As part of the SCGA's Membership Season, we are checking in with SCGA Members and Member Clubs and learning what they find most valuable about their SCGA Membership. Below is Part 4 of our Member Spotlight series.
The most prolific resume of gross tournaments for an SCGA member this year belongs to Mark Miller. In fact, over the past two years Miller has competed in more than 20 SCGA and USGA qualifiers and championships. Merely showing up does not suffice for Miller though, as the Brookside GC member has finished no less than T10 in every SCGA and USGA Qualifier he has played in 2011 – performances that have been enough to advance him to championships including the SCGA Mid-Amateur, the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and most recently the U.S. Mid-Am.
The road to this year’s U.S. Mid-Am was not as easy as the statistics make it seem for the West Covina native. In the qualifier at Redlands CC, Miller finished in a seven-way tie for third and had to battle through a playoff to advance to the championship. Once on the course at Shadow Hawk GC in Richmond, Tx., however, he represented the SCGA well and made it to the Round of 32.
With all of his impressive finishes, it comes as no surprise that Miller is no stranger to winning. At the beginning of the 2011 Tournament Season, he and playing partner Dan Sullivan captured the SCGA Foursomes Championship in superb fashion - defeating defending champions Kevin Marsh and Joe Sanders by a whopping five strokes at the challenging La Purisima GC.
Consistency was key for Miller throughout 2011, and he hopes to continue that into 2012 as well.
Home Club: Brookside
Profession Outside of Golf: I’m a stay-at-home dad of two boys- Cameron, Age 6 and Reece, Age 3.
Who first got you into the game? My friend Mark Maloney and his father Bernie.
When did you first start competing in SCGA Tournaments? 2008
What do you feel has been your greatest golfing achievement at a tournament so far this year? Making it to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Am.
What is your favorite memory of any tournament you’ve competed in? Winning the 2011 SCGA Foursomes with Dan Sullivan (pictured right).
Which tournament are you most looking forward to qualifying for/competing in next year? I always look forward to trying to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Am.
If you could play any course in the world, which would you choose? Augusta National
What do you enjoy most about your SCGA Membership? The opportunity to meet and compete with the best players in Southern California.
To learn more about SCGA Tournaments, click here.
