SCGA’s best set to take on pros in The Honors Matches

The 4th Honors Matches, hosted jointly by the Southern California Golf Association and the PGA of Southern California, will take place at Toscana CC Friday and Saturday. This Ryder Cup-style event pits ten of the best SCGA amateurs against ten of the finest PGA section members in Four-Ball and Individual match play. The format will be 18 holes of Four-Ball Match Play Friday, starting at 11:15 a.m., and 18 holes of Individual Match Play Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Each team will consist of 10 players. Each match will be worth 3 points, 1 point for the front nine, 1 point for the back nine and 1 point for the overall 18 hole match.

Each association will honor an individual for their past performance or years of dedicated service to the game of golf. The 2012 SCGA honoree will be former SCGA Executive Director Tom Morgan. The SCPGA will honor 1985 and 1999 SCPGA Golf Professional of the Year and SCPGA Hall of Fame Member Jerry Anderson. They will serve as honorary captains of each team for the event. 

Four-Ball Match Play Pairings (PGA Professionals in bold)

2012 Honors Matches - SCGA Team

Tom Morgan
Captain and Honoree

Morgan retired in 2006 after 13 years as the SCGA executive director, concluding a 33-year career in the golf industry. He began as assistant executive director at the SCGA in 1972 before spending 10 years as the executive director of the Century Club of San Diego, which presents the PGA TOUR event now known as the Farmers Insurance Open. He returned to the SCGA to assume the executive director position in 1993, where he enhanced relations with industry partners and expanded the SCGA’s growing programs and reputation as one of the best state and regional golf associations in the country.

A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Morgan was assistant athletic director and business manager there. He also spent time as the assistant commissioner of athletics for the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section prior to joining the SCGA. Morgan extended his impact on the golf community by serving as president of the International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) in 2006, and has been actively involved in national and regional organizations including the United States Golf Association's Regional Associations, Joe Dey Award and Green Committees, golf advisory committees for the City and County of Los Angeles, the Southern California Section of the PGA and the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission ever since. In 2009, the IAGA honored Morgan by selecting him as their Distinguished Service Award recipient.

Jeff Burda

Residence: Modesto, Club: PGA West, age: 59

2009-2011 CGA Senior Amateur Champion, 2011 SCGA Senior Amateur Champion.

Dave Delich

Residence: Colorado Springs, Club: Pauma Valley CC, age: 56

1997 Colorado State Mid-Amateur Champion, 2007 and 2011 Colorado State Senior Amateur Match Play Champion, 2012 Colorado State Senior Amateur Stoke Play Champion, 2012 SCGA Senior Amateur Champion, competed in seven USGA Championships including 2008 U.S. Senior Open.

Tim Hogarth

Residence: Northridge, Club: Lost Canyons, age: 46

1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links Champion, 1997 Masters Participant, 1999 California Amateur Champion, 2004 SCGA Amateur Champion, 5-time SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion, 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur Runner-Up

Kevin Fitzgerald

Residence: Riverside, Club: Moreno Valley Ranch, age: 24

Qualified for 2011 U.S. Amateur, Qualified for 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, 2012 Inland Empire Amateur Champion, Co-medalist at the 2010 California Amateur.

John McClure

Residence: Los Angeles, Club: Los Angeles CC, age: 53

2005 SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion, 2012 U.S. Amateur participant, Round of 32 at 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Mark Miller

Residence, West Covina, Club: Brookside, age: 44

2011 & 2012 SCGA Foursomes Champion w/ Dan Sullivan, qualified for 2011 U.S. Public Links Championship, qualified for 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship making Round of 32 in 2011, 2011 California Amateur Round of 16.

Paul Misko

Residence: Thousand Oaks, Club: Roger Dunn Thousand Oaks, age: 23

2012 U.S. Amateur Round of 32, 2011-2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links Round of 64, 2010 low amateur at Northern California Open, 2010 Runner-up at the Southern California Community College Championship

Gary Robinson

Residence: San Diego, Club: The Farms, age: 34

Qualified for seven USGA championships, three U.S. Amatuers, three U.S. Amateur Public Links, one U.S. Mid-Amateur, qualified for match play at 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur, qualified for match play at the 2012 California Amateur, tied for 5th at the 2012 SCGA Mid-Amateur.

Corby Segal

Residence: Santa Clarita, Club: Woodland Hills CC, age: 41

2012 Quarterfinalist at U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2012 Woodland Hills CC club champion, caddied in 2006 and 2009 Masters, 1993 U.S. Amateur participant, current caddy for Briny Baird.

Dan Sullivan

Residence: Pasadena, Club: Brookside, age: 45

2012 SCGA Public Links Champion, 2011 and 2012 SCGA Foursomes Champion (w/Mark Miller), 2010 NCGA Masters Division Champion, 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links Round of 16.

2012 Honors Matches - SCPGA Team

Jerry Anderson, Honoree

Jeff Cranford, The Palms GC

Paul Dietsche, Redlands CC

Jon Fiedler, Las Posas CC

Scott Mahlberg, Stadium GC

Tim Parun, Sail Ho GC

Ted Parker, California CC

Ron Skayhan, Hillcrest CC

Chris Starkjohann, Torrey Pines Golf Club & Outings

Brad Stormon, Morongo GC at Tukwet Canyon

Grant Strobel, Fairbanks Ranch CC

Honors Match History

The SCGA has won the first three events.

2007 Honors Matches (at The SCGA GC)

SCGA 8 ½

SCPGA 6 ½

SCGA Honoree: Bud Bradley

SCPGA Honoree: Eddie Merrins

2008 Honors Matches (at Indian Wells CC)

SCGA 23 ½

SCPGA 12 ½

SCGA Honoree: Mark Johnson

SCPGA Honoree: Len Kennett

2010 Honors Matches (at Indian Wells CC)

SCGA 17

SCPGA 13

SCGA Honoree: Steve Horrell

SCPGA Honoree: Ron O’Connor