BUCKINGHAM — Shawn Auten of Cobb and Billy Witt of Kelseyville won their third consecutive NCGA Lake County Partners Better Ball Golf Championship on Sunday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
Auten and Witt recorded rounds of 70 and 70 for a 4-under-par 140 total and a two-stroke margin of victory. They opened play Saturday with a 2-under 70 that was good enough to grab a two-stroke lead over the rest of the field.
Conditions on Saturday included rain throughout the round, a falling thermometer and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour. Auten and Witt played par golf on the front nine while scoring birdies on the 16th and 17th holes on the back nine.
Chip Bowlin of Buckingham and Norm Rentsch of Lakeport were two strokes back on Saturday with a score of 72. Mike Griggs of Willits and Brels Solomon of Upper Lake were in third place at 76.
Play was delayed on Sunday morning for just more than an hour as there was standing water on six of Buckingham”s greens following rain overnight Saturday into Sunday. Greens were deemed playable around 9:15 a.m. and play continued under slightly less imposing skies, a more reasonable temperature and less wind. It did rain throughout the back nine Sunday, but the precipitation wasn”t enough to force a second delay.
With just three holes remaining, Bowlin and Rentsch pulled even with Auten and Witt at 2-under. Auten and Witt once again birdied 16 and 17 to open up a two-stroke lead and they finished with a par at 18.
Bowlin and Rentsch finished at 142 (72-70) while Griggs and Solomon ended up in third at 145 (76-69).
Net division
In the net division for golfers with handicaps of 10 and higher, the brother duo of Tom Jolin and Dr. Bob Jolin captured the title with a two-stroke victory over the father-son team of Jack Lucich of Clearlake and Jon Lucich of Pacifica. Jolin and Jolin made up a six-shot deficit on Sunday and were able to run down the Lucich team, carding rounds of 69-62 for a 131 winning total. Lucich and Lucich finished second with 133 (63-70). Joe Del Prete and Jesse Santana, both Kelseyville residents, finished third with 137 (72-65).
Senior division
In the senior division for golfers age 50 and older, Lakeport residents Craig Kinser and Alan Mathews carded a 6-over-par 150 (75-75) for a runaway 11-stroke victory. Jolin and Jolin, who entered the senior flight as well as the net flight, came in a distant second at 161 (84-77). Third place went to a last-minute fill-in team of Colin Ross of Buckingham and his across-the-street neighbor, Kelseyville High golf coach John Berry. Ross and Berry finished with 164 (83-81).
This year”s Partners field drew only 16 golfers, down from its historic average of 48-60.
The tournament was finally completed late Sunday afternoon although there were doubts throughout the weekend as to whether the Partners would be delayed, rescheduled or even canceled. Weather was definitely a factor throughout the weekend and only because of Buckingham”s volcanic soil, which allows for excellent drainage, was it possible to complete the tournament.
The next event on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit calendar is the Lake County Senior Golf Championship on June 25 at Buckingham. Entries are available by contacting the Buckingham pro shop.
