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The 5th Biennial Seaver Cup Matches
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa; Ojai, CA
November 11-12, 2006
Tournament Recaps
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORYIn 1997, after years of discussions, the boards of directors of the California Golf Association, Southern California Golf Association and Northern California Golf Association decided to conduct a biennial series of matches between teams from the SCGA and NCGA. Although team matches had been held in conjunction with the California Amateur Championship for many years, all three associations felt that the level of talent throughout the state warranted the introduction of a separate championship contested along the lines of the Walker Cup and Ryder Cup formats. The matches were scheduled for even-numbered years, so as not to conflict with the USGA State Team Championship, held each fall in odd-numbered years.
CHARLIE SEAVER: MR. CALIFORNIA GOLFThere was unanimous sentiment to name the event the Seaver Cup in honor of one of California’s legendary amateur golfers, Charles Seaver, one of just two people to hold the California Amateur, NCGA Amateur and SCGA Amateur titles at the same time. While a student at Stanford University and a member of The Los Angeles Country Club, Seaver won the 1933 California Amateur and the 1933 NCGA Amateur (where he was the defending champion). The following year, he captured the SCGA Amateur and the timing of the tournaments meant he held all three titles at the same time (George Von Elm won all three events in 1925). Seaver and his father, Everett (who won in 1920) are the only father-son combination to win the SCGA Amateur. Seaver competed on the 1932 U.S. Walker Cup team, going 1-0 in foursomes and 1-0 in singles play at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. as the U.S. won 8-1 over Great Britain and Ireland. In 1930, Seaver lost a U.S. Amateur semifinal match to Eugene Homans, who went on to lose to Bobby Jones in the finals, 8 & 7, giving Jones his legendary “grand slam.” After graduating from Stanford, Seaver moved to Fresno where, among other things, he notes that it was at his suggestion that cereal companies add raisins into cereals. He won the Fresno City title six times in the 1940s and the 1949 Northern California Open. He also played in 39 Bing Crosby (now the AT&T) Pro-Ams at Pebble Beach, finally winning the title in 1964 while paired with Mike Fetchik, the Western Open champion. Seaver was elected NCGA president in 1980 (his father had been SCGA president in 1928). Nongolfers know Charlie best as the father of baseball Hall-of-Fame pitcher and 300-game winner Tom Seaver. Charlie Seaver passed away on October 25, 2004 (a week before the 2004 Seaver Cup) at the age of 93.
TOURNAMENT RECAPS1998:SCGA finishes strongly to capture inaugural Seaver Cup(from a story in FORE Magazine)Perspective which can only come from future decades will be needed to judge the importance of the inaugural Seaver Cup matches, but time will not diminish the impact of the spine-tingling finish in the first edition of these biennial matches over the historic George Thomas-designed layout at Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. Using three formats over two days, which began in a driving rainstorm and ended in bright sunshine, the eight-man SCGA squad defeated its Northern California Golf Association counterpart, 25 1/2 to 22 1/2. The victor received possession of the Cup from Seaver himself who, at age 87, watched much of the play during both days and regaled contestants and officials alike at the opening dinner with reminiscences of his seven decades of golf. Seaver is one of just two people to hold the SCGA, NCGA and state amateur titles at the same time and a former NCGA president. The biennial matches named in his honor will be held on even-number years. The competition closer than the score indicated. The scoring formula counted one point for the front nine, one for the back and one for the overall match, a system that kept everyone in the matches. With rain, heavy at times, pelting the golfers, the NCGA jumped off to a quick lead in foursomes play, scoring 51/2 out of 6 points in the first two matches. Former two-time NCGA Player of the Year Randy Haag and San Jose’s John Ellis opened the matches by rallying to defeat reigning SCGA Mid-Amateur champion Pat Duncan and current SCGA Amateur champion Greg Padilla, 2 1/2 to 1/2. Haag and Ellis won six of the last eight holes, coming from 2-down to square the front nine and then winning the back nine and the match, 4 & 3. 