Borrego Sun - Since 1949

It was just another gorgeous day in Borrego, this one a golf tournament for a worthy cause at de Anza Country Club.

Under clear skies and warm temps, 66 golfers contributed over $16,000 towards the B&G fundraising total, and after box lunches, plus snacks out on the course to keep the blood flowing, they had lots of friendly competition and fun in the process.

Sun staff reporter Michael Sadler and Borrego Water District General Manager Geoff Poole were sponsored by the newspaper, and played in a foursome that included Roger Munro and BWD intern Meet Panchal.

Because of Panchal's inexperience in golf, the foursome played a threesome with a ghost, each player taking turns hitting a second ball in the Scramble/No Handicap format. Panchal, meanwhile, practiced his swing, and got better as the round progressed.

The team did well at two-under par (four birdies and two bogeys), with the three players all contributing key shots on occasion – Poole long off the tee, Sadler on a fairway and then approach to the green, and Munro with his putter. As counterpoint to good golfing, the threesome also had to use all but one of their mulligans on a four-foot par putt, and then still had to settle for bogey! In the end, the team came up short, way short, in terms of a trophy.

That's because there were some very good golfers out there on the course, and it was tough to beat 10-under par. That was left to the winning men's foursome of Tom Schwartz, Jim and Kyle Hatfield, and Nate Luth, with a 62! And it took a card-off for Jeff Nadeau, Pat Meddleton, Dennis Doody, and Bill Arvidson to win the second place trophy, one stroke behind the leaders at 63.

On the Mixed teams, with men women playing in their foursomes, Tom and Helen Pantich, Rene Navarro, and Jose Rocha combined for a first place trophy-winning score of 65; Helen Pantich also won the putting contest trophy, a downhill and right-curving putt of 75 feet if it was an inch!

Coming in at 66 and in second place place for a trophy were Ron & Christy McKowan and Greg & Sue Jones. With both Men's and Mixed foursomes finishing within a stroke of each other, and even with mully's, that's a close thing, folks.

For the skill events, it was Holly Malan's day, for sure. She won both the ladies long drive and closest-to-the pin (aka KP). Paul Taylor took the long drive trophy for the men, and Kyle Hatfield knocked one stiff at the flag for the men's KP.

All things considered, kudos to the B&G Club execs and staff who pulled off another great golf tournament.