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Smith finds his ‘pocket,’ advances at SOGC By Danny Penza Updated: Sep 02, 2022 11:34 PM A A 6 View all photos For the second straight day, Cameron Smith found himself needing to dig out of an early hole if he wanted to continue to remain in contention at the Southern Oregon Golf Championships. And just like he did 24 hours earlier, Smith did just that Friday afternoon. Thanks in large part to a mid-round rally, Smith was able right the ship and eventually hold on to beat top-seeded medalist Dan Engle, 2 and 1, in the second round of the SOGC men’s championship bracket at Rogue Valley Country Club. As much as it wasn’t how he wanted to start things out, being in familiar territory proved to be a nice thing to refer back on for Smith. “The same thing happened (Thursday) where I was 2 down early,” said the 21-year-old Smith, “and I just hit a pocket through holes seven to 14 where I’m playing those holes really good. I just told myself to hang in there and let the holes come to you. “I stuck to my game plan all day and found a few putts out there and it worked for me.” Smith, the son of three-time men’s regular champion Tommy Smith, will see a familiar face in Saturday’s quarterfinal. It’s the same person with whom he lost against on the fourth playoff hole of the City Championships, Mark Wilson, who claimed a 1 up win over Max Davis in his second-round matchup. “He’s a super good guy, super fun to play with, and a really good player also,” said Smith of Wilson. “I’ll just have to stick to my game plan. I’m hitting it really good right now, so I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and I think I should get it done tomorrow.” Smith, who was born in Medford before moving to Arizona as a kid, is in the men’s championship quarterfinals for the second straight year. In 2021, he lost to eventual champion Chris Polski on the first playoff hole after being tied through 18 holes. In 2020, Smith made it to the semifinals in the men’s first flight. This time around, Smith feels pretty good where he’s at entering his second straight quarterfinal. “I’ve been hitting it really good recently,” said Smith, who now resides in Doral, Florida, “so I’m just hitting in the middle a lot and hitting good numbers.” After just five holes Friday, Smith was already looking at an early deficit, with Engle going 2 up early on at the 93rd annual match play event. Then, that “pocket” where everything locked in for Smith arrived. Smith cut into Engle’s lead with a birdie on the par-5 eighth, taking advantage of a quality drive as well as a strong chip on the green to give himself a manageable putt. As Engle made a couple of bogeys coming in, Smith pulled even. Thanks to another birdie on 11, Smith was able to go 3 up and see things out the rest of the way. “Honestly, I’ve just been trying to put myself in play and in a good spot off the tee and hit as many greens as I can,” Smith said of his round. “Dan played really good and I knew he was going to be a really good player,” he added. “I knew it was going to be tough because when he played (Thursday) he didn’t really make any mistakes. I just had to hang in there and if he made some putts, just stay tough and play my game.” Also advancing into Saturday’s men’s championship bracket quarterfinals were Polski, Jimmy White, Benjamin Purtzer, Ethan DeVore, Alex Forristal and Jon Robinson. DeVore had one of the bigger wins of the day, upsetting the No. 2 seed Danny Angelucci, 1 up. Over half of the remaining field in the men’s championship bracket are double-digit seeds — Robinson (11), Forristal (14), Smith (17) and Purtzer (21). Polski and White are former men’s champions. Just as his son did, third-seeded Tommy Smith advanced in the