By Katie Denbo
Southern California Golf Association

As far as Pleasant Hills’ Gary Vanier is concerned, not only is the second time a charm to make CGA history, but the more exciting the better.

Vanier, the 1982 California Amateur champion and runner up in last year’s CGA Senior Amateur, eagled the par-5 18th hole at Poppy Hills today to win his first state senior amateur title by one stroke over Costa Mesa’s Steve Rhorer, and is now also the first person in the tournament's history to win both the state amateur and senior amateur titles. He shot a 1-over-par 73 in his final to put him at a 5-over-par 221 for the tournament.

“It’s always nice to win, especially after last year,” said Vanier, who shot 73-75 in his previous rounds. “I didn’t think I had a chance today. The only good putt I had was the eagle putt on 18 for the win.”

While the par-3 holes were not good to Vanier (he bogeyed the sixth hole and double-bogeyed No. 11), a 5-foot eagle putt on 18 was all he needed to secure the championship and his bid for a place in the history books.

“I played steady, but nothing I’d call great,” he said. “The course was hard and the greens were slow and bumpy so it was really hard to get comfortable with my putting game.”

Just coming off a five-month golf hiatus thanks to shoulder surgery, Rhorer too shot a 73 today, but bogeyed four of the first nine holes (despite birdieing four of the last nine) and couldn’t make up the one-shot deficit after shooting 73-76 the days prior.

“I don’t know what it was, but I wasn’t comfortable out there,” the former UC Santa Barbara golfer said. “I had trouble with the speed on longer putts, but I made up for it in other places.”

Rob Thompson, tournament leader coming into the final day, was unable to chip in from the bunker on 18 for the eagle necessary to tie Vanier; instead, the retired Merced P.E. teacher parred it for a 77 and secured third place with a 70-76-77—223.

“The Advil worked but the putter didn’t,” he chuckled. “When you get old, it makes it hard for the body to do this stuff. The jinx came back and the putter went sour.”

Defending champion Steve Bogan of Placentia, to whom Vanier lost to in a playoff last year, fell to sixth place at 71-79-76---226.

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6/21: Thompson continues to lead Senior Amateur by one shot

Rob Thompson of Merced is still leading the 16th California Golf Association (CGA) Senior Amateur Championship by one shot after two rounds. He’s just not sure why.

The 2004 winner of this event overcame a bizarre bad break to post a 4-over-par 76 today. His two-day total of 146, 2 over par, leaves him where he started today, one shot in front of two players. Charley Griswold of Ojai added a 74 today to his 73 of yesterday, while Frank Abbot of Napa slipped from a 72 yesterday to a 75 today; both are at 147.

Thompson, who played in one of the final groups today, was amazed to find himself in the championship lead. “I couldn’t buy a putt all day,” he said later, “and what happened on No. 11 was weird.” Thompson’s tee shot on the 196-yard, par-3 hole struck a sprinkler head in front of the green and bounced over the green out of bounds. “If that ball hits inches away, it probably rolls up for a birdie putt,” said Thompson. “Instead, I make 6. That’s golf, I suppose.”...MORE