J.R. climbs up the leader board in the final round of the SCGA Mid Amateur Championship

In 100℉ temperatures J.R. had to adjust quickly in order to navigate his way around Ironwood CC (South Course) in Palm Desert, CA during this weeks SCGA Mid Amateur Championship. A drastic change from the usual 60°F-70°F pacific ocean temperatures he is accustomed to practicing and playing in near Monterey, CA. The ball was flying farther through the air than usual and the dry and firm fairways were acting as springboards which is a drastic difference from the damp and sticky coastal California fairways. Fortunately he could draw from past experience in these types of conditions and it did not take him long to get comfortable in the desert.

The opening two rounds were contested on Monday and J.R. opened the tournament with rounds of 69, 74 (-1) which placed him T-12 heading into Tuesdays final round. He was pleased with his opening day total because he wasn't 100% healthy entering the event. The two days prior to the tournament he was experiencing tightness in his neck and was having a difficult time looking down his target line in the manner in which he is accustomed to. This caused him to put added emphasis on his intermediate target and from there he could only make 3/4 swings, hitting the ball much lower than usual. Luckily for him his neck loosened up a bit during the first round of competition and he was able to execute fairly well for most of the day.

J.R.'s opening day total of -1 paired him with SCGA legend Tim Hogarth and former SDSU teammate Mark Warman for the final round of competition. This pairing was very good for J.R. as he loves to compete along side great players because it usually brings out the best of his game and in this instance, there was no exception. He felt very calm and focused as the round began and that feeling stayed with him throughout the day. He got off to a great start, birding four of the first eight holes before carding his only blemish, a bogey on hole nine. Making the turn at three under par, he was very pleased and in great position to play a solid back nine and finish the tournament with his best score of the week.

He began the second nine of the final round just as he was hoping by making a bounce back birdie on the par-5 tenth hole, swinging the momentum back in his favor and it would continue on from there. Only missing one green in regulation, he birdied two more holes along with five pars and carded a final round 66 (-6) shooting the low round of the day for the field. This catapulted him into a T-2 finish and earned him his second runner-up in this event in as many starts. J.R. was very pleased to earn the runner-up plate considering how is body felt leading up to the event and he was very proud of the way he carried himself throughout the proceedings.

He is very grateful for the opportunity to compete at the sport he loves and he will take the experience gained from this week into his next event, US Open Local Qualifying at The Preserve Club in Carmel Valley, CA on May 16th. Wish him luck as he attempts to reach sectional qualifying at Big Canyon CC & Newport Beach CC, in Newport Beach, CA on June 5th!

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless! 

J.R. finishes 3rd in the Lompoc City Championship at La Purisima GC

Competing in his first tournament of 2017, J.R. arrived at the Lompoc City Championship at La Purisima GC optimistic and excited to get the ball rolling. He has been spending the first three and a half months of the year caddying on the Monterey Peninsula while finding time to work on his craft in between the loops. Through his practice sessions, he has been able to steadily improve his technique in all aspects of his game and he is very excited to see what he might be able to accomplish on the golf course this season.

J.R. has always had a fondness for La Purisima GC and has experienced great success around this track in the past. Claiming victory in the La Purisima Amateur, Santa Barbara County Amateur, 3-day California Players Tour event and medalist honors on two U.S. Open local qualifying occasions. Even though he was entering his first competitive rounds of 2017, he was confident that he would have a great chance of claiming victory on this golf course once again.

Over the weekend he executed fairly well overall but definitely experienced some tournament rust after four and a half months removed from competition. A few course management mistakes and a few too many putts are what kept him from hoisting the trophy on Sunday afternoon. Rounds of 74, 77 in what many would consider very difficult playing conditions, placed J.R. in 3rd place all alone at the end of proceedings. 

The tournament committee set up the course to challenge even the best of golfers. With fast and fairly firm greens, tucked pins, sticky rough and winds of 20mph +, it was highly unlikely that anyone would finish the two-day event under par. Sure enough, the eventual champion carded a total score of 148 (+4), with most of the field struggling to break 80 each round. J.R. finished the event three shots behind the lead and learned a few valuable lessons along the way. 

