Mansfield endures 'horrible' round at SOGC

Sep. 4—Johnny Mansfield didn't mince words when describing how he played for the better part of his round Saturday at the 93rd Southern Oregon Golf Championships.

"Pretty horrible," he said without hesitation.

The good thing is, he can laugh about it now — which he most certainly did when summing up his round.

That's because the top-seeded Mansfield was able to find some semblance of a quality finish and beat Todd Couch 3 and 2 in a junior-senior championship bracket quarterfinal match at Rogue Valley Country Club.

"It was just one of those days that you have in golf and this crazy game," said Mansfield. "We both just ... It was like a pillow fight out there. We just both hung in there. I would go 1 up and then hit a ball out of bounds, we both would give each other holes doing dumb things, but I finished strong and that was good."

Mansfield, who last won the junior-senior title in 2019, said he felt like he entered this year's match play tournament "kinda with a bullseye on me."

You could understand why with all he's accomplished over the last few weeks.

Mansfield won his club championship before capturing the men's senior division title at the Rogue Valley Stroke Play Championships last weekend.

Just for added measure, Mansfield became an SOGC medalist after shooting a division-low score of 69 in Wednesday's qualifying round.

"I came into this in pretty good form," he said.

And that's what made Saturday's round so puzzling.

As poor as Mansfield's round was, he actually did something he hadn't been able to do yet at this year's SOGC: Get under par on the first hole with a birdie.

"I haven't parred No. 1 for three days, either making bogey or double, so starting out with a birdie was nice," he said.

But, as he was quick to point out, it was just a struggle from there.

"It was just one of those days where everything feels just so bizarre," said Mansfield. "One of those days where you grind it, hang in there and try to make a good golf swing and make fairways and greens, string two holes together."

It wasn't until the par-3 13th in which Mansfield found something to build on after his birdie on the first hole. Mansfield hit his tee shot just short of the green before getting on with a "pretty good" chip. Faced with a tough putt from 8 feet out, Mansfield was able to make par and go 1 up on Couch, the 2020 junior-senior champion.

"That was just a brutal putt," said Mansfield, "and I just tried to get one rotation on the ball to get it going."

"I just knew that once I got a little bit of momentum, I had to keep this momentum or anything could happen," continued Mansfield. "I just tried to dig deep and spray a few good shots in a row. I got fortunate and did."

Thanks to another par on 14th, Mansfield was able to close things out with back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 before hitting it within 6 feet for a potential on 16 before Couch conceded the match.

Mansfield will meet Scott Wise in Sunday's semifinal round. Wise, seeded fourth, won 7 and 6 over Brandon Crosier in the quarterfinals.

Tommy Smith and 15th-seeded Bryan White make up the other half of the junior-senior semifinals.

"This kind of round was unexpected, to be honest," said Mansfield. "I've been playing really well and been in good form. Another (junior-senior title) would be awesome validation. I'm playing with Tommy Smith and Scott Wise tomorrow. It will be a fun group with some great players."

There will be at least one double-digit seed in the men's championship final after No. 15-seeded Ethan DeVore knocked off defending champion Chris Polski on the first playoff hole after they were all square through 18 holes. DeVore will face No. 14 seed Alex Forristal, who won 2 up over Jon Robinson.

Also advancing in the men's championship bracket were Mark Wilson — who beat 21-year-old Cameron Smith 3 and 2 — and Jimmy White. White, who won the 2017 men's title, recorded a 1 up win over Ben Purtzer.

Wilson's win over Smith was a little bit of deja vu after the former beat the latter in a four-hole playoff in the men's championship of the RVSPC last weekend.

Women's championship bracket top seed Johnna Nealy continued her quest to win a fifth SOGC title with a 7 and 6 win over Susie Hammitt. In Sunday's semifinal, Nealy will face Trina Jones, who became the first lower seed to win a match in the women's championship division with a 1 up victory over Marla Parmele.

Kiana Oshiro and Stephanie Johns will make up the other women's championship semifinal. Oshiro won her quarterfinal match 1 up, while Johns was a 4-and-2 winner over Terry Levis.

In the super seniors championship division, Glen Clark and Gregory Miller advanced to Monday's championship match.