junior-senior men’s bracket with a 6-and-5 win over Brooks Gard. The elder Smith will face 27th-seed Blake Stouder in Saturday’s quarterfinals after the latter’s 7-and-5 win against No. 22 seed Craig Fox. In the men’s senior bracket, top-seeded Kevin Klabunde continued to grind through his ankle injury and advanced to Sunday’s semifinal with a 3-and-1 win over John Ellsworth. Also advancing in the men’s senior bracket were: Brad Bills, Mitch Weisberger and Marshall Holman. Klabunde is the lone single-digit seed still in the tournament. SOUTHERN OREGON GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS Friday MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Cameron Smith def. Dan Engle 2&1, Mark Wilson def. Max Davis 1 up, Jimmy White def. Gerry Snyder 1 up, Benjamin Purtzer def. Jordan Jenkins 1 up, Ethan DeVore def. Danny Angelucci 19th, Chris Polski def. Samuel Cox 3&2, Alex Forristal def. Michael Leonard 1 up, Jon Robinson def. Messiah Gilbert 1 up MEN’S 1ST FLIGHT Ryan Suvoy def. Matthew Cuellar 1 up, Edward Smith def. Daniel Quinn 3&2, Scott Fieber def. Tyler Marcotte 7&5, Marcus Idiart def. Travis Campoy 1 up, Patrick Corey def. TJ Wiederich 6&4, Chris Wood def. Mike Neito 19th, Cooper Clark def. Michael Sarro 2&1, Peyton Lindbloom def. Cody Stover 3&1 JUNIOR-SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP John Mansfield def. Dave Croft 1 up, Todd Couch def. Amos Baker 5&4, Scott Wise def. Erik Pederson 5&4, Brandon Crosier def. Ralph Wallis 3 up, Bryan White def. Russell Horn 1 up, Justin Wise def. Ryan Kantor 1 up, Tommy Smith def. Brooks Gard 6&5, Blake Stouder def. Craig Fox 7&5 JUNIOR-SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT Richard Owens def. Robin Blanks 7&6, Trevor Telford def. Rob Neff 3&2, David Cuttrell def. Aaron Jara 1 up, James Russell def. Jeff Barry 1 up, Chris Bevan def. Michael O’Connell 2&1, George McMichael def. Michael Vanderhoff 3&2, Justin Azevedo def. Alan Peterson 1 up, Jeff Morgan def. Frank Baracao 1 up JUNIOR-SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT Joe Arnesen def. Billy Burke 1 up, Steve Tollefson def. Ron Stranahan 19th, Adam Rezendes def. Joe Davis 4&3, Daryn Clark def. Brian Berg 1 up, William Riddle def. Curtis Wagoner 2&1, Brad Pederson def. Greg Jacobs 1 up, Darrell Flora def. Matthew Miller 1 up, Jim Retzlaff def. Keith Lallo 20th JUNIOR-SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT Benny Shapiro def. Josh Godfrey 1 up, Ed Lindblooom def. Brian Sherrill 19th, Chris Norlander def. Chad Orr 2 up, Jeremiah Paladino def. Jake Witte 2 up, Jake Rockwell def. Scott Entinger 1 up, Eric Engelbach 2&1, Scott Gephart def. Caleb Martin 7&6, Mirek Bobek def. Ken Lindbloom 3&1 JUNIOR-SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT Ian Powers def. Jason Rowan 1 up, Jason Miller def. Delfino Constanza 1 up, Chris Dufour def. Robert Lindbloom 3 up, Kevin Jones def. Jad Dickson 1 up, Rick Miller def. Robert King 2 up, Jim Corbett def. Jack Lewis 5&4, Eric Peterson def Kevin Primerano 4 up, Russ Wilson def. Scott Baer 2 up JUNIOR-SENIOR 8TH FLIGHT Dean Kinney def. Sascha Eiblmayr 2&1, Kyle Jones def. John Couch 2&1, Fred Paris def. James Figueroa 1 up, Joe Hunter def. Tim Price 1 up SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Kevin Klabunde def. John Ellsworth 3&1, Brad Bills def. Ross Brownlie 3&1, Mitch Weisberger def. Rick Dollarhide 2&1, Marshall Holman def. Todd Dixon 2&1 SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT Mike Finnell def. Dan Keck 2 up, Eric Artner def. Joel Jessel 1 up, Marty Morlan def. Craig Knips 1 up, Kevin Dixon def. John Justin 1 up SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT Alex Merkner def. Scott Moore 19th, David Card def. Gary Loeb 20th, Patrick O’Bannon def. Eric Fox 