1982 California Amateur champion Gary Vanier and Chico’s Jim Wilson extended the margin as they whitewashed current California Amateur champion Ed Cuff, Jr. and his partner, La Crescenta’s Keith Kinsel, 3-0. Vanier and Wilson were 5-under-par over their last 11 holes. Back came the SCGA, behind the teams of former four-time SCGA Amateur champion Craig Steinberg and Scott McGihon and reigning SCGA Senior Amateur champion Frank Merhar and former two-time SCGA Senior winner Ed Rieu, who rallied to close the gap to 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 after the first morning’s play as each scored 2 1/2 to 1/2 victories. Steinberg and McGihon played even-par golf in winning the front nine and the overall match; the back nine was halved when Niger and Watson made birdie on the par-five finishing hole. The afternoon four-ball matches were equally close — so much so, that Merhar had to sink a bogey putt by the light of a silvery moon on the 18th hole to pull the matches even, 12-12, heading into the eight deciding singles matches the following morning. Kinsel and Cuff led the way, rebounding from their morning skunking to shoot 3-under par en route to a 3-0 blanking of two-time NCGA Player of the Year Scott Watson and his partner, Bob Niger. Merhar and Rieu finished things off, as Merhar won the final two holes to pull out the back nine and square the overall Seaver Cup 12-12. After nine holes of singles matches the next day, the teams remained tied and the decision was still in doubt until Cuff sank a two-foot par putt to gain a back-nine half in his match against Chico’s Jim Wilson. The 18th was to prove critical throughout the matches, and nowhere was that more true than in the singles. La Crescenta’s Keith Kinsel provided an early indication that the SCGA would prevail when he rallied on the back nine in his match against two-time NCGA Player of the Year Scott Watson, finally birdieing the last hole with a 10-foot putt to prevail, 1 up. Playing right behind Kinsel, reigning SCGA Amateur champion Greg Padilla rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to win the back nine and the match 1 up against San Jose’s John Ellis. SCGA Senior Amateur champion Frank Merhar preserved his back-nine and match win over Jim McMurtrey when he parred the 18th hole. And, after Cuff had sealed the victory, 1990 SCGA Amateur and reigning SCGA Mid-Amateur champion Pat Duncan birdied the 18th to finish all square with 1982 California Amateur champion Gary Vanier and provide the final margin of the SCGA’s victory. Inaugural Seaver Cup FINAL RESULTS (scoring is 1 point for front nine, 1 point for back nine, 1 point for total): FOURSOMES: Team Totals: NCGA, 6 1/2, SCGA, 5 1/2. FOUR-BALL: Team Totals: SCGA, 6 1/2, NCGA, 5 1/2 First-day total results: SCGA 12, NCGA, 12. Individual singles: Team Totals: SCGA, 13 1/2, NCGA, 10 1/2
2000:It’s not over ‘til the last putt dropsSCGA rallies to tie NCGA in 2nd Seaver Cup, 24-24, and retains Cup(from a story in FORE Magazine) All but one match had finished. The apprehensive SCGA Seaver Cup team gathered above the 18th green to watch the final shots. Seaver "veteran" (he’s been on the SCGA team both times the Cup has ben contested) Pat Duncan said to his teammates. "Hey, he’s not the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion for nothing." And with that final stroke on the final hole, Greg Puga rolled in a five-foot par putt for his only birdie of the day to square the back side and earn a half-point against former three-time NCGA Player of the Year Randy Haag. That half-point made the final score 24-24 and, consequently, the SCGA retained the cup it won in the inaugural playing of the Seaver Cup two years ago over the same George Thomas, Jr.