BUCKINGHAM — Nick Schaefer captured the 18th annual Lake County Open Golf Championship held Saturday and Sunday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
A senior at Kelseyville High School and a four-time Coastal Mountain Conference golfer, Schaefer won in resounding fashion, carding rounds of 74 and 69 for a 1-under-par 143 total and a five-shot victory.
It was the first victory against an open field of adults for the 17-year-old Schaefer, the reigning Lake County Junior, Buckingham Junior, and Lake County Parent-Junior champion.
Play began Saturday morning and scores were unusually high in the championship flight. Schaefer recorded a 2-over-par 74 to jump out to a six-stroke lead over a foursome of golfers, all of whom shot 80. That grouping included two past Lake County Open champions, Paul Moore of Ukiah and Juan Lopez of Finley, along with Norm Rentsch of Kelseyville and Kelseyville High School golf coach John Berry. Tournament officials were somewhat surprised by the high scores.
Schaefer stumbled early Sunday, making double bogey on the par-3 second hole, but then got himself to under par for the front nine with birdies on holes five, seven and nine. Lopez matched Schaefer”s 1-under-par score for the front nine while Moore shot even par.
Moore then began to charge up the leader board, making three consecutive birdies on the 10th, 11th and 12th holes to cut Schaefer”s lead to four shots. Schaefer got his lead up to five strokes when he birdied the par-5 13th hole, and then Moore fell back another shot by making bogey on the par-3 15th hole.
Moore, Lopez and Schaefer all birdied the par-5 16th and Moore added another birdie on the 17th, but it was too little too late as the five-time Ukiah club champion posted rounds of 80 and 68 for a 148 total to finish second.
Lopez finished his day with an even-par score and came in at 152 (80-72). Berry was a very distant fourth with rounds of 80 and 80 for 160, while Rentsch (80-81) and Chip Bowlin (83-78) of Buckingham tied for first place with 161. Brels Solomon (83-79) was sixth with 162.
Net flight
In the net flight, Richard Steenwyck of Willits won going away with 130 (66-64) for a six-shot margin of victory. Steenwyck was two shots off the lead after Saturday”s first-round play, but he came back strong on Sunday, jumped to an early lead within the first six holes, and kept building upon it throughout the round.
Carl Knipping of Nice was second following net rounds of 67 and 69 for a 136 total. Jack Lucich of Clearlake, the first-round leader, fell back to third place after posting rounds of 64 and 73 for a 137 total. Rick Easter of Lakeport finished fourth with rounds of 70 and 74 for a 144 total, while Todd Colbrandt of Middletown rounded out the top five with 153 (72-81).
Senior flight
Things were a lot tighter in the senior division as Craig Kinser of Lakeport scratched out a one-stroke victory over Fred Figg of Lakeport. Kinser held the first-round lead with a 3-over-par 75. He lost his lead over the front nine on Sunday as he struggled to a 6-over-par 42. Kinser regained his place atop the leader board in the middle of the back nine and finished the inward nine with a 38. He finished with 155 (75-80).
Figg shot 156 (79-77) to finish just one back of Kinser. Both players failed to take advantage of the other”s mishaps on the final hole as they both made double bogey on the long 480-yard par-4 hole.
Manny Mendoza of Buckingham finished third with 152 (77-82), Leonard Lea of Clear Lake Riviera was fourth with 162 (80-82), while Dennis Layton of Kelseyville came in fifth with 162 (82-82).
Senior net
In the senior net division, Dave Herrick of Lakeport cruised to a three-stroke victory after posting solid net rounds of 68 and 66 for a 134 total. The runner-up spot went to Dr. Bob Jolin of Lakeport with 137 (70-67). Tom Salie of Buckingham was next with 144 (72-72) and Al Mankins of Riviera Heights had 147 (73-74).
The next tournament on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit is the Lake County Three Man Championship scheduled for May 16-17 at Buckingham Golf and Country Club. Entry forms are available at area golf courses or by calling 279-4863.
