124th Amateur Championship
July 31 - August 3, 2023, Rolling Hills CC
This Championship is open to SCGA members with a Handicap Index of 5.4 or below. Players must qualify or earn an exemption into the championship field.
Started in 1900, the SCGA Amateur Championship is the second longest, continuously contested amateur championship in the country. Since its inception, the SCGA Amateur has enjoyed an illustrious history of great champions, including Tiger Woods and Al Geiberger to more recent stars including Beau Hossler, Patrick Cantlay, and Sahith Theegala.
CADEN FIORONI PAINTS A MASTERPIECE
Caden Fioroni, UNLV, finished his week at San Diego CC as the only player to card four rounds under par, four rounds under 70, and four rounds that totaled up to 270 (-14). His final round 66 was good enough to set him an astonishing eight strokes clear of the field and to get his name etched on the same trophy as Tiger Woods.
There's no such thing as perfect golf, but Fioroni came as close as one can with a bogey-free 18 holes on Thursday that included three birdies and an eagle on No. 16 that sent the Chula Vista gallery into a frenzy.
Fioroni entered the final round with a two-shot lead that looked plenty in jeopardy after he three-putted for par from 15-feet on No. 2 while both his playing partners, Tyler Kowack and Ian Maspat made birdies. When the final grouping of the 123rd SCGA Amateur made their way to No. 3, Fioroni was clinging to a one-shot lead advantage and looking shaky at best.
But a load of grit lead to pars on Nos. 3 and 4 before Fioroni broke through for a birdie on the fifth to reestablish his two-shot lead. By the time the Rebel added another one at No. 8 he was three strokes clear of Maspat and would never let anyone closer.
Fioroni was in complete control his game hitting 9 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens. He kept a clean card with zero stress until the 15th hole when he left his approach short and duffed a chip that still didn't reach the green. Moments later he would bury a 12-footer with a Texas Wedge that would have made SDCC's Billy Casper proud.
It took Fioroni eight holes to finally one-putt. But on the back-nine he did it three straight times nailing the coffin closed on everyone else's chances of getting back into the championship.
Despite shooting in the 60's his first three rounds, Fioroni managed to save his best for last with a final round 66 that was capped off by a two-putt par to win the title. His trip around SDCC only took 31 putts on some of the fastest greens in Southern California.
Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Site |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 |
Caden Fioroni |
San Diego CC |
| 2021 |
Clay Seeber |
Virginia CC |
| 2020 |
Luke Potter |
Goose Creek GC |
| 2019 |
Sahith Theegala |
Lakeside GC |
| 2018 |
Joe Fryer |
La Jolla CC |
| 2017 |
Sam Choi |
Mission Hills CC |
| 2016 |
Rico Hoey |
Barona Creek GC |
| 2015 |
Nathan Celusta |
Oakmont CC |
| 2014 |
Beau Hossler |
Rancho Santa Fe GC |
| 2013 | Beau Hossler | San Diego CC |
| 2012 |
Bhavik Patel |
Big Canyon CC |
| 2011 | Patrick Cantlay | San Gabriel CC |
| 2010 | Scott Travers | La Cumbre CC |
| 2009 |
Austin Graham |
Wilshire CC |
| 2008 |
Kevin Marsh |
Saticoy CC |
| 2007 |
Brett Kanda |
Victoria Club |
| 2006 | Scott McGihon | Bakersfield CC |
| 2005 |
Scott McGihon |
Tijeras Creek GC |
| 2004 |
Tim Hogarth |
Hillcrest CC |
| 2003 | Roy Moon | Torrey Pines GC |
| 2002 |
Nico Bollini |
El Caballero CC |
| 2001 |
John Merrick |
La Jolla CC |
| 2000 | Scott McGihon | Rancho Santa Fe GC |
| 1999 | John Pate | Industry Hills GC |
| 1998 |
Greg Padilla |
The SCGA GC |
| 1997 |
Craig Steinberg |
Lakeside GC |
| 1996 | Kevin Marsh | Santa Maria CC |
| 1995 |
Charlie Wi |
Santa Ana CC |
| 1994 |
Tiger Woods |
Hacienda GC |
| 1993 |
Todd Demsey |
Brentwood CC |
| 1992 |
Craig Steinberg |
Fairbanks Ranch CC |
| 1991 |
Craig Steinberg |
Bel-Air CC |
| 1990 |
Pat Duncan |
Wilshire CC |
| 1989 |
Paul Stankowski |
Glendora CC |
| 1988 |
Craig Steinberg |
Annandale GC |
| 1987 |
Greg Starkman |
Braemar CC |
| 1986 |
Dave Sheff |
Hillcrest CC |
| 1985 |
Brad Greer |
Virginia CC |
| 1984 |
Brad Greer |
San Gabriel CC |
| 1983 |
David Hobby |
Santa Maria CC |
| 1982 |
Mark Blakely |
Stockdale CC |
| 1981 |
Greg Twiggs |
Stardust CC |
| 1980 |
Jon (Bud) Ardell |
Oakmont CC |
| 1979 |
Jeff Hart |
Hacienda GC |
| 1978 |
Brian Gaddy |
Bel-Air CC |
| 1977 |
Doug Clarke |
La Jolla CC |
| 1976 |
Tony Sills |
California CC |
| 1975 |
Lee Davis |
Wilshire CC |
| 1974 |
Jim Porter |
Brentwood CC |
| 1973 | John Richardson | El Niguel CC |
| 1972 |
Mark Pfeil |
Hillcrest CC |
| 1971 |
John Beetham |
Virginia CC |
| 1970 | Gary Sanders | Oakmont CC |
| 1969 |
U.T. Thompson III |
Hacienda GC |
| 1968 | Barry Jaeckel | Lakeside GC |
| 1967 | Greg Pitzer | Riviera CC |
| 1966 | John A. Jacobs | Victoria Club |
| 1965 | Richard Davies | Annandale GC |
| 1964 | Larry O. Brown | San Gabriel GC |
| 1963 | Bruce McCormick | Hillcrest CC |
| 1962 | Larry Bouchey | Virginia CC |
| 1961 | Ted Richards Jr. | Los Angeles CC |
| 1960 | Ben Alyea | Brentwood CC |
| 1959 | Alan Geiberger | Oakmont CC |
| 1958 | Frank Hixon | Wilshire CC |
| 1957 | Verne Callison | Lakeside GC |
| 1956 | Alan Geiberger | Santa Ana CC |
| 1955 | Jerry Steelsmith | Annandale GC |
| 1954 | Ted Richards Jr. | San Gabriel CC |
| 1953 | Fletcher Jones | Los Angeles CC |
| 1952 | John W. Dawson | Hillcrest CC |
| 1951 | Jim Ferrie | Virginia CC |
| 1950 | Jim Ferrie | Oakmont CC |
| 1949 | Jerry Douglas | Victoria Club |
| 1948 | Bruce McCormick | Wilshire CC |
| 1947 | Bruce McCormick | Los Angeles CC |
| 1946 | Bobby Gardner | Virginia CC |
| 1945 | John Dawson | San Gabriel CC |
| 1944 | John Dawson | Lakeside GC |
| 1943 | Smiley Quick | Hillcrest CC |
| 1942 | John Dawson | Los Angeles CC |
| 1941 | Pat Abbott | Oakmont CC |
| 1940 | Smiley Quick | Lakeside GC |
| 1939 | Frank Hixon | Annandale GC |
| 1938 | Pat Abbott | California CC |
| 1937 | Jack Gaines | Riviera CC |
| 1936 | Roger Kelly | San Diego CC |
| 1935 | Harry Wesbrook | Los Angeles CC |
| 1934 | Charles Seaver | Bel-Air CC |
| 1933 | Harold Thompson | Brentwood CC |
| 1932 | Jack Gaines | San Gabriel CC |
| 1931 | David Martin | Los Angeles CC |
| 1930 | Fay Coleman | Midwick CC |
| 1929 | Gibson Dunlap | Bel-Air CC |
| 1928 | Fay Coleman | Midwick CC |
| 1927 | George Von Elm | Lakeside GC |
| 1926 | Paul Hunter | California CC/Brentwood CC |
| 1925 | George Von Elm | Los Angeles CC |
| 1924 | Paul Hunter | Annandale GC |
| 1923 | Willie Hunter | Midwick CC |
| 1922 | George Von Elm | Flintridge CC/Pasadena GC |
| 1921 | Paul Hunter | Los Angeles CC |
| 1920 | E.H. Seaver | Los Angeles CC |
| 1919 | Douglas Grant | Los Angeles CC |
| 1918 | R.J. Cash, Jr. | Los Angeles CC |
| 1917 | Windsor B. Walton | Midwick CC |
| 1916 | Harold B. Lamb | Los Angeles CC |
| 1915 | E.S. Armstrong | Midwick CC |
| 1914 | Carleton Wright | San Gabriel CC |
| 1913 | Norman Macbeth | Los Angeles CC |
| 1912 | E.S. Armstrong | Los Angeles CC |
| 1911 | Norman Macbeth | Los Angeles CC |
| 1910 | Wm. Frederickson | Annandale GC |
| 1909 | Paul Hunter | Annandale GC |
| 1908 | Paul Hunter | Los Angeles CC |
| 1907 | Sterling Liness | Los Angeles CC |
| 1906 | Wm. Frederickson | Los Angeles CC |
| 1905 | Walter Fairbanks | Los Angeles CC |
| 1904 | W.K. Jewett | Los Angeles CC |
| 1903 | Walter Fairbanks | Los Angeles CC |
| 1902 | H.M. Sears | Pasadena CC |
| 1901 | Walter Fairbanks | Los Angeles CC |
| 1900 | Charles E. Orr | Los Angeles CC |