BUCKINGHAM >> Juan Lopez of Finley carded six birdies and an eagle for an 8-under-par 64 to capture the Lake County One Man Scramble on Saturday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club. It’s the season-opening event of the 2016 Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit schedule.
The One Man is a mulligan-fest as the individual golfer is able to hit a second shot at any time throughout his round. He can then choose to take the better of the two shots. It’s a great way to get the cobwebs off the golf clubs after a long winter although it is quite possible for the contestant to take as many as 130 swings during the course of play.
Lopez, who is a seven-time Lake County On the Links Golfer of the Year (2002-05, 2008, 2012-13) won by two strokes over Max Huff of Kelseyville. Two-time Lake County Junior champion Matt Wotherspoon of Buckingham finished in third place with a 5-under-par 67, one stroke ahead of Hipolito Perez Jr. of Kelseyville. Wyatt Ferrell of Kelseyville (71) rounded out the top five while Peter Wotherspoon of Monterey finished sixth with 73.
Championship flight
Lopez, who won his first Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit event in 1997, added to his circuit-leading wins total. His victory in the One Man was his 37th circuit win overall spanning more than two decades. Lopez, a 40-something, was the only golfer in the championship flight who wasn’t a teenager or in his 20s.
Net division
In the net division for golfers with handicaps of 10 and higher, Mike Davis of Kelseyville prevailed over a field of 14 golfers, shooting a net 57 to win by two strokes. Not only was it Davis’ first win on the local circuit, but it also was the first time he entered a circuit event. Davis, a former three-sport star at Kelseyville High School, played junior golf during his high school days even though he was an All-League baseball player for the Knights.
Two strokes behind Davis in second place was Joe Del Prete of Kelseyville with a 59. Tied for third place were Todd Colbrandt of Middletown and Jack Lucich of Clearlake, both with rounds of 60.
Lucich, the One Man net defending champion, continues to be the oldest golfer in the net field (he turns 79 next week). Ken Kellner of Kelseyville and Jesse Santana of Kelseyville returned scores of 62 while Gary Cisneros of Kelseyville and John Flynn of Lucerne came in with 63. Scot Lamanuzzi of Buckingham shot a 65.
Senior flight
In the senior flight for golfers ages 50 and older, Jerry Pangle of Lakeport outlasted a field of 12 golfers by shooting a 3-under-par 69 to win by two strokes. Pangle was the 2014 On the Links Senior Golfer of the Year. His round featured four birdies during the course of the final nine holes. Tom Jolin of Lakeport and Don Joseph of Kelseyville finished tied for second with 1-under-par 71. Craig Kinser of Lakeport, the reigning senior golfer of the year, came in fourth with an even-par 72.
Senior net flight
Atop the senior net leader board was Tom Jolin, a 12-handicapper who parlayed his score of 71 to a net total of 59. Colbrandt was one stroke back at 60 while Dr. Bob Jolin of Lakeport, Don Joseph, and Tim Sherrell of Lower Lake finished in a three-way tie for third with 61.
Thirty-two golfers competed in the One Man Scramble, the first of 12 tournaments on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit, now in its 23rd year of operation. The next event is the Lake County Two Man Scramble, which is scheduled for March 19 at Buckingham.
