State Amateur Golf : Almquist Eliminates Medalist Banke in Second Round

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Scott Almquist, 21, of Santa Ana pulled off a major upset when he defeated medalist Dana Banke, of Castro Valley, 3 and 1, in the second round of the 75th California Amateur Golf Championship on Thursday.

“I’m surprised as anyone because I didn’t expect to win either match,” said Almquist, a San Diego State student who defeated veteran Aly Trompas of Walnut Creek, 2 and 1, in the morning’s opening round.

“This is my first State Amateur. I had never even seen Pebble Beach before this tournament.” he said.

Almquist played “a little over par” in defeating Trompas, despite using just seven putts for the first seven holes. He closed out his afternoon match against Banke by making a three-foot birdie putt on the par-3, 209 yard 17th hole.

Almquist will meet Mike Blewett, 21, of Burlingame, in Friday’s quarterfinal round.

Blewett, who attends USC, was three-under-par for 30 holes in defeating John Pate of Solvang, 2-up, in the first round and Pat Duncan, of Rancho Santa Fe, 4 and 3, in the second round.

In the other quarterfinal match of the upper bracket, fireman Jim Myers of Oceanside, will meet Carl Wagner of Palo Alto.

Other second round winners were James Camaione of Ontario, Eric Woods of Corona Del Mar, Pat Burke of West Covina and Terry Miscall of Salinas.

Camaione downed Bobby Lasken of Whittier, 1-up, after the latter had ousted Scott May, 17, of La Habra, who was the runner-up to Banke in qualifying.