Sundowners' race comes down to wire
With just one week to go in the 13th edition of the Sundowners Golf League regular season, Rhino's FFFF remains atop the second-half standings by five points over Meiners Oaks Sash & Door, despite tallying a disappointing 47 points for the Tuesday afternoon round.

Rhino's team captain Ed Monteath has put together a formidable group for this year's version of the league's charter team by already qualifying for the Aug. 9 Callender Cup playoff, but is feeling the heat of Sam Williamson's surging Meiners Oaks Sash & Door and others seeking one of the four remaining playoff spots. M.O. Sash trails Rhino's by just five points, followed by Dr. Jay's FPs, at six back, Bopper's Thumpers and Forrest Gumps, seven behind, and the Village Idiots, which are eight points out of the second-half lead.

But it's the total season and play-off points that earn the Callender Cup, and Bopper's Thumpers, by way of a 63-point outing Tuesday, leads Rhino's 877 to 876. Above Par, which qualified in the first half with Bopper's and Rhino's, is right there with 874 total team points. From there, it's pretty much "see you next year" for both the Scramblers and Ralphie's Ropers, which each have 858 points.

Tuesday, Danny Cole led Bopper's Thumpers with a one-over-par 37 for 23 points, followed by 21 points from Jim Doyle and 19 from Jim Coultas. But their 63 points was overshadowed by Above Par, which garnered 67 points as Brian Ramsey continued his fine play with 25 individual points. Jesse Gwin and Ken Kallusky contributed 22 and 20 points, respectively.

Low rounds for the day were posted by Doyle, Scottie Davis, Terry Gustafson and Dave Tucker, each of whom shot 34. Others joining Gwin with under-par rounds were Barkley Martin and Jim Corral. Williamson, Rob Graham and Lonnie Gibson fired even-par 36s.

With one week left, Soule Park professional Tyson York, playing for the Leftovers, took the individual total points lead with 285 over Gibson's 283, while Ramsey and Bill Hatch are battling for the points-average title. Currently, Ramsey leads Hatch 19.57 to 19.38.

Mainly due to vacations, a season-low 66 of the league's 80 players teed it up for an average nine-hole score of 40.48 good for 18.52 points. Both numbers are substantially higher than the season averages of 41.73 for 17.64 points.

Unless someone shoots lights-out in the final week of the regular season Tuesday, Robin Williams' earlier round of 31 will be the low round of the year, and Ray Lara's 27 points - tying the league record previously set by Richard Sheeler and later matched by Steve Streich - will also stand.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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