BUCKINGHAM — Hidden Valley Lake superintendent Billy Witt teamed up with Gene Manning to win the 27th annual Lake County Two Person Scramble on a wet and windy Saturday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club. They successfully defended their 2021 title while posting a 10-under-par 62 en route to a four-stroke margin of victory.
Witt and Manning carded a 6-under-par 30 on the front nine to jump out to a two-stroke lead over Dylan Harrison of Mount Hannah and Wyatt Ferrell of Kelseyville. Witt and Manning increased their lead to three strokes, but then Harrison and Ferrell got back into the fray by making back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes to close the gap to one stroke with just five holes to go.
Witt made a birdie putt on the par-3 14th hole to go up by two strokes. With both teams struggling on the difficult par-3 15th hole, Manning chipped in for a par while Harrison and Ferrell fell one stroke further back by recording a bogey-four. Witt made a birdie putt on the par-5 16th hole to put his team up by four strokes. Both teams made birdie on the watery par-5 17th hole and then both teams made par on the 18th hole.
Witt and Manning shot 32 on their inward nine for a 62 while Harrison and Ferrell shot a 2-under-par 34 on the back nine for a 6-under-par 66. Juan Lopez of Finley and Joerg Abraham of Kelseyville came in third with a 2-under-par 70.
Seniors
Witt and Manning finished atop the senior leader board for golfers age 50 and older with their round of 62. Lopez and Abraham were second with 70, Manny Mendoza of Buckingham and Ted Knowles of Kelseyville came in third with 76, and Rick Easter of Lakeport and Todd Colbrandt of Middletown posted a 79 to tie Dr. Bob Jolin of Lakeport and Mike Bailey of Millbrae for fourth place.
Net division
In the net division for golfers with handicaps of 10 and higher, Kelseyville High School teacher Shane Boehlert teamed up with Mason Smith of Kelseyville to shoot a 14-under par net 58 to win by three strokes. Pete Wotherspoon of Buckingham and Enrique Monsante of Kelseyville finished in second with 61 while Mike Patterson of Lakeport and Ken Kellner of Buckingham were third with 65. Clear Lake High School senior Nathon Lopez and Max Huff of Kelseyville carded a 68 to come in fourth.
Awards
At the conclusion of play, Buckingham’s PGA professional Mark Wotherspoon awarded plaques and monogramed golf shirts to the 2021 winners of the On the Links golfer of the year season-long races. Witt received recognition as the golfer of the year and senior golfer of the year. Pete Wotherspoon was the net golfer of the year and Rick Easter was the senior net golfer of the year.
Schedule
The next tournament on the calendar for the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit is the Match Play Championship April 2 at Buckingham. This is an invitation-only tournament based on how golfers finished during the 2021 campaign.
