COBB — Jonathan Carlson of Buckingham captured the 27th annual Lake County Amateur Golf Championship on Saturday and Sunday at Adams Springs Golf Course on Cobb Mountain.
Carlson, who is regarded as Lake County”s most decorated amateur golfer because he has qualified in the past for the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Mid-Amateur, shot rounds of 68-69 for a 1-over-par 137 winning total and two-stroke margin of victory. It was the fourth consecutive Lake County Amateur title for the former Kelseyville High School all-conference golfer and sets a new tournament record previously held by George Hoberg.
Carlson opened play on Saturday morning with a steady even-par round of 68. He found himself in a three-way tie atop the tournament leaderboard with three-time Lake County Amateur champion Juan Lopez of Finley and reigning Lake County Open champion Nick Schaefer of Davis. Paul Moore of Ukiah, a two-time Lake County Golfer of the Year, was just two shots back at 70.
The four leaders were paired together during Sunday”s round although they got off to a late start because of a 90-minute frost delay and temperatures in the mid-30s. Carlson turned the front nine in 35, Schaefer was one back with 36, and Moore and Lopez carded 37s. Carlson made a triple-bogey-seven on the par-4 10th hole to fall one shot behind Schaefer, who made par. Schaefer birdied No. 11 to go two up on the field. Carlson then charged back into the lead with birdies on the par-5 14th, the downhill par-3 16th, and the short par-4 17th. Moore made a late surge with four birdies over the final nine to get within two shots of Carlson and finish second.
Moore”s 36-hole total was 139 (70-69) while Schaefer carded 140 (68-72) for third place. Lopez finished at 141 (68-73) for fourth place and Chip Bowlin of Buckingham rounded out the top five with 152 (79-73).
Shawn Auten of Hidden Valley Lake and Norm Rentsch of Lakeport tied for sixth with identical scores of 75-78 (153). Brels Solomon of Upper Lake was eighth at 154 (78-76), Kelseyville High School golf coach John Berry shot 157 (76-81) for ninth place, and Jim DeCristofaro of Pacifica came in 10th with 158 (77-81).
Senior division
Craig Kinser of Lakeport ran away with the senior division title with a 143 (70-73), winning by 11 shots. Dennis Layton of Kelseyville came in second with 154 (78-76), and Leonard Lea of Clear Lake Riviera (81-81) and Fred Figg of Lakeport (82-80) tied for third with 162.
Senior net division
Frank Barthelmess of Kelseyville shots rounds of 68 and 66 for a 2-under-par winning total of 134 to win the senior net division. He beat out Ed Cebula of Sonoma by two shots. Cebula, who has a summer home alongside the third green at Adams Springs, finished with 136 (68-68).
Mike Reimers of Cobb, the two-time defending net champ, had another strong showing, coming in third with 141 (71-70). Dave Herrick of Lakeport was next at 143 (69-74) and he was followed by Ted Knowles of Kelseyville at 144 (72-72), Ken Kearse of Buckingham at 145 (76-69) and Jerry Boyer of Hidden Valley Lake at 147 (71-76).
Net flight
In the net flight that included just five entrants, Jack Lucich of Clearlake burst atop the division during Saturday”s round and held his lead throughout Sunday to record a three-stroke margin of victory over Carl Knipping of Lakeport. Lucich opened with the low net round of the tournament, a 4-under-par 64, and came back on Sunday with a net 74 for a 2-over-par 138. Knipping shot rounds of 67 and 74 for a 141 total.
John Flynn of Cobb (145) and Jason Laveglia of Clear Lake Riviera (155) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Junior division
Lisa Copeland of Hidden Valley Lake won the women”s division title with a solid 74 on Saturday and a flu-riddled round of 87 on Sunday. Liz Berry of Buckingham was the low net champion.
In boys” play, Tyler Drake of Riviera West won the junior flight with 164 (80-84). Lake County Junior Amateur champion Josh Sumpter of Cloverdale tied Wyatt Ferrell of Lakpeort for second place. Sumpter shot rounds of 83 and 87, while Ferrell had rounds of 89 and 81. Corey Huber of Clear Lake Riviera was fourth.
The next event on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit is the Lake County Senior Oct. 17 at Buckingham. The final event is the Tournament of Champions on Oct. 24 at Buckingham.
