Champion Ryan Bisharat (right) with runner-up Ashwin Arasu

That golfer, Cal State San Marcos golfer Ryan Bisharat, really separated himself from the field on Monday when he followed a 2-over 74 with a 3-under 69. He missed only four greens the entire weekend.

As anyone who has played Aviara knows, hitting the huge greens is half the battle -- in order to score well you need to have full command of the flat stick on the huge, undulating greens designed by Arnold Palmer. (We would love the have followed Scotty Cameron, who was spotted teeing off after our group finished, to see how the master putter maker does it.)

Bisharat was fighting a battle with Sam Kim of Irvine, and the difference ended up being the tight driving 17th, where Kim suffered a triple bogey to Bisharat's birdie. Standing on the 18th tee with a nice cushion, Bisharat relied on the club that was working for him so well both days, the driver. He split the middle between the water on the right and bunkers left, then hit the green and got one last long two-putt for par, from 50-feet.

Ashwin Arasu, a Stanford sophomore from San Diego, snuck into the runner-up spot with a 1-over 73 and two day total of 147. After seven birdies on Sunday, he was asked how many he made on the tournament. "I lost count," he said believably.

Kim posted 148 to finish third, and Dylan VanderVeer (El Dorado Hills), Everton Hawkins (Irvine) and Edwin Kuang (Irvine) tied for third after posting 36-hole totals of 5-over 149.

Comeback player of the tournament award goes to Kent Kao of Pinole (Northern California) -- after opening with a disappointing 90 on Sunday he fought back with a 1-over 73 on Monday, one of the lowest rounds of the tournament and a full 17 shots lower. We're not sure what you did to right the ship Kent, but great going!

Players posting 152 and under finished "in the money" and will receive gift cards from Worldwide Golf Shops.

Greg Grohs (left) birdied the first playoff hole to win the Senior flight over Bruce Loman (right)

Greg Grohs of Arcadia continued a tradition of comeback wins in the Senior division by lopping six shots of his first round of 79 with a fine 1-over 73 on Monday that tied leader Bruce Loman (Newport Coast) at 152. (Loman had his own comeback on Monday, after an early double and triple had him looking towards the 80s he rallied to post 77 after a 75 Sunday.)

Playing off starting on No. 10, Grohs continued his solid play with a wedge third shot to within 10-feet of the back pin on the par-5 and drained the putt for birdie.

Jim Ream of Cerritos posted a solid tournament with rounds of 77-78=155 to take third place. Defending champ Ed Susolik was fourth at 156, and Don Eklund of San Diego posted a final round 75 to round out the top-5.

Women’s champ Amy Matsuoka (R) with runner-up Jaime Jacob and Sarah Lawrence

With the top three players in round one posting 72, 73, and 74 we knew that the Women's division, while relatively small with just nine players, would likely go down to the wire. Consistency won the day, as Amy Matsuoka of Newport Beach posted her second straight 73 on Monday to take the title at 2-over 146.

Matsuoka, who plays for Oregon, enjoyed Aviara, especially the par-5 8th hole, which she played in 3-under. On Sunday, she chipped in for eagle, and today she fired a mid-iron second shot right at the flag and two-putted for birdie. Coming towards the end of the round, that birdie putt the victory close at hand.

First round leader Jaime Jacob (Encinitas and Cal State San Marcos) followed her 72 with a 79 to finish in second place, while 2015 champion Sarah Lawrence rounded out the top three at 153 after also shooting 79.

Special thanks go out to the entire staff at Park Hyatt Aviara for welcoming us with open arms and providing out-of-area players with a really attractive rate to enjoy the 5-star hotel, so amazingly decorated for the holidays.