Marsh-Rodgers claim Classic crown

BY DAVE LOVETON
DAILY SOUND SPORTS WRITER

Kevin Marsh doesn't look anything like Tiger Woods but the former Dos Pueblos High standout sure has been playing like him. Marsh, 35, captured his first Santa Barbara Classic golf title with Todd Rodgers on Sunday evening by sinking an eight-foot putt on the final hole at the Santa Barbara Golf Club. That capped a whirlwind 17-day span for the former Dos Pueblos High and Pepperdine standout, who won his second SCGA Amateur title on July 20 at Saticoy Country Club and then qualfied for the U.S. Amateur with an impressive 36-hole total of 8-under 134 at La Cumbre CC.

"I've been putting unbelievably well the last month," said Marsh, in a phone interview from Las Vegas where he's spent the past nine years as a commercial real estate developer. "I had 13 birdies and an eagle (over two rounds at The Classic) after hitting my first shot into the driving range."
Marsh bogeyed his first hole, then went bogey-free over the last 35 holes in the 48th annual two-man, better-ball event. He and Rodgers, a friend from Las Vegas, battled first-round leaders Paul Smith and Tom Voiz shot-for-shot in Sunday's final round.
After opening with a 10-under 60 on Saturday, Smith-Voiz led by Marsh-Rodgers by one stroke and Danny Carroll-Sean Bowman by two. Marsh's team birdied three of the first five holes on Sunday to take the lead. Smith-Voiz regained the upper hand before Marsh birdied the par-3 13th and Rodgers chipped in at 14 to go 1-up.
Marsh-Rodgers carried that 1-shot advantage to No. 18, a 482-yard, par 5.
"Smith got on in two and had a 20-foot putt for eagle," recalled Marsh, who won back-to-back Santa Barbara City titles in 2004-05. "My second shot went right of the bunker and I hit a good chip that went eight feet past."
Smith's two-putt birdie gave his team a temporary share of the lead at 15-under par. Marsh, the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur champ, calmly rolled in his slight left-to-right breaker for the victory.
Marsh, who shot 63-64 on his own ball, and Rodgers won $1,500 in pro shop merchandise with their 16-under 124 (61-63). Smith-Voiz were second at 60-65--125, followed by Scott Lorenz and Kent Wiese, who shot 60 on Sunday to finish at 126. John Gilles and Chris Satterlee, former teammates at Bishop Diego High, took fourth at 127, two shots ahead of Brett Mormann and this year's City champion, Brandon Gama.
Marty Lindusky-Robert Ziegler claimed the overall net title with a 118. Other net winners were Ralph Gibbons-Kirk Morley (B Flight, 121); Sherman Elrod-Steve Theroux (C Flight, 120) and Frank Kerby-Eddie Williams (D Flight, 121). Gross winners included Duke Lyskin-Vince Jimenez (B, 135); Joe Plescia-Tony Locascio (C, 144) and Kevin Kennedy-Terry Conway (D, 152).