SO. CALIF. GOLF ASSOCIATION RALLIES FOR 24-24 TIE IN 5th SEAVER CUP MATCHES AND RETAINS THE CUP

OJAI, Nov. 12 – With sweeps by Tim Hogarth of Northridge and Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes leading the way, the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) rallied from a seven-point deficit to earn a 24-24 tie in the 5th Seaver Cup Matches at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

With one point for the front nine, one for the back nine and one for each overall match, the SCGA earned 15.5 points in the singles matches, thus retaining the cup. It marked the second time in five events that the competition between an eight-man team from the SCGA against their Northern California GA (NCGA) counterparts has ended in a tie; overall, the SCGA now leads the series 2-1-2.

Hogarth -- the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links, 1999 California Amateur and 2004 SCGA Amateur champion -- blistered the historic George Thomas, Jr. layout with a 31-33 – 64 and won all three points from former NCGA Player of the Year Randy Haag of San Francisco. Hogarth had six birdies and no bogies on the day, winning the front nine, 3 & 2, the back nine, 1 up, and the overall match, 4 & 3. Haag shot 69 for the day.

McGihon -- the two-time defending SCGA Amateur champion who went home yesterday afternoon to coach his high school girls volleyball team in a CIF playoff game -- got back to the Inn at 2 a.m. today. After failing to earn a point in the first two rounds, McGihon shot 34 on the front nine today en route to a 3-0 sweep over Garrett Wagner of Brentwood (the No. Calif. version), winning the front and back nines, 1 up, and the overall match, 2 & 1.

Robert Funk of Canyon Lake, whose seven overall points led the South, defeated Bob Niger of El Dorado Hills, 2.5 to 1.5. Funk, the 2006 SCGA Mid-Amateur and Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur champion, took the front nine and total and halving the back nine with Niger, the NCGA Player of the Year and one of the hottest players in amateur golf these days (his wins include the recently concluded Stocker Cup).

Jerry Michals of Carlsbad also earned 2.5 points for the SCGA against 2005 California Golf Association Senior Amateur champion Rob Thompson of Merced. Michals shot 33 on the front nine en route to a 4 & 3 victory.

The biennial matches are named in honor of legendary California amateur golfer Charles Seaver, who died just before the 2004 matches. Seaver was also the father of baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver.

RESULTS:

CALIFORNIA GOLF ASSOCIATION

5th Seaver Cup Matches

at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa; Ojai, Calif.
6,292 yards; par 70

FINAL SCORE: SCGA, 24, NCGA 24 (SCGA retains the Seaver Cup).

Singles results: SCGA 15.5, NCGA, 8.5.
(Scoring is 1 point for front nine, 1 point for back nine, 1 point for total; halved portions earn 1/2 point each.)
• (N) Chris Kilkenny, Arcata, 1.5; (S) David Bartman, Los Angeles, 1.5.
• (N) Scott Hardy, Pleasant Hill, 2; (S) John McClure, West Los Angeles, 1.
• (S) Robert Funk, Canyon Lake, 2.5; (N) Bob Niger, El Dorado Hills, .5.
• (S) Tim Hogarth, Northridge, 3; (N) Randy Haag, San Francisco, 0.
• (S) John Pate, Santa Barbara, 1.5; (N) Ryan Thornberry, Ceres, 1.5.
• (S) Scott McGihon, Bermuda Dunes, 3; (N) Garrett Wagner, Brentwood, 0.
• (S) Jerry Michals, Carlsbad, 2.5; (N) Rob Thompson, Merced, .5.,
• (N) Gary Vanier, Pleasant Hill, 2.5; (S) Steve Bogan, Placentia, .5.

Singles totals: SCGA 15.5, NCGA 8.5.

Singles details:
• Match 1: FN: Bartman d. Kilkenny, 3 & 1; BN: K d. B, 3 & 1; TOT: AS.
• Match 2: FN: Hardy d. McClure, 2 up; BN: M d. H, 1 up; TOT: H d. M, 1 up.
• Match 3: FN: Funk d. Niger, 1 up; BN: AS; TOT: F d. N, 2 & 1.
• Match 4: FN: Hogarth d. Haag, 3 & 2; BN: Ho d. Ha, 1 up; TOT: Ho d. Ha, 4 & 3.
• Match 5: FN: Thornberry d. Pate, 1 up; BN: P d. T, 2 & 1; TOT: AS.
• Match 6: FN: McGihon d. Wagner, 1 up; BN: M d W, 1 up; TOT: M d. W, 2 & 1.
• Match 7: FN: Michals d. Thompson, 4 & 3; BN: AS; TOT: M d. T., 5 & 3.
• Match 8: FN: AS; BN and TOT: Vanier d. Bogan, 1 up.

Day 1 results:
NCGA-15.5; SCGA 8.5

FOURSOMES (NCGA-6.5; SCGA-5.5)

• (S) Hogarth-Pate, 2.5; (N) Niger- Wagner, .5.
• (N) Hardy-Haag, 1.5; (S) Bartman-Funk, 1.5.
• (N) Kilkenny-Thornberry, 3; McClure-McGihon, 0.
• (N) Thompson-Vanier, 1.5; (S) Bogan-Michals, 1.5.

FOUR-BALL (NCGA-9; SCGA-3)

• (N) Niger-Wagner, 2.5. (S) Hogarth-Pate, .5;
• (S) Bartman-Funk, 2.5. (N) Hardy-Haag, .5;
• (N) Kilkenny-Thornberry, 3; McClure-McGihon, 0.
• (N) Thompson-Vanier, 3; (S) Bogan-Michals, Carlsbad, 0.

Foursome details:
• Match 1: FN: Hogarth-Pate d. Niger-Wagner, 2 & 1; BN: Halved; TOT: H-P d. N-W, 2 & 1.
• Match 2: All portions halved.
• Match 3: FN: Hardy-Haag, d. McC-McG, 3 & 2; BN: H-H d. M-M, 1 up; TOT: H-H d. M-M, 3 & 2.
• Match 4: FN: Thompson-Vanier d. Bogan-Michals, 2 up; BN: B-M d. T-V, 2 up. TOT: AS.

Four-Ball details:
• Match 1: FN: halved; BN and TOT: Niger-Wagner d. Hogarth-Pate, 2 up.
• Match 2: FN: Bartman-Funk d. Hardy-Haag, 2 up; BN: Halved; TOT: B-F d. H-H, 3 & 2.
• Match 3: FN: Thornberry-Kilkenny d. McClure-McGihon, 1 up; BN: T-K d. M-M, 3 & 2; TOT: T-K d. M-M, 4 & 2.
• Match 4: Thompson-Vanier d. Bogan-Michals, 1 up; BN: T-V d. B-M, 1 up; TOT: T-V d. B-M 3 & 2.