June 3, 2011

California Amateur Website
U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Just a month into the summer break between academic years, and players for the LMU men's golf program continue to have a busy and successful stretch of tournaments.

Bryan Bergna became the second Lion in program history to qualify for the USGA's U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships to be held at Brandon Dunes Golf Resort in Brandon, Ore., June 27 - July 2, 2011. On May 25 Bergna won the Public Links Championship Sectional Qualifier with a two-round 139 at Los Serranos Golf and Country Club in Chino Hills, Calif.

Bergna finished a stroke ahead of J.J. Spaun to win the qualifier. He will now make his second trip to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort as the Lions played there this spring during the 2011 season.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is built on a stretch of sand dunes perched along Oregon's Pacific coastline. The first course Bandon Dunes opened in 1999 and was designed by David McLay Kidd. A second course Pacific Dunes followed in 2001 and was designed by Tom Doak. The design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw fashioned a third layout, Bandon Trails, in 2005.

A fourth course, called Old McDonald and created by resort owner Mike Keiser, opened in 2010 and will be the course of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in June.

Prior to the Public Links Championships, 2011 All-WCC selection Jake Sarnoff and alumnus Blake Nicolai will participate in the 100th California State Amateur Championship at the Olympic Club in southwest San Francisco, June 20-25, 2011.

The California Amateur Championship is one of the nation's oldest state amateur golf championships and dates back to 1912 when the California Golf Association was founded. The California Amateur Championship was originally held at Del Monte GC but shifted to Pebble Beach Golf Links when it was built in 1919. The championship remained at Pebble Beach through 2006, with the exception of 2000 when it was played at Bayonet and Blackhorse GCs due to the U.S. Open being hosted at Pebble Beach.

In 2006, the championship began a new tradition of rotating to courses around the state, alternating between Northern California and Southern California. The tournament has seen many top names including Ken Venturi in 1951, Johnny Miller in 1968, Bobby Clampett in 1978/1980, Duffy Waldorf in 1984 and Mark O'Meara in 1979. Standout golfers who have tried to win the title and failed, include Craig Stadler, Corey Pavin, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Woods reached the semifinals in 1994 before falling to Ed Cuff.

This year's site, the Olympic Club, has seen its share of championship golf, hosting the 1955, '66, '87 and '98 U.S. Open.