He learned that sticking to a game plan, especially when the conditions are far from favorable, holds great importance. He went away from his game plan on two occasions and in both instances he carded bogeys. He was also reminded that the putter is always the most important club in his bag and that it will always be the difference maker in the end. He felt that he had a below average putting performance and that if he could have willed in a few of the putts inside of ten feet that he missed, he would have won the tournament.

J.R.'s next event is the SCGA Mid Amateur Championship at Ironwood CC in Palm Desert, CA on May 1, 2. He will take his experiences from this past weekend into next week with confidence and optimism that he will be ready to fight for the title! 

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!    

Team Giacomazzi/Warthen finish T-5 in the 20th Annual Straight Down Fall Classic

Two California boys, Dino Giacomazzi and J.R. teamed up to compete in the 20th Annual Straight Down Fall Classic Invitational this past weekend at the beautiful SLO CC in San Luis Obispo, CA. A two-man 36 hole best ball event pairing scratch amateurs with professionals, of which many are members of the PGA Tour, WEB.COM Tour, Asian Tour and PGA Tour Champions. It is the most prestigious professional golf tournament held in California between Pebble Beach, CA and Los Angeles, CA and it just so happens to be held in the town where J.R. was born. Because of this fact, he was very excited to be competing in this tournament for the first time and grateful for the opportunity to entertain his friends and family.

Dino Giacomazzi is the professional who invited J.R. to be his partner in this wonderful event and the Warthen family will be forever thankful for Dino, his family and their graciousness in choosing J.R. for the job. Dino is a world ranked 25 year old ball striking phenom, standing 6'7", swinging left handed with a club head speed of over 125 mph and wonderful touch around and on the greens. His ability allows him the advantage of hitting driver over 300 yards in the air which can shorten a golf course tremendously. The boys were confident that Dino's style of play would partner perfectly to J.R.'s consistent and conservative approach to the game. They were correct in this deduction and the team proved to be a formidable duo by shooting 67, 68 (-8) and finishing the tournament in a tie for fifth place.

The boys will most likely be invited back next year as top 5 performances have historically received return invitations. They are looking to the future and realizing that their experiences this past weekend have proved that they can win this event and will likely accomplish this goal many times in the years ahead. Team Giacomazzi/Warthen are extremely thankful to their friends and family for their love, support, great wishes and energy that will always help them along the way. 

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless!   

Warthen brothers take home the crystal at the SCGA Four-Ball Championship

A par on the last was good enough for a one shot victory for the Warthen brothers in the 2016 SCGA Four-Ball Championship at La Purisima GC. Beginning the day trailing by a single stroke, the boys were in very good position to make a run for the title. Heading into the final round knowing that they were playing well, coming off of back-to-back 2-man team tournament victories, they were quietly confident in their odds of becoming the champions.

Beginning strong out of the gates with a birdie on the first while tying the lead, the boys were off and running and they never looked back. Birdies followed on 6, 7, and 9 giving them a three shot lead heading into the final nine holes, in great position to bring home the crystal. Their playing competitors birdied 11 and 12 but J.R. and Justo also birdied 12 and 13 to maintain a three shot lead with five to play. Suddenly, the lead nearly evaporated when their competitors birdied 14 and the brothers bogeyed 15, cutting the lead to one stroke with three to play.

The closing stretch at La Purisima GC is notoriously difficult and neither team was able to make a birdie on 16 or 17 which set the stage for a drama filled finishing hole. All four players striped their drives down the middle of the 18th fairway but only one player from each team was able to find the putting surface on their approach shots. The brothers were closer to the hole than their competitors who had the honor of putting first with the opportunity to make birdie and force J.R and Justo to do the same in order to become victorious.

That is where the drama came to a conclusion when their competitors failed to convert which allowed the boys a 2-putt par and their first SCGA title. This was a big win for the brothers, SCGA events are some of the best that the state of California has to offer and today's victory has most definitely cemented the name Warthen in the ranks of Southern California Amateur golf.

The boys are overjoyed by the support from their mom Merilee, dad Rickster, J.R.'s fiancé Jillian, and their awesome friend Andrew for walking around the course to cheer them on! Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com. Check back soon for the latest updates! All the Best and God Bless!

The Warthen brothers card a round of 66 (-6) in the opening round of the SCGA Four-Ball Championship

On a course that the brothers hold dear, they were able to shoot a bogey-free 66 (-6) in the opening round of the SCGA Four-Ball Championship at La Purisima GC. With the greens rolling a bit slower than the boys are accustomed to, they were unable to convert on as many birdie opportunities as they would have liked. However, today's play has left them just one shot behind the leaders and they will be paired along side them in the final group during tomorrow's final round.

Even though J.R. and Justo didn't have their best stuff today, they have played themselves into a great position for the final round. That's what happens when two players have a fantastic understanding of each other and each others golf games. The brothers were able to "ham n' egg" it very productively today, avoiding bogeys by stepping up when the other was in need. Especially on the tenth hole when J.R.'s tee shot that headed down the left edge of the fairway went missing. Justo stepped up big time making a fabulous up and down from 35 yards out of the rough to save par for the team. A pivotal moment that kept the teams positive momentum and allowed them to continue on and finish the round with a respectable score.

The brothers are very excited to be playing in the final group with the leaders tomorrow because they will know exactly where they stand as the round develops. J.R. has won more tournaments at La Purisima than any other player in the field and by the end of the day tomorrow he is planning on adding one more to the list. Both of the boys are playing very nicely at the moment and if they are able to play anywhere close to their full potential during the final round, they will be very difficult to beat. Wish them luck as they attempt to win their first SCGA event as a team or as individuals. Check back tomorrow evening for a recap of the tournament action! 

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!   

J.R. and Justo fire a final round 59 (-13) to win the 2016 Quigley Cup

Thirteen birdies and five pars for a final round 59 secured the championship for the Warthen brothers in the 2016 Quigley Cup Men's Invitational at Santa Maria CC. A match that was very competitive through the first eight holes became a "one horse race" when J.R. and Justo carded six consecutive birdies on holes 8-13. This quality stretch of golf catapulted them from two shots ahead to seven shots with five holes remaining. A margin that would only increase by the conclusion of play, earning the boys an emphatic nine shot victory.

Both of the brothers played very well during todays proceedings shooting 63 and 69 on their own cards and always stepping up for the other when in need. The main reason they are proving to be a dominant duo is because they understand each others games to the point that they are able to create a game plan that will always produce positive results. Justo plays first from the tee usually executing the aggressive option and J.R. then chooses his strategy based off of his brothers result. An approach to best-ball that is working very well for them and they are planning to continue their winning ways in two weeks time.

The next event is the SCGA Four-Ball Championship at La Purisima GC November 7, 8 where the brothers will attempt to win three consecutive starts as a team. Winning an SCGA event would be a great accomplishment for the boys and they are very excited for another opportunity to compete. Between now and November 7, they will continue to prepare their games and minds and they will be ready to execute around the beautifuly challenging La Purisima GC.

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless!      

Warthen brothers are tied for the lead after the opening round of the Quigley Cup

Neither of the boys had their best stuff in the opening round of the Quigley Cup Men's Invitational at Santa Maria CC today but that didn't stop them from shooting 64 (-8). Their barometer for a solid score in a two-man event is -10 and even though they fell short of this number they find themselves T-1 heading into the final round. Tied for the lead playing in the last group is exactly where J.R. and Justo want to be and they are very excited for the opportunity to perform.

The brothers produced a very acceptable day of ball striking which lead to five tap-in birdies but they were only able to convert on three out of twelve other birdie opportunities which is rare. The speed of the greens were a bit quicker than they appeared to the eye and the boys weren't able to adjust as well as they would have liked. If they are able to make any improvements in their putting statistics, it will prove to be a very difficult task for the competition to keep pace.

J.R. and Justo were victorious in their last event, the La Purisima Masters and they have formulated a game plan for tomorrow that (if executed) will put them in a very good position to make it back-to-back victories. They recognize where improvements could have been made out on the course and they are prepared to make the proper adjustments to obtain their goal. The boys are grateful for another opportunity to compete at the sport they love and to enjoy the blessings of life and family.

