It was the second TOCC win for the former SCGA Amateur champion, as he edged Don Baker by a stroke

There were only two par-breakers at 7,060-yard La Quinta Country Club when the scratch players from among the SCGA's club champions gathered for the annual event that brings them together.

The Tournament of Club Champions is often held in the Coachella Valley and John Pate of the Good Ol' Boys won his first of these titles since 1987's triumph at Desert Island, this time with a 70.

He beat SCGA Mid-Amateur runner-up Don Baker by a stroke despite bogeying his final two holes. "I was a little surprised," the 1999 SCGA Amateur champion said afterward. "Susan (his wife, who galleried) knew I was upset after those last two holes. I was thinking a win exempted me from state qualifying (it doesn't) and I thought I'd blown it."

Baker, as it turned out, made his only bogey of the day with three holes left, costing him a chance at a playoff for the second time of the autumn in SCGA competition. He led most of the way in the Mid-Amateur, only to lose it on the last three holes to Craig Steinberg.

For his first 10 holes, Pate was a model of consistency, playing par golf. He birdied No. 1 (after starting at the ninth in the shotgun format), then chipped in from behind the green at the 516-yard fifth hole for an eagle, and birdied No. 6, another par-five test before faltering. Still, it was enough to give Pate a SCGA title for the third consecutive year (he won the 2000 Mid-Amateur).

The top five plate winners each represented a different county. PGA West standard bearer Brandon Kearney, Andrew Nelsen of Mile Square and Ron Ramsey of CC Rancho Bernardo posted even-par rounds to tie for third.

Six-handicapper Michael Berecochea of Good Time GA fired a sparkling gross two-under-par 69 at Monterey CC's East-West combination and earned a two-stroke victory in the President flight. He made three birdies and slipped only at the par-three fourth hole on his way to the net 63. Tim Schilling, a four-handicapper from Westridge, also had a 69 gross to finish alone in second. He bogeyed his first and last holes, No. 6 and 5, but played the back nine in 33.

At Palm Valley, 1999 Vice President flight champion Ed McBratney repeated over the same course. This time, a 67 was good enough for a co-championship with Ralph Sanchez of Gardena Royal & Ancient. McBratney could have gained an outright title, had he not bogeyed his last hole, the par five 15th. He shot 83 as a 16-handicapper, representing St. Denis GC, his third club in three years. Sanchez had a chance of his own, but a triple bogey eight at the 518-yard eighth hole took care of that. He shot 80 as a 13-handicapper.