NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 15, 2014) — Thirty-two matches were to be played Monday at Big Canyon Country Club. All are now complete, and a handful are more than noteworthy.
Jeff Burda, a Modesto, Calif. resident, went 20 holes with reigning Canadian Senior Amateur champion Doug Roxburgh, winning with a birdie on the par-five second hole. Burda got to three-up through 12 holes before Roxburgh, from Vancouver, fought back to force extra holes.
Burda has had a great 2014 thus far, winning the Trans-Miss Senior and the Southern California Senior.
Defending champion Doug Hanzel (pictured) is moving on to the round of 32 after a 4-and-3 win over Steven Poulson of North Salt Lake, Utah. The two were all square through five holes before Hanzel won four of the next six, clinching with a par on the 15th.
Hanzel, from Savannah, Ga., was this year’s Georgia Senior Amateur winner — the second time he has won that championship.
Medalist Alan Fadel was the last to tee off on Monday, facing Stephen Fox of Huntington, W.V. Fadel, from Toledo, Ohio, was three-up through seven prior to a slow comeback from Fox. With the match all square on the 18th tee, Fadel eagled the par-five finishing hole to squeeze into the round of 32.
Hometown favorite Don Dubois won his opening-round match 2-and-1 over David Clement of Henderson, Ky. The Big Canyon member parred the 17th hole to clinch his victory. Dubois will face Mike Bell of Indianapolis, Ind., who won U.S. Senior Amateur in 2005, Tuesday morning.
Other California players moving on to the round of 32 include Michael Turner of Sherman Oaks and Mike Davis of Laguna Niguel.
