BUCKINGHAM >> Kelseyville High School senior Matt Wotherspoon and Mount Hannah’s Dylan Harrison captured the 24th annual Lake County Two Man Championship with a 5-under-par round of 67 on Saturday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
The Two Man is contested under a scramble format with a two-man team taking the best shot and continuing to play from that point onward. If the first golfer should hit a quality shot, then his partner can fire at the flagstick whereas if the first golfer hits it out-of-bounds or into the water, then his partner needs to protect the team by playing safe and keeping the ball in play.
Wotherspoon, coming off an impressive victory at the Hilmar Invitational on Monday, and Harrison recorded six birdies against one bogey and 11 pars to win by two strokes over the senior flight team of Juan Lopez of Finley and Dr. Bob Jolin of Lakeport. For Wotherspoon, the 2016 Lake County Match Play champion, it was his second overall victory on the Lake County Circuit while it was Harrison’s first win on the local circuit.
Senior flight
In the senior division for golfers age 50 and older, Lopez and Jolin opened play with a 2-under 34 on the front nine and added a 1-under 35 on the back nine for a 3-under-par 69 to win the Senior Two Man. Kelseyville High School golf coach John Berry and Lakeport’s Jerry Pangle came in second after carding an even-par 72. Berry and Pangle were the defending senior champs. Todd Colbrandt of Middletown and Rick Easter of Lower Lake finished third with 75.
Net division
In the net division for golfers with handicaps of 10 and higher, the duo of Peter Wotherspoon of Buckingham and Richard Knight of Kelseyville finished atop the Two Man Net leader board with an 11-under-par score of 61. Gary Cisneros and Arvin Persaud were two shots back at 63 while Scot Lamanuzzi of Buckingham and the ageless wonder, Ron Garcia of Clear Lake Riviera, carded a 67. Garcia, who is very young 78 years old, walks the golf course and carries his own golf bag.
Senior net flight
In the senior net flight, Craig Werner of Kelseyville and his uncle, Mike Smith of Susanville, won their division with a net score of 10-under-par 62. Leonard Lea and Ken Kellner were one stroke behind at 63 followed by Rick Tracy of Kelseyville and Manny Mendoza of Buckingham with a 68.
Golfers honored
While it was cool and brisk on Saturday morning at Buckingham and the pins were tucked in the corners of the greens, the rain did hold off until the completion of play. Following the Two Man, Buckingham’s PGA professional Mark Wotherspoon recognized the On the Links Golfers of the Year from 2017. Rick Easter received a plaque and a monogrammed golf shirt for accumulating the largest amount of player performance points in the senior division. Todd Colbrandt had an unprecedented moment in the 25-year history of the Lake County Circuit by finishing atop the points list in both the net division and the senior net division. He too received plaques and shirts for his accomplishments.
Next up
The next tournament on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit is the County Match Play Championship scheduled for April 7 at Buckingham. Entry information is available by contacting the Buckingham pro shop at 279-4863.