8&6, Eric Austad def. Kevin Coffey 1 up SENIOR 3RD FLIGHT Tom Pepple def. John Sellers 19th, Jeff Bright def. Steve Watkins 5&3, Brent Barr def. Eric Bruhn 3&2, John Buda def. Eric Hansen 2 up SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT Brian Adolf def. Tom Jones 1 up, Bill Cox def. Robert Bueoy 3&2, Erick Doolen def Jim Mansfield 20th, David Gadberry def. Jay Klemp 19th SENIOR 5TH FLIGHT Don Schamanek def. Paul Sanderson 1up, Lance Hunter def. David Bettencourt 1 up, Dennis Richards def. Mike Walker 1 up, Rany Rupert def. Christian Carrigan 4&1 SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT Kevin Tucker def. Tom Mayer 2&1, David Blake def. Ron Pierce 4&3, Jim Stormo def. Brain Carr 1 up, Dave Mettler def. Phillip Heiner 19th SENIOR 7TH FLIGHT Scott Sterton def. Gibb Mitchell 1 up, Dwight Shriver def. Bob Brown 5&3, John Rowan def. Britton Munoz 1 up, Greg Wojtal def. Craig Schmacker 1 up SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Glen Clark def. Gary Rafferty 2&1, Lee Oitjenbruns def. Jerry Eklund 3&2, David George def. Scott Tuttle 2&1, Gregory Miller def. Craig Vogenson 1 up SUPER SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT Chris Littleton def. Stanley Presley 1 up, Doug Ward def. Bob Dickey 2&1, Paul Reynolds def. Glenn Hartzheim 2 up, Evan McArthur def. Stewart Parmele 2&1 SUPER SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT Rob Staggenborg def. Jim Reich 1 up, James Overmyer def. Stephen Irvin 4 up, Charles Layton def. Pat Daggitt 19th, Art Aviles def. Stan Sherer 6&5 SUPER SENIOR 3RD FLIGHT David Bundy def. Kelly Brown 2&1, Rodney Wray def. James Bacigalupi 2&1, Brain Odell def. Gene Crawford 1 up, Ronald Moore def. Roger Peck 1 up SUPER SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT Tony Nieto def. Rich Mettler 19th, Brent Orrico def. Scott Mayfield 2&1, Gary Sterton def. John Dunkin 19th, Ken Weist def. Tom Powley 2&1 SUPER SENIOR 5TH FLIGHT Carl Wolfe def. Dave Shinn 1 up, Brian Schmitz def. Henry Burgoyne 4 up, Darrell Hunt def. Scott Swendiman 4&3, Mel Friend def. Dennie Conrad 1 up SUPER SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT Dave Perotti def. Darrell Flora 1 up, Doug Hartley def. George Parsons 8&7, Gary Bates def. Andrew Pace 5&3, Michael Snyder def. James Garrison (WD) SUPER SENIOR 7TH FLIGHT Mark Pagan def. Ross Rampy 2&1, Ross Cooley def. Daniel Kosmatka 6&5, Mark Fawver def. Robert Adler 5&4, Charles Furman def. Wayne Schweikl 2 up LEGENDS CHAMPIONSHIP Don Dixon def. Larry Garvin 2&1, Dodd Samuel def. John Kruesi 19th, Jim Hatton def. John Bucchino 1 up, Dick Brekke def. Karl Olsen 2&1 LEGENDS 2ND FLIGHT Tom Hamlin def. Chuck Kenney 1 up, Brooks Hodapp def. Tom Michaels 6&5, John Maurer def. John Leuthold 2 up, Michael Goldman def. Larry Schmaltz 2 up LEGENDS 4TH FLIGHT Dwight Samuel def. Allen Carlson 5&3, Gary Smith def. Bruce Wood 1 up, Dean Steeves def. Steven Welch 3&2, Ron Dixon def. John Ferris 1 up LEGENDS 6TH FLIGHT Conrad Caprez def. John Jensen 5&4, David Mansfield def. Dick Entinger 19th, Phil Gossner def. Rodger Campuzano 1 up, Patrick O’Brien def. James Barry 2&1 Reach reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneCameron Smith chips onto the green of the 3rd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneCameron Smith hits a putt on the green of the 2nd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneDan Engle tees off on the 3rd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneDan Engle hits a putt on the green of the 3rd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneDan Engle hits from the middle of the fairway of the 2nd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneCameron Smith hits from the fairway of the 3rd hole at the Rogue Valley Country Club Friday.