Can the youngsters hang on?
Scott Travers and Santa Barbaran Jack Perry put some distance between them and the field after the third round of the Southern California Golf Association Amateur on Saturday at La Cumbre Country Club.
Travers, the 22-year-old California Amateur champion who plays for Santa Clara University, took a one-shot lead over Perry after shooting a 5-under par 66. Travers is at 14-under 199 while Perry, after a third-round 67, is at 13-under 200. Perry graduated from Santa Barbara High last month and is headed to Northwestern on a scholarship.
Kevin Marsh, a two-time SCGA Amateur champion and a former U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, is tied for third at 9-under 204 with past SCGA champ Tim Hogarth of Northridge. Marsh, who lives in Henderson, Nev., is a graduate of Dos Pueblos High.
Servite High grad Patrick Cantlay, who beat Perry in a playoff to win the CIF State individual title last month, is alone in fifth place at 8-under 205.
If Travers hangs on to win, he would become the first golfer since 1942 to hold the SCGA and State Amateur titles concurrently.
The way the top five players are shooting, the tournament scoring record is well within reach today. The SCGA Amateur scoring record is 14-under 270, set by Tiger Woods when he won the tournament in 1994 at par-71 Hacienda Golf Club.
Sam Smith of Turlock had the best round of the day, shooting a blistering 8-under 63. Smith, who is nine shots behind the leader, made eight birdies and an eagle-2 on the 330-yard 15th hole. He bogeyed Nos. 14 and 16.
Travers had a hot putter on the front nine, sinking five birdie putts. He had seven on the day.
Perry had five birdies, three coming on par-5s: Nos. 6, 9 and 10.
“I gave myself a good look at birdies,” Perry said. “Playing in your hometown, there’s always a little more expectation, but I’m just trying to think of the final round as another day of golf.”
Laguna Blanca graduate and University of Notre Dame-bound Niall Platt fired his best round of the tournament, a 67, and is tied for 11th place at 3-under.
Ryan Barry of San Diego scored a hole-in-one on the 159-yard seventh hole with his pitching wedge (he’s currently tied for 35th at 6 over par).
The final round begins at 8 a.m., with the leaders teeing off at 9:30.