-designed layout. The SCGA trailed by one point heading into the second day’s eight singles matches but managed to win 12 1/2 of the available 24 points to produce the deadlock. One point was awarded for the front nine, one for the back nine and one for the total match. Tied segments earned 1/2 point for each side. The Puga-Haag match was one of four that went to the 18th hole and SCGA players won that hole in three matches and halved the fourth. That ultimately provided the margin of victory. The NCGA had extended its overnight one-point lead to two after the first match, in which Jeff Wilson, low amateur in this year's U.S. Open, fired a 2-under-par 68 to defeat 1999 California Amateur champion Tim Hogarth, 2-1. Hogarth missed a five-foot putt on the 18th hole which gave Wilson the overall match, 1 up. Things looked even grimmer for the South as 1999 NCGA Amateur champion Darryl Donovan birdied the sixth, seventh and ninth holes to defeat four-time SCGA Amateur champion Craig Steinberg, 3 up, on the front nine of their match. However, after Donovan birdied the 10th hole, Steinberg staged a stunning rally, winning five of the next eight holes for a 4-up back nine victory and a 1-up win in the overall match. Steinberg said later that it was his largest comeback margin in his entire golf career. Then it was the SCGA's turn to seize the momentum as 2000 California Senior Amateur champion Mike Riley played 2-under-par golf to sweep three-time California Senior Amateur champion Jim McMurtrey, 3-0. Riley's 6 1/2 total points was the most by any SCGA player in the competition. Duncan followed that up with a 3-0 sweep of reigning NCGA Amateur champion James Hay. After the former SCGA Amateur champion won the front side 1-up, he seized control of the match with a birdie on the par-four 15th hole, winning the back side 3 & 1, and the overall match 4 & 2. Scott McGihon, the 2000 SCGA Amateur champion, kept things going. After John Enright won the front side, 1 up, McGihon responded with three birdies on the back side and rolled in a 5-foot par putt on the 18th hole to win the back nine, 2 up, and the overall match, 1 up. Back came the NCGA, with a vengeance. After 2000 SCGA Senior Amateur champion Ted Lyford won the front side of his match against NCGA Senior Player of the Year Bob Heaton, 1 up, Heaton rallied to win the back side and the total match for a 2-1 margin. Then Chico's Jim Wilson, who had posted a 64 in the first-day four-ball competition, swept flu-ridden SCGA Mid-Amateur champion John Pate, 3-0, winning the front nine 4 up, the back side, 4 & 3, and the match, 6 & 5. That set the stage for the Puga-Haag match and at the outset, it appeared as if it would be no contest. Puga bogied the first two holes and Haag birdied five holes on the front side for a 4-up win. Puga hung tough on the back side but missed a 3-foot birdie putt on No. 17 that would have insured the half-point needed for the overall team tie. Then, on the 517-yard, par-five 18th, Haag's third shot ended eight feet behind the hole but Puga responded by wedging his approach shot to within five feet. After Haag's tricky downhill, sliding birdie putt eased by the hole, Puga calmly drained his birdie to square the championship. The biennial event pits eight top amateurs from the Southern California Golf Association against eight from the Northern California GA. The SCGA won the inaugural competition two years ago, 25 1/2 to 22 1/2 at Ojai Valley Inn. The matches are named for Charley Seaver, one of just two men to hold the SCGA, NCGA and California State Amateur titles at the same time (1933-34). The 89-year-old Seaver was expected to be at the event this year but was injured in a fall at his home the day before it began. RESULTS: FINAL SCORE: Southern California Golf Association, 24, Northern California Golf Association, 24. (SCGA retains Cup) TOTAL SINGLES SCORE: Wednesday Individual singles: TUESDAY FOUR-BALL TUESDAY FOURSOME
2002:Third time's the charm for NCGA at Seaver Cup(from a story in FORE Magazine) 'Super subs' key NCGA's 28 1/2-19 1/2 victory in third renewal of biennial event at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa Two players who weren't even on the original Northern California Golf Association Seaver Cup roster keyed a powerful performance as the NCGA captured the Seaver Cup for the first time in three tries, 28 1/2-19 1/2, at historic Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. The NCGA won all three portions of the two-day event: 8-4 in the four-ball, 6 1/2-5 1/2 in the foursomes and 14-10 in the climactic eight singles matches. One point was awarded for the front side, one for the back side and one for the overall match; halved portions earned 1/2 point for each side. There were plenty of NCGA heroes, but two "super subs" were keys as Logan Goettsch of Clovis won 7 1/2 of a possible 9 points while Bob Niger of El Dorado Hills won 6 1/2. First-time Seaver Cup players Scott Hardy and Rick Reinsberg each won 7 points. The top point winner overall was two-time SCGA Senior Amateur champion John Olive, who won 8 1/2 of 9 