Wilson Wins His Second NCGA San Joaquin Valley Championship

Business Wire, July 17, 2001

Sports Editors/Golf Writers

VISALIA, Calif.--(BW SportsWire)--July 17, 2001

Jim Wilson of Butte Creek CC maintained his mastery of the NCGA San Joaquin Valley Championship by coming from back in the pack to capture the title Tuesday at Visalia CC.

The 40-year-old Wilson, who came into the final round two shots behind leader Pete Wlodkowski of Sequoyah CC, displayed his familiar veteran savvy in shooting a final-round 70 to win by a shot. It was his second victory in the tournament, as the former professional won the 1998 crown at Del Rio CC in Modesto a year after regaining his amateur status. He finished second last year at Sunnyside CC in Fresno.

This time, playing in the second-to-last group, Wilson and Scott Carlyle of Cameron Park GC were left to go head to head when Wlodkowski and the rest of the final group didn't make a final-round charge.

Wilson stumbled with bogeys on the third and fourth holes to temporarily fall three shots behind Carlyle, who was quickly moving toward the lead. But Carlyle had bunker trouble and triple-bogeyed the fourth to open the door for Wilson.

"That actually kind of fired me up," Wilson would say later. "I was sorry to see him do it but that actually gave me a pretty big lift because it was that time that I realized that I was right back in it."

It showed as Wilson birdied the next hole from six feet and then faced an easier back nine that he had plenty of confidence playing.

"I just felt that if I could get to the back nine somewhere near the lead, I really felt like I could shoot a 31 or 32 on that back," Wilson said.

Instead, he shot 34 with a birdie from four feet on the 10th and another from 20 feet on 14. He missed makeable birdie putts on the par-5 11th (four feet) and the par-3 13th (five feet). Nevertheless, it was just good enough to give him a one-shot lead going to the 18th after Carlyle made a short birdie putt on the par-5 17th. But Carlyle missed the 18th green after hitting his drive left into the trees and found himself needing to hole his third shot to have a chance to tie. Instead, his pitch stopped a few feet short of the hole. Meanwhile, Wilson his a soft 6-iron to within 15 feet and calmly two-putted for the title.

"I just feel comfortable playing in the Valley," said Wilson, a native of Chico. "The flatlands, bermuda fairways, oak trees. I can hit the driver straighter than most, so that really helps me. That's the straightest club in my bag. Plus, I just like the heat."

David Capel of Sacramento GC shot an even-par 72 in the final round to take third, while Mike Facciani of Kings CC, Brian Jones of El Rancho Chico GC and Ronald Collet of Belmont CC tied for fourth. Wlodkowski, who runs the amateurgolf.com web site, shot a 76 Tuesday to finish tied for seventh.

Following are complete final results:

Jim Wilson, Butte Creek                                69-70--139
Scott Carlyle, Cameron Park                            69-71--140
David Capel, Sacramento                                69-72--141
Mike Facciani, Kings                                   72-70--142
Brian Jones, El Rancho Chico                           71-71--142
Ronald Collet, Belmont                                 70-72--142
John Enright, Olympic Club                             73-70--143
Tim Tipton, The Caddy Club Of Pebble Beach             72-71--143
Sergio Sanchez, Spring Hills                           72-71--143
Lance Torrey,  Quail Lodge                             70-73--143
Bob Niger, Serrano                                     69-74--143
Jonathan Echols, Kings                                 68-75--143
Pete Wlodkowski, Sequoyah                              67-76--143
Logan Goettsch, Fig Garden                             75-69--144
Sam Harris, Sunnyside                                  72-72--144
Jay Westerlund, Discovery Bay                          72-72--144
Scott Hardy, Scratch Players                           70-74--144
Troy McKinley, Castlewood                              68-76--144
Eric Restrepo, El Macero                               73-72--145
Donnie Buchanan, Brighton Crest                        71-74--145
Michael Chiurco, Santa Rosa                            71-74--145
William B Bunce, Serrano                               76-70--146
Zach Spinuzzi, Discovery Bay                           73-73--146
Doug Sager, San Geronimo                               73-73--146
Kevin L Braegger, Scratch Players                      73-73--146
Kevin Fryer, Diablo                                    72-74--146
Steve Daniele, Fig Garden                              75-72--147
Isaac Jimison, Sea Ranch                               75-72--147
David Smith, Fort Washington                           74-73--147
Nick Ushijima, Brookside                               73-74--147
Jonathan Jakovac, Napa                                 75-73--148
Rob Adolph, Sunnyside                                  75-73--148
Jeff Hood, Atascadero                                  74-74--148
John Colyar, Am Golf Santa Clara                       74-74--148
Jason Boyd, Castlewood                                 73-75--148
Joey Stockton, Twin Creeks                             73-75--148
Greg R O'Malley, Adobe Creek                           79-69--148
Conrad P Nilmeier, San Joaquin                         70-78--148
Brian Ruiz, San Jose Players                           75-74--149
John Stewart, Burlingame                               74-75--149
Justin P Sollenne, Blackhawk                           76-73--149
Mark J Minor, Walnut Creek                             74-75--149
Michael Carr, Exeter Monarch                           73-76--149
Mike Stieler, Ahwahnee                                 76-74--150
Steven Christopel, Green Tree Tournament               77-73--150
Kevin Starr, Tulare                                    75-76--151
Jim McCarley, Gilroy                                   74-77--151
Joe Beato, Brighton Crest                              77-74--151
John T Collins, Dairy Creek                            73-78--151
Mark Abildgaard, Butte Creek                           77-74--151
Mike O'Donnell, Canyon Oaks                            74-78--152
Paul Jordan, Hunter Ranch                              76-76--152
Chet Zinn, Atascadero                                  76-76--152
Chris Demartini, Peninsula                             77-75--152
Doug Louthan, Santa Teresa                             73-79--152
Brian Brake, Chiron                                    75-78--153
Randy Cross, The Links Club                            77-77--154
Charlie Zinn, Atascadero                               78-76--154
Brandon Keith, De Laveaga                              75-80--155
Jordan Scott, Swenson Park                             77-78--155
James Hay, Diablo Grande                               77-78--155
Jeff Walker, Moraga                                    78-77--155
Neal H Pearson, Orinda                                 78-77--155
Siegfried Wroebel, Alameda Junior                      82-73--155
Alan Stone, Visalia                                    82-73--155
Ivan Holmes, Pgg Rancho Canada                         76-80--156
Gavin Owen, Old Country Golf Assoc                     78-78--156
Vincent G Ambrosia, Jerseys                            79-77--156
Marshall Raymer, Castlewood                            76-81--157
Scott Morris, Lake Chabot                              77-80--157
Anthony Vaccaro, San Geronimo                          77-80--157
Bill Foley, Bridges At Gale Ranch                      78-79--157
Josh Twist, Rancho Murieta                             79-78--157
Sean A Reed, Tulare                                    75-83--158
Will Robins, Carmel Valley Ranch                       76-82--158
Chris Cuttone, Merced                                  78-80--158
Ernesto Moreno, San Jose                               79-82--161
Timothy Chavez, Valley Oaks                            82-79--161
David Rose, Santa Teresa                               77-85--162
Ben Whipple, Serrano                                   77-85--162
Michael Smead, Fast Fair Friendly                      81-82--163
Nick Leyton, Aptos Seascape                            79-85--164
Paul Shorts, Sacramento                                83-81--164
Maurice Monserez, Olympic Club                         80-85--165
Jeffrey R Freeman, Alameda                             80-86--166
Robert Cayton, Monterey Peninsula                      87-81--168
Keith Postler, Brighton Crest                          86-85--171
Steve Dupre, Teal Bend                                 77-WD--WD
Frederic Sevekow III, Blackhawk                        WD
William Moore, Monterey Bay                            WD
Patrick Pernicci, Band Of Gypsies                      WD
Randy Haag, Olympic Club                               WD
Ryan Gillette, Woodcreek                               WD
Robert Tantillo, California                            WD
Darryl Donovan, Cordevalle                             WD
Robert Hamilton, Valley Hi                             WD
Kurt Sowle, Ruby Hill                                  WD
Stephen Sparolini, Corral De Tierra                    NS
Scott Terry, Summitpointe                              NS
Conor Deal, Contra Costa                               NS
Jim Barnes, De Laveaga                                 NS
Michael Rowley, San Luis Obispo                        NS
Spencer D Hulsey, Walnut Creek                         NS