SOUTHERN OREGON GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Mark Wilson def. Cameron Smith 3&2, Jimmy White def. Benjamin Purtzer 1 up, Ethan DeVore def. Chris Polski 19th, Alex Forristal def. Jon Robinson 1 up

MEN'S 1ST FLIGHT

Edward Smith def. Ryan Suvoy 2&1, Scott Fieber def. Marcus Idiart 3&2, Patrick Corey def. Chris Wood 2 up, Cooper Clark def. Peyton Lindbloom 2&1

MEN'S 2ND FLIGHT

Michael Brittingham def. Christopher Ellis 6&5, Jordan Holcomb def. Tyler Elliott 3&2, Blake Boutwell def. Casey Swendiman 19th, Logan Artner def. Richard Ferguson 6&5

MEN'S 3RD FLIGHT

Calvin Maready def. Colin Schoonover 6&4, Jacob Gooding def. Preston Luckman 26TH, Ben Mertens def. Jonathan Purtzer 6&4, Brian Findlay def. Jordan Anderson 3&2

MEN'S 4TH FLIGHT

Kristopher Kaufman def. Milan Bobek 3&2, Alec Williamson def. Jeshua Buchanan 1 up, Chase Schumacher def. Kevin Biggs 1 up, Conner Macdonald def. Henry Jones 4&3

MEN'S 5TH FLIGHT

Ben Running def. Connor Couch 1 up, Dalton Pfau def. Tucker Barry 2 up, Zachary Stranahan def. Justin Hanlin 1 up, Craig Contreras def. Shawn Jewett 2 up

MEN'S 6TH FLIGHT

Charlie Walker def. Scott Mettler 1 up, Trey Neff def. Damon Price 2&1, Levi Dally def. Jeremy Mahon 2&1, Wade Fieber def. Ty Neff 20th

MEN'S 7TH FLIGHT

Matthew Stowers def. Jeremy Ross 19th, Jason Hanlin def. Ryan Tucker 3&2, Michael Eastman def. George Dallin 4&3, Dustin Wallace def. Matt Stranahan 2&1

MEN'S 8TH FLIGHT

Collin Kruger def. Ryan Pearson 1 up, Ian Norgan def. Mike Jones 1 up, Samuel Barr def. Travis Sanders 19th, Jacob Colmenaro def. Kos Ray 1 up

MEN'S 9TH FLIGHT

Todd Nakano def. Skylar Fuhrman 1 up, Calvin Lewis def. Dyan Zarcone 3 up, Immanuel Byrne def. Tag McFadden 1 up, Nicholas Jones def. Ty Murdock 1 up

MEN'S 10TH FLIGHT

Kelley Beck def. Corey O'Neill 19th, Caesar Espino def. Tyler Hopkins 1 up, Gordon Kasey def. Zach Bolton 2&1, Jeff Matschke def. Shawn Shumate 4&3

MEN'S 11TH FLIGHT

LJ Falk def. Werner Constanza 1 up, Michael Henry def. Randy McEllmurry 3 up, Shawn Webber def. Phil Peck 5&4, Andrew Burton def. Isaiah Ellis 1 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

John Mansfield def. Todd Couch 3&2, Scott Wise def. Brandon Crosier 7&6, Bryan White def. Justin Wise 1 up, Tommy Smith def. Blake Stouder 6&5

JUNIOR-SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT

Richard Owens def. Robin Blanks 7&6, James Russell def. David Cuttrell 1 up, Jeff Morgan def. Justin Azevedo 1 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT

Steve Tollefson def. Joe Arnesen 1 up, Adam Rezendes def. Daryn Clark 1 up, William Riddle def. Brad Pederson 4&3, Jim Retzlaff def. Darrell Flora 2 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR 3RD FLIGHT

BIlly Burke def. Ron Stranahan 2 up, Brian Berg def. Joe Davis 1 up, Greg Jacobs def. Curtis Wagoner, Matthew Miller def. Keith Lallo 1 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT

Benny Shapiro def. Ed Lindbloom 1 up, Jeremiah Paladino def. Chris Norlander 2 up, Eric Engelbach def. Jake Rockwell 1 up, Scott Gephart def. Mirek Bobek 1 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR 5TH FLIGHT

Josh Godfrey def. Brian Sherrill 1 up, Chad Orr def. Jake Witte 1 up, Scott Entinger def. Heykel Aouriri 1 up, Caleb Martin def. Ken Lindbloom 1 up

JUNIOR-SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT

Ian Powers def. Jason Miller &1, Kevin Jones def. Chris Dufour &1, Rick Miller def. Jim Corbett 1 up, Eric Peterson def. Russ Wilson 2&1

