six past SCGA senior champions looking to collect SCGA Super Senior win at The River Course at The Alisal on Sept. 30

Ray Vanyo of Banning is looking for his second SCGA Super Senior win; his first came in 2006. Photo by Robert D. Thomas/SCGA.

By Katie Denbo
Southern California Golf Association

In its first year being held separate from the SCGA Senior Amateur, many notable past SCGA senior titleholders, including 2006 SCGA Super Senior champion Ray Vanyo of Banning, will tee it up at the 9th SCGA Super Senior Championship September 30-October 1 at The River Course at The Alisal in Solvang.

Tee times for the 65-and-older event begin at 8:00 a.m. off the first and 10th tees. Spectators are welcome free of charge.

Vanyo, 70, tied for fifth at the 2005 CGA Senior Amateur, placed second at the 2005 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Match Play and tied for third at the 2005 SCGA Senior Amateur championships before winning his title at the neighboring Ranch Course at The Alisal in 2006. Defending champion Robert Carver, 73, of Fullerton was scheduled to compete, but withdrew this morning. Carver would have been vying for his record fourth super senior title (he won the 2004-05 event).

Other players of note include Robert Wernick, 68, of Rancho Mirage, 1997 SCGA Senior Amateur champion, 2007 SCGA Super Senior runner-up, T5 at the 2007 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship, and T3 at the 2007 SCGA Super-Senior; Frank Merhar, 66, of La Jolla, 1998 SCGA Senior Amateur champion, 2006 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Net Match Play champion, fifth at the 2007 SCGA Super Senior, T4 at the 2008 SCGA Senior, and semifinalist at the 2008 (inaugural) SCGA Senior Match Play Championship; Jerry Hutton, 65, of Long Beach, 2007 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Net champion and T7 at the 2006 CGA Senior Amateur; Paul Ladin, 75, of Westlake Village, 1995 SCGA Senior Amateur champion; Marty Temple, 65, of Anaheim, T5 at the 2007 SCGA Senior Four-Ball and semifinalist at the 2005 SCGA Senior Four-Ball Match Play championships, and Ralph Rubenstein, 71, of La Quinta, 1996 SCGA Senior Amateur champion.

Due to the popular demand of the championship, this is the first year the event will be played separately from the SCGA Senior Amateur Championship (55 and older), with which it was played concurrently since its inception in 2000.