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Alameda Commuters Results, Times
by Ron Salsig

ALAMEDA, Calif. (April 18, 2010) -- Over the first weekend of the Alameda Commuters, the gallery were thinking. That name on top of the leaderboard seemed very familiar, and quite out of place. Kevin Wentworth shot a 5-under 66 on the Earl Fry Course to take the lead. Kevin Wentworth from Modesto is a star on the PGA Tour. Nobody could find evidence that he had re-gained his amateur status. The buzz was that this golfer did not belong in this tournament.

“Wrong Kevin Wentworth,” the first-round leader said after signing his card for a 75 on Sunday. “He’s left-handed.”

And no relation, just a coincidence. But the thinking led to an odd 3-stroke penalty (the ball moved after he addressed it on the green) which disrupted the rhythm of his round.

With that minor tempest resolved, the Commuters settled into proper form by Sunday evening. George Gandranata, the reigning NCGA and San Francisco City champ, shot a 69 on the Clark Course which put him in the lead at 5-under-par with his Saturday 68 on the Fry. Scott Olds, a former pro who did get his amateur status back, tied Gandranata at 137 with a 67. Patrick Grimes of Palo Alto is alone in third, one stroke back at 138.

Carlos Briones of the Alameda Junior Golf Club is alone in fourth place, shooting 69-70, just two strokes off the lead. Briones won the San Francisco City Championship last year, which sets up a classy showdown next weekend.

The four players tied at 140 are a formidable lot, with credentials. Rick Reinsberg has won the Commuters four times. Cody Robinson of Discovery Bay had the low round of the tournament, a 64 on the Fry. Scott Hardy, the golf coach at now-famous St Mary’s College in Moraga, is always in the hunt on the final day. And Adam Barkow has pedigree as son of Al Barkow, former editor of Golf Magazine and the only man that Ben Hogan authorized to write his biography (Unfortunately, Hogan died before the book could be finished). Defending champ Taylor Travis is one stroke further back with rounds of 73 and 68.

Four females attempted to make the cut, playing from the same tees as the men. The cut to the low 50 scores fell at 4-over 146. Samantha Esguerra, who starred on Alameda High’s girl’s team and won the Women’s SF City title last month, shot 80-78. Tiffany Lim of San Jose shot 80-73. That 73 was the lowest score by a female in the Commuters since Emily Childs -- who made the cut in 2008 -- shot 71.

Gandranata is a Cal star who finished his eligibility last year and took a job as assisstant coach of the team while finishing up his degree in economics. He grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and came to the U.S. to attend high school at the David Leadbetter Academy in Florida.

In all, 52 players survived the cut which was set at 146 - 4 over par. The cut line at the Alameda Commuters is traditionally one of the toughest cuts to make in a California medal play event. With the 146 cut, only 9 strokes separate the leaders from the back of the field.

* * *

ALAMEDA, Calif. (April 18, 2010) -- Second round scores from the Alameda Commuters Championship follow. The 36 hole cut line to determine the players who advance to the weekend of April 24-25 fell at 146.

Last, First
SAT 4/17
SUN 4/18
TOT
SAT 4/24 TIME
Olds,Scott
70
67
137
9:20
Gandranata, George
68
69
137
9:20
Grimes, Patrick
68
70
138
9:20
Briones, Carlos
69
70
139
9:20
Barkow, Adam
70
70
140
9:10
Robinson, Cody
76
64
140
9:10
Reinsberg, Rick
70
70
140
9:10
Hardy, Scott
72
68
140
9:10
Jojola, Domingo
69
72
141
9:00
Terry, Scott
71
70
141
9:00
Wentworth, Kevin
66
75
141
9:00
Travis, Taylor
73
68
141
9:00
Jensen, Chris
71
71
142
8:40
Pool, Carter
71
71
142
8:50
Gonzalez, Geoff
71
71
142
8:50
Hanavan, Bruce
70
72
142
8:50
Lucas, Kevin
72
70
142
8:50
Machi, Anthony
72
71
143
8:20
Looper, Jamie
71
72
143
8:30
Hansen, Matthew
72
71
143
8:30
Core`, Jamie
74
69
143
8:30
Snow, Philip
72
71
143
8:30
Back, James
69
74
143
8:40
Barrera, Anthony
72
71
143
8:40
Sloane, Ryan
72
71
143
8:40
Harmon, Thomas
71
73
144
8:00
Stone, Josh
72
72
144
8:10
Pagila, Justin
69
75
144
8:10
Crociata, Eric
72
72
144
8:10
Hoffman, Kaz
72
72
144
8:10
Loop, Curtis
68
76
144
8:20
Haenel, Michael
71
73
144
8:20
Montez, Matt
73
71
144
8:20
Kilcoyne, Craig
71
74
145
7:40
Morrison, Stan
70
75
145
7:40
Roberts, Andrew
71
74
145
7:40
Ellis, Chris
72
73
145
7:40
Crawford, Matt
74
71
145
7:50
Hay, James
71
74
145
7:50
Refioglu, Dalan
73
72
145
7:50
Smith, Paul
74
71
145
7:50
Brown, Gary
76
69
145
8:00
Maliwal, Akshay
73
72
145
8:00
Geyer, Ben
70
75
145
8:00
Price, Brooks
74
72
146
7:20
Wight, Steven
72
74
146
7:20
Hess, Scott
72
74
146
7:20
Haluska, Jeffrey
75
71
146
7:20
Galletti,Jr, Roberto
76
70
146
7:30
Anderson, Matthew
74
72
146
7:30
Orr, R.C.
76
70
146
7:30
Bromley, Taylor
73
73
146
7:30

ABOUT THE Alameda Commuters

What's in a name? In the case of the Alameda Commuters Championship, the logo of the almost 100 year old tournament would be a dead giveaway. It's a steam ferry, which was the only way to "commute" to San Francisco from the East Bay before the Bay Bridge was built. Started as an informal event -- the original first prize was a bag of nails -- the tournament has grown into one of the top independent events in California.

A dedicated tournament committee prides itself on running the two weekend, 72-hole competition as if it were a PGA Tour event. Two of the best public courses at the city-owned Chuck Corica Golf Complex are prepared with care. Slick greens, Sunday pins, and even that rarity in amateur golf – spectators are all part of the fun. The roped-off scoreboard is a particular area of pride for the "green jackets" who were wearing dark green blazers before they were made popular by another tournament you might be aware of in Augusta Georgia. The 250 player championship division is cut to 50 and ties for the second weekend, at which time the 36-hole senior division tees off to join them.

View Complete Tournament Information

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