JUNIOR-SENIOR 7TH FLIGHT

Jason Rowan def. Delfino Constanza 1 up, Jad Dickson def. Robert Lindbloom 3&2, Robert King def. Jack Lewis 3&2, Kevin Primerano def. Scott Baer 2&1

JUNIOR-SENIOR 8TH FLIGHT

Dean Kinney def. Kyle Jones 1 up, Fred Paris and Joe Hunter to cont. in morning

JUNIOR-SENIOR 9TH FLIGHT

John Couch def. Sascha Eiblmayr 7&6, James Figueroa and Tim Price to cont. in morning

SUPER SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP

Glenn Clark def. Lee Oltjenbruns 1 up, Gregory Miller def. David George 4&3

SUPER SENIORS 1ST FLIGHT

Doug Ward def. Chris Littleton 1 up, Evan McArthur def. Paul Reynolds 2&1

SUPER SENIORS 2ND FLIGHT

James Overmyer def. Rob Staggenborg 5&4, Charles Layton def. Art Aviles 5&4

SUPER SENIORS 3RD FLIGHT

David Bundy def. Rodney Wray 1 up, Brian Odell def. Ronald Moore 2&1

SUPER SENIORS 4TH FLIGHT

Tony Nieto def. Brent Orrico 1 up, Gary Sterton def. Ken Weist 1 up

SUPER SENIORS 5TH FLIGHT

Carl Wolfe def. Brian Schmitz 2 up, Mel Friend def. Darrell Hunt 1 up

SUPER SENIORS 6TH FLIGHT

Dave Perotti def. Doug Hartley 4&2, Gary Bates def. Michael Snyder 1 up

SUPER SENIORS 7TH FLIGHT

Ross Cooley def. Mark Pagan 6&5, Charles Furman def. Mark Fawver 1 up

LEGENDS 2ND FLIGHT

Brooks Hodapp def. Tom Hamlin 2&1, Michael Goldman def. John Maurer 2 up

LEGENDS 3RD FLIGHT

Tom Michaels def. Chuck Kenney 2 up, John Leuthold def. Larry Schmaltz 1 up

LEGENDS 4TH FLIGHT

Gary Smith def. Dwight Samuel 6&4, Dean Steeves def. Ron Dixon 4&3

LEGENDS 5TH FLIGHT

Bruce Wood def. Allen Carlson 6&5, Steven Welch def. John Ferris 4&3

LEGENDS 6TH FLIGHT

David Mansfield def. Conrad Caprez 1 up, Patrick O'Brien def. Phil Gossner 2&1

LEGENDS 7TH FLIGHT

Dick Entinger def. John Jensen 2&1, Rodger Campuzano def. James Barry 2&1

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Johanna Nealy def. Susie Hammitt 7&6, Trina Jones def. Marla Parmele 1 up, Kiana Oshiro def. Staesha Flock 1 up, Stephanie Johns def. Terry Levis 4&2

WOMEN'S 1ST FLIGHT

Natalie Kinney def. Sandy Day 2&1, Amanda Nealy def. Toni Watkins 5&4, Carolyn Turner def. Genna Mettler 1 up, Kelly Loeb def. Maureen McFaddin 1 up

WOMEN'S 2ND FLIGHT

Lindsay Crosier def. Sue Hunter 1 up, Michele Orrico def. Francie Bostwick 1 up, Melinda Heiner def. Cathay Trower 1 up, Mindy Cuttrell def. Lee Ann Loftin 2 up

WOMEN'S 3RD FLIGHT

Jan Hughes def. Dana Carrigan 2 up, Judy Brown def. Sharon Swartsley 1 up, Julia Tissen def. Colleen Holbert 1 up, Teri Mayer def. Jane Conrad 1 up

WOMEN'S 4TH FLIGHT

Tammy Harrison def. Shelley Fisher 1 up, Dana Powers-Clark def. Macy Aguirre 2&1, Rosemary Harrington def. Erica Velez 1 up, Laurel Kiichli def. Julie Schamanek 2&1

WOMEN'S 5TH FLIGHT

Dana Cody def. Suzanna Lindbloom 2 up, Leslye Reynolds def. Darla Allen 2&1, Fawn Miller def. Sue Charley 1 up, Barbara Stormo def. Terry Friend 1 up

Reach reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or dpenza@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper.