Submitted by: Gary Traynham
Jeff Thomas of Arbuckle and Scott Bement of Elk Grove repeated as net champions in a bizarre annual Almond Blossom Golf Tournament at the Arbuckle Golf Club this past weekend.
After winning the first flight net prize in 2021, the twosome gained the $600 first prize net in the second flight. They scored 9-under-par 69-66-135 for a two-stroke edge over 2021 second-flight winners, Eloy Garcia of Woodland and Pete Rominger of Yolo.
“I didn’t play well,” Bement said. “We ham-and-egged it, and the greens were amazing. I had to lean on Jeff pretty hard.”
It seemed easy for Tom Crowther of Sacramento, who made his third lifetime hole-in-one with a perfect 7-iron at the 180-yard seventh hole Sunday, on the way to repeating as overall champions with his father Doug Crowther.
“I got lucky,” said Tom Crowther, of his ace. “The ball flew in the hole, out, and back in.”
Doug was a former Sacramento City champion who often competed in his youth against future PGA Tour pro Pat McGowan of Colusa.
“These are as good greens as you will find,” he said. “They’re better than on the coast. This is a hidden secret, just a good golf course. If you can putt here, you can go anywhere.”
The Crowthers scored 6-under 71-67-138. Tom, who shot 68 on his own ball Sunday, was 5-under-par on the three-pars in two days.
Rominger almost aced the second hole, being inside two feet, and his partner Garcia putted well with birdies at the second and 17th hole Saturday, on the way to a $400 team prize.
Jason Hatanaka and Michael Sharp of Woodland won the $450 top prize in the first flight net division with 6-under 69-69-138.
Tyler Ward of San Jose didn’t find it easy either. He five-putted the final hole, for a triple-bogey seven, after his partner Nic Weber of Arbuckle went out of bounds. They finished at net 139, one stroke behind Hatanaka and Sharp.
“I don’t think I’ve ever four-putted,” said Ward, who set the course record at Gold Beach, Ore., with an 11-under 61 two decades ago. “I might change my license plate to ‘5-PUTT,’ but we’ll be back next year.”
Scott Burnum and Derk Ricketts placed third in the first flight, a stroke behind Ward and Weber. Bert Chandar and Merlyn Carver placed third net in the second flight at 140, followed by Dominic Gulli and Heath Pritchard at 142.
Former Sacramento Bee golf writer Steve Pajak, a 6-handicapper, shot 78-82, and conceded he was still learning the greens.
Arbuckle will host the second round of the Colusa County Cup on March 6, after the first round in Colusa. ■