Linfield victory over Murrieta Valley a bracket-buster

By: TOM SHERIDAN - Staff Writer | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:20 PM PDT ∞

March Madness references mayhem on the hardwood. Well, generally speaking, it does.

Last week the concept was playing out in all of its spontaneous improbability on the golf course, where Linfield Christian ---- the equivalent of the double-digit seed underdog ---- reached up to smite Murrieta Valley ---- the equivalent of the highly seeded powerhouse ---- in a dual match at Redhawk Golf Course.

The day: Thursday, also the first day of the NCAA Tournament. The score: Linfield 205, Murrieta Valley 212.

Dick Messer, the Linfield coach, was shocked after Murrieta Valley coach Greg Ireland reported the final result.

"I still didn't have a couple of our cards," Messer said. "I couldn't believe it when Greg added up the score."

Murrieta Valley has one of the strongest programs in Southern California. Rickie Fowler is the defending CIF state champion and is considered the premier high school player in the state, and one of the top five in the nation. The Nighthawks were second at the CIF State Meet two years ago. They have won the last two CIF Southern Section team titles.

Earlier this season, Murrieta Valley defeated Linfield by 18 strokes at The SCGA Course.

On Thursday, Fowler was the medalist with an even-par 36 but nobody else for Murrieta Valley could break 41. Sophomore Taylor Nash shot a one-over 37 for the Lions, and freshman Ian Killeen, who had been battling a bit of a slump and was on the outer fringes of the lineup, carded a 2-over 38. Jon Fergus gave Linfield Christian a solid No. 3 performance, a four-over 40.

"The conditions were fine," Messer said. "The golf course was in good condition. The weather was not bad. But the pin placements were probably the toughest I've seen for the front side. All nine holes, there was not an easy position out there.

"I think it benefited our guys because they know those areas and know not to hit at them. Some of those pins you just don't go at."

The loss was the first of the season for Murrieta Valley.

Linfield is now 7-2. Its other loss was to Vista Murrieta. But the Lions figure to be the class of the Big Sky League, where they already have logged a victory over Woodcrest Christian.

A key match in the league comes on April 2 at CrossCreek Golf Course against Calvary Chapel.

"They are better than I thought they would be," Messer said.

People are saying that about Linfield Christian, too.

U.S. Open qualifying

Bear Creek Country Club in Murrieta will be hosting a U.S. Open sectional qualifier on Monday, June 4.

Jeremy Clevenger, the head pro at Bear Creek, said that the one-day, 36-hole tournament is expected to draw a field of 84.

Since the Skins Game came to Bear Creek in 1985, it has hosted a number of smaller tournaments. Recently, it held the Southern California PGA's qualifying tournament for the Buick Invitational.

"We have had some high-end amateur events as of late," Clevenger said. "But this is the first one of U.S. Open stature."

The U.S. Open will be held June 14-17 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.

One local player who is already looking forward to the Bear Creek qualifier is Rickie Fowler. A quarterfinalist at last year's U.S. Amateur, Fowler was given a pass on local qualifying and will advance directly sectional qualifying.

Fowler lives in nearby La Cresta and estimates he has played Bear Creek more than 50 times.

"I've played it a lot," Fowler said. "Not like I've played SCGA, because that's a public course. But enough to where I know the course."

Veterans honored

Bear Creek hosted a Veterans Appreciation Day last week.

More than 100 golfers participated in the event, on Thursday, which honored members of U.S. military, past and present.

The Bear Creek Women's Golf Association sponsored the event.

Event co-chairman Katherine Pieczynski said it was "an effort for this Murrieta community to say 'Thanks' to the troops, who still serve protecting our freedoms."

Chips and putts

Lou Skovron, a longtime area teaching pro, has left California Golf and Art Country Club. Skovron had been the general manager and director of golf. The course, which used to be known as Cherry Hills Golf Club, underwent the name change last year after it was bought by a South Korean-based company. ... The 24th SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship will be held April 23-24 at Mission Viejo Country Club. Robert Funk of Canyon Lake is the defending champion.

-- The Valley Golf Notebook runs Wednesday. Staff writer Tom Sheridan can be reached at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2649 or tsheridan@californian.com. To comment, go to www.californian.com.