points. His senior counterpart, Ted Lyford, was the second highest SCGA point winner with 6. Goettsch provided the only singles sweep, beating Kemp Richardson. The 20-year-old Goettsch, the 2002 NCGA Public Links champion, was added to the team after Jeff Wilson had to pull out. Goettsch made seven birdies in 17 holes in turning back his 57-year-old opponent, who was 1 over par on his round. Niger, who made the team when Jonathan Echols had to withdraw following an injury, birdied four of his last five holes and defeated Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes, 2-1 in singles. After McGihon posted a 1-under-par 34 on the front nine to take a 1-up victory, Niger birdied the par-three 12th, par-four 14th and 15th and par-three 17th holes to close out the back nine and the match. Niger and Goettsch were also a formidable team during the first day. After losing the front nine to reigning California Amateur champion Eddie Heinen and 1987 state amateur titleholder Ed Cuff in four-ball play, Niger and Goettsch scorched the back nine with 4-under-par golf to defeat Heinen-Cuff, 2-1. In the afternoon, Niger wedged his approach shot on the final hole to within a foot, which secured a 2 1/2- 1/2 victory over Heinen and Pate in foursomes play. Reinsberg and Hardy got the NCGA off to a flying start, defeating McGihon and Pate 2 1/2- 1/2 in four-ball play, playing the back nine in 5 under par. In a sign of things to come, Pate and McGihon had nine birdies for the round but couldn't win a hole with any of them. Reinsberg and Hardy continued their hot streak in the afternoon, shooting 2 under par in foursomes play to defeat McGihon and Bill Coleman, 2 1/2- 1/2. The biennial matches are named in honor of 91-year-old Charles Seaver, one of just two players to hold the SCGA Amateur, NCGA Amateur and California Amateur titles at the same time. Seaver, a former NCGA president and father of baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, presented the trophy bearing his name to the winning north side. RESULTS: One point for front nine (FN); one point for back nine (BN); one point for total (TOT); halved portions earn 1/2 point for each side. (S)=SCGA; (N)=NCGA FINAL RESULTS:-NCGA: 28.5; SCGA: 19.5 SINGLES MATCHES:-NCGA, 14; SCGA, 10 FOUR-BALL RESULTS:-NCGA: 8; SCGA: 4 FOURSOMES RESULTS:-NCGA: 6.5; SCGA: 5.5.
2004:
SCGA Regains Seaver Cup with 31-17 VictoryAvenging a one-sided loss two years ago, the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) rolled to a record-breaking 31-17 victory in the 4th biennial Seaver Cup matches at historic Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. The victory gave the SCGA a 2-1-1 margin in the competition, which was named of legendary amateur golfer Charles Seaver, who passed away last week at the age of 93. The NCGA had scored a 29.5-19.5 victory in 2002. The SCGA won the inaugural matches in 1998 and the 2000 matches ended in a draw. With one point counting for the front nine, one point for the back and one point for the total, the SCGA split the eight singles matches today 12-12 and maintained the 14-point margin it built in yesterday’s foursome (alternate shot) and four-ball matches. Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes, the 2004 Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur and 2000 SCGA Amateur champion, paced the southerners by winning 8.5 out of nine possible points in the two days, tying the mark set by three-time SCGA Senior Amateur champion John Olive in the 2002 matches. McGihon halved the front nine this morning against Bob Niger of El Dorado Hills and then won the back nine and overall match, 3 & 2,. McGihon, who won just 1.5 points in 2002, had been part of two teams yesterday that swept their matches. He made six birdies in today’s match and only one bogey to finish 5-under-par for 16 holes. Former UCLA standout Roy Moon of North Hills, the 2003 SCGA Amateur champion, gave the SCGA squad a jump start when he birdied three holes en route to a 5 & 4 front-nine victory over former two-time California Amateur champion Casey Boyns of Pacific Grove. Boyns came back to birdie three consecutive late holes to win the back nine, but Moon took the overall match, 7 & 6, essentially locking up the SCGA victory. 4th biennial Seaver Cup Matches FINAL SCORE (one point for front nine, one point for back nine, one point total; halves earn 1/2 pt each): SCGA 31, NCGA 17. SINGLES MATCH SUMMARIES:
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