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com, check back tomorrow for the final results and a recap of the action. All The Best and God Bless!    

Warthen brothers dominate The Masters at La Purisima

A tournament that was previously 'The Marshallia Masters', has recently been adopted by La Purisima G.C. due to the closing of Marshallia Ranch G.C. This event is a unique 2-Man team contest played over three days consisting of three separate formats. Day 1 is a scramble, day 2 is best ball and with the final day aggregate format, every stroke counts. A fantastic event that usually comes down to the final nine holes before a clear champion arises. 

This years event was special because it will stand as somewhat of a rebirth in that it was the first time being held at La Purisima G.C. A true championship course known to many by its nick name of "La Piranha" due to its extreme difficulty. With a course of this quality hosting the event, there is no doubt that it will be a success for many years to come. Especially when players such as the Warthen brothers show up and post a 3-round total of 268 (-20) and cruise to a 23 shot victory.

J.R. and Justo played very solid during the opening rounds, carding 9 under in the scramble format and 11 under on day two's best ball which gave them a twelve shot lead heading into the final round. The combination of a substantial lead, the difficulty of the golf course and J.R.'s track record at this location would prove too much to handle for the rest of the field. The brothers cruised in the final day aggregate format shooting an even par 144 while increasing their lead to 23 shots in the process. Well deserved champions who will be planning to defend their title for many years to come.

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!   

J.R. cards a 74 in U.S. Mid Amateur Championship qualifying

His "heart wasn't in it" Monday morning during U.S. Mid Amateur Championship qualifying at Silver Creek Valley C.C. in San Jose, CA. J.R. carded his highest score in relation to par in the past 14 tournament rounds and he attributes it all to a "lack of motivation." Knowing that he could not afford to miss work and pay for travel expenses to Pennsylvania for eight days, he subconsciously made sure that he didn't qualify.

Life provides an amazing opportunity to learn and grow everyday. On this day, J.R. gained very important knowledge through an unfamiliar experience. He cannot recall a time in the past during tournament golf when he had a feeling similar to the one he had Monday. He did not feel any passion driving him to perform to the best of his ability in the moment. He felt bored, lazy and found himself looking to the future, manifesting a non qualifying score.

The good thing is that it is all good! He wasn't meant to qualify for this event and all of the feelings he experienced on this day will only guide him closer to God. He will be more prepared to make better decisions when deciding which events to enter. Moving forward, J.R. will only compete when he is absolutely in full belief that his sole priority is to dominate the competition. This will be his only goal when playing tournament golf in the future, regardless of monetary circumstance. If he is teeing it up he will be playing with passion, walking ahead with the purpose to win!  

His next event has not been scheduled yet but you can expect him to tee it up again in 3-4 weeks! 

Thank you very much for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!

Rounds of 69, 70 (-3) place J.R. as 1st Alternate in U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifying

J.R. narrowly misses out on a qualifying spot into the U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills C.C. in Bloomfield Hills, MI. He shot rounds of 69, 70 (-3) and placed 4th with only 3 spots available, which left him as 1st alternate. His tee to green statistics were a little below average but he managed his game well and he is steadily building confidence with each tournament round.

La Cumbre C.C. in Santa Barbara, CA is always a beautiful site for U.S. AM qualifying and J.R. was very excited to get started at this wonderful venue. Knowing that the field would be playing 36 holes, he was prepared for a lengthy, discipled and patient day of golf. In his previous event, the Southern California Amateur Championship, the field played 36 holes on the first day which turned out to be a great 'warm-up'.

J.R. began the day well, hitting driver down the middle of the par-5 10th fairway, a five-iron to the middle of the green and two putted for birdie. He felt some nerves on the first tee but the nerves have now shifted from 'fearful' to 'free' and it is evident in his style of play. He is beginning to execute the par-5 holes much more efficiently, 2 putting for birdie on four occasions and playing them in a combined 5-under par. This is a good sign of improvement in ball striking and increased confidence in his decision making.

The remainder of the course got the best of J.R. as he was only able to make three other birdies against five bogeys leaving him with the 36 hole total of 139 (-3). The opportunities were there as he failed to convert on more than ten opportunities for birdie or to save par inside of 15ft from the hole. He considers his putting to be one of the strongest elements of his game but he carded 31 putts in each round and this was the true difference maker in the end.

His next event is U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship qualifying on August 8th at Silver Creek Valley C.C. in San Jose, CA. Between now and then, he will be training to improve all aspects of his game with a majority of his attention focused on short game, putting and flexibility. Wish him luck as he continues to compete and pursue his golfing dreams!

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless!  

J.R. fires a final round 66 (-6) in the Southern California Amateur Championship and sneaks into the top 10

After Saturdays round of very good execution from tee to green, J.R. knew that if he did the same thing on Sunday the putts were bound to start dropping. He was correct in that assumption, making 7 birdies in the final round against one bogey, carding a score of 66 (-6) and a 9th place finish (-7 overall).

This top 10 finish has provided J.R. with an exemption into next years Southern California Amateur, the California Amateur, the Southern California Mid-Amateur and a few other big events. He is very pleased with the patience and resilience he showed over the weekend. Steadily improving and calmly implementing what he learned from the opening day and first two rounds of the event. His ball striking improved dramatically and he is very excited about what that will mean moving forward into the upcoming USGA qualifiers.

J.R.'s next event is the U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier at La Cumbre C.C. in Santa Barbara, CA on Monday July 18th. This event is a 36 hole qualifier where the top 4 or 5 players will qualify for the championship proper August 15-21 at Oakland Hills C.C. in Boomfield Hills, Michigan. The winner and runner-up of the U.S. Amateur receive exemptions into next years Masters Tournament, an opportunity of a lifetime to say the least.

He will be working diligently at his craft as always over the next 6 days in preparation for the July 18th qualifier. His ball striking is solid, his short game is pure, his mental approach is calculated and he is very optimistic about his ability to see continued success on the golf course in the near future. Wish him luck as he continues to progress and attempts to take his game to the national stage!

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com check back next week for the U.S. Amateur Championship qualifying results. All The Best and God Bless!

J.R. cards a score of 71 (-1) in the third round of the Southern California Amateur Championship

J.R. went into the third round of the Southern California Amateur Championship with the goal of striking the ball more efficiently. He achieved this goal and had the most solid ball striking round he has had since returning to competition in May. He was very pleased with the fluidity and freedom of his golf swing, executing with precision and supplying himself with great birdie opportunities throughout the round. Unfortunately, his putter stayed cool and he was only able to make three birdies against two bogeys and carded a round of 71 (-1). Fortunately, his round of one under par moved him up two spots on the leaderboard and he currently sits all alone in 17th. 

With one round remaining, J.R. is four shots outside of the top ten which is a very realistic mark to try and achieve heading into the final round. A top ten in this event will give him an exemption into next years tournament along with many other events. He has placed in the top ten in the past and is anticipating that it will take a round of -6 or -7 tomorrow to get the job done. If he is able to continue to strike the ball like he did today he will be in great position to make a few putts and post a wonderful score.

This is J.R.'s fourth tournament since returning to competition and he believes that this will prove to be a pivotal week in his resurgence as a competitor. Leading up to this point he has finished in the top 2 in his three previous showings but he wasn't completely pleased with the way he has been swinging the golf club. Today that all changed...He found his swing!

Moving forward, he is very optimistic about the future and his ability to consistently implement what he has learned. As soon as his putter heats up he will be posting very good scores on a much more regular basis. Wish him luck for tomorrow's final round as he attempts to finish in the top ten in his first start in this event in a decade!

J.R. tees off at 7:50 am tomorrow and you can follow the scoring live here: scga.org/amateur

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless!     

J.R. shoots rounds of 71, 73 on the opening day of the SCGA Amateur Championship

Teeing it up in the Southern California Amateur Championship for the first time in ten years, J.R. was very excited to get things started this morning. He was prepared for a long day of 36 holes which would require his ultimate patience to stay focused and execute for 11 hours of golf. He was able to accomplish this for the most part hitting 16 out of 18 greens in regulation during his first round. Unfortunately, the putts did not find the bottom of the hole as quickly as he would have liked and he opened the tournament with a round of 71 (-1).

Not a terrible start, a quick 20min lunch and he was back on the course for round two. Making two birdies in his first five holes of the second round he was right on track to move his way up towards the top of the leaderboard. He was derailed a bit after missing a very good birdie opportunity on the par-5 sixth hole and then a bogey on the eighth hole. Turning in one under par he was still in good position to finish the day strong. However, two late bogeys on the back nine left him with a round of 73 (+1) and a two round total of 144.

J.R. is heading into the weekend T-19, eight shots behind the leaders and five shots outside of the top-10. His goal for tomorrow is to swing the club more aggressively, score better on the par-5's and to stay very patient on the greens. He is anticipating that his best golf will reveal itself over the next two days and he is looking forward to the challenge that awaits. His tee time is 7:30 am tomorrow and he will be teeing off on hole 1. You can follow the Southern California Amateur Championship live at: saga.org/amateur

Thank you very much for visiting jrwarthen.com All The Best and God Bless!

J.R. finishes 2nd in the Santa Maria Valley Amateur Championship

Rounds of 70, 70 = 140 (-4) total, placed J.R. into a playoff for the Santa Maria Valley Amateur Championship where eventually finished 2nd. Beginning the day at -2, one shot behind the leader and playing in the final group, his goal was to get to -6 and proceed from there. After a front nine of -2 he was in perfect position to reach his goal but a back nine of even par and a round of 70 (-2,) put him in a playoff for the championship.

The playoff went three holes and J.R. lost to two consecutive birdies on the second and third playoff holes. Two solid pars on the opening hole at Rancho Maria G.C. and two solid birdies on the par five second, brought the players two the 170 yard par 3 third hole. His competitor played first and hit a quality shot to 6 feet below the hole and J.R. hit his shot to 20 feet just past pin high. He was unable to convert his 20 foot birdie putt and lost the playoff to a birdie.

The course was in good condition with fast greens and tricky pins and the tournament committee did a fantastic job throughout the weekend. J.R. was pleased to have had an opportunity to win the event and he is also pleased to have 2 more rounds of tournament experience to gain knowledge from. His next event is the Southern California Amateur Championship at Barona Creek G.C. in Lakeside, CA on July 8, 9, 10. Wish him luck as he attempts to win an event in which he has finished in the top 10 on two out of his four appearances.

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!       

J.R. shoots 70 (-2) in the opening round of the Santa Maria Valley Amateur Championship

The first round of the Santa Maria Valley Amateur Championship at Rancho Maria G.C. is complete. J.R. carded a score of 70 (-2) which places him in second place, one shot behind the lead. He will be playing along side the leader tomorrow in the final group of the day, in great position to make a run for the championship trophy. 

Todays round was fairly uneventful for J.R., making 13 pars, 2 bogeys, 2 birdies and an eagle. He ended up with 32 putts for the day which was a few more than he was looking for and that was the difference between holding the lead and sitting in second place. Fortunately there is one round left to be played and he has a great opportunity to make a few more putts and post a score that will be tough to beat.

The course conditions were fairly difficult today with 8-12 mph of wind, tucked pin positions and fast greens. Tomorrow the course will be playing similar and it will take a very patient and disciplined player to shoot better than 68. J.R believes that if he can get to -7 for the tournament that will put him in a very strong position to claim the title.

Wish him luck as he attempts to win back to back events and earn 2 victories out of his first 3 events since returning to tournament golf! Check back in tomorrow afternoon for the final results and a recap of the days action. 

Thank you for visiting jrwarthen.com All the Best and God Bless!  

J.R. successfully qualifies for the 117th SCGA Amateur Championship!

Today at Rustic Canyon G.C. in Moorpark, CA, J.R. carded a 69 (-3) and earned a spot into the 117th SCGA Amateur Championship. This years event will be held at Barona Creek G.C. in Lakeside, CA which is the home course for San Diego State University where J.R. competed for two years. During that time he was the low scorer for his team on both occasions in which they hosted their NCAA Division I team championship at this golf course. He is very excited to return to this venue on