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Tim Hogarth knew exactly what he wanted to do when he approached a crossroad in his golfing career. After playing professionally for a few years, he had to make a decision to try and play on the PGA Tour. “I never gave playing [on Tour] a lot of thought,” Hogarth said. “I never played well enough and didn’t have the financial backing.” The choice proved to be a smart one. Hogarth won the USGA Amateur Public Links Championship in 1996, the same year he regained his amateur status. It’s one of many tournaments the Northridge resident has won in an accomplished amateur career. He added to his legacy in April when he won the SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship and his fifth Kelly Cup. He won both by record amounts. Hogarth shot rounds of 70-71-70 to win his SCGA Mid-Amateur at Mission Viejo Country Club by eight strokes over John Pate. “I wasn’t surprised,” Hogarth said. “I generally know coming in how my game is going to feel and I had a lot of confidence after preparing with my longtime instructor, Randy Petersen.” Three days later Hogarth won his third consecutive Kelly Cup — an invitational tournament named in honor of Roger Kelly, a legendary amateur golfer during the 1930s — by six shots over Nick Ushijima of Coto de Caza and Craig Steinberg of Oak Park. Hogarth was equally as efficient in the Kelly Cup as he was at the SCGA Mid-Amateur, with rounds of 66-72-68 at Lakeside Country Club to finish 4-under par. “It was my best round in Kelly Cup competition, but it was a little misleading,” Hogarth said. “Usually they set the course up like a mini-U.S. Open, but this year it was more like the way Lakeside plays on a daily basis.” Hogarth has completed a California Slam, becoming the only golfer to win the California State Amateur (1999), Southern California Public Links Amateur (1998), Southern California Amateur (2004) and Southern California Mid-Amateur (1999). He also has won the L.A. City Championship five times in 11 years and won the Stocker Cup in 2000. “My game is a lot better now than when I was a professional,” Hogarth said. “I think technology has been gigantic for me. There’s a big difference in my game.” For all his success, however, Hogarth still has no desire to join the PGA Tour, but would consider the Champions Tour. “I am only 40 now, so the senior tour is a long way away,” Hogarth said. “Who knows what will happen then?” One tournament Hogarth wants to play in is the U.S. Open. He will try to qualify again this year after coming close in 2004, when he came up short in a playoff for the final spot. “I think that was the biggest defeat for me,” Hogarth said. “I would like to right that.” For the rest of the year, Hogarth plans to play in the Pasadena City Championship, which he has never won, as well as the U.S. Public Links, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur. SG |
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