UCLA’s Roy Moon won the Southern California Golf
Association Amateur Championship by two shots over fellow Bruin
Steve Conway on Sunday at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
The tournament field included many of the best amateur golfers
in Southern California, several of them competed against each other
in the collegiate golf season.
Last year’s winner, USC’s Nico Bollini, finished in
third this year with a 285 (-3), three shots behind Moon.
“It was a bad day all around,” Bolini, a sophomore,
said in a statement. “I’m bummed.”
Moon had no reason to be bummed.
Down by three strokes entering the final round, the junior shot
a one-under-par 71, giving him a 282 (-6) overall and the
tournament title.
“It’s tough to lead a tournament for all four
rounds,” Moon said in a statement. “Nico didn’t
play very well, that gave me an opening, and I took advantage of
it.”
Moon took the lead on the 15th hole when he sank a 20-foot
birdie putt. He finished the day with a birdie on the 18th
hole.
His best performance of the weekend was a 65 in Friday’s
second round, including an impressive 32 on the front nine.
Conway birdied his last two holes on Sunday, giving him two
straight 69s in his final two rounds. The last two holes put Conway
ahead of Bollini into second place with a 284 (-4).
Four other Bruins competed in the tournament.
Junior Travis Johnson finished seventh overall with a 291 (+3).
He had a solid 69 in the first round, but shot a second round 78.
Johnson recovered to shoot a 73 and 71 on the final two days.
Sophomore John Poucher finished one stroke back of Johnson with
a 292 (+4) and tied for eighth place with Greg Lopez of San Juan
Capistrano.
Junior John Merrick, who won the SCGA Amateur Championship in
2001, finished tied for eleventh with a 296 (+8). Breene Murphy
shot a 298 (+10).
All six golfers were members of the UCLA men’s golf team
that finished third at the NCAA Championships in May.
The fall golf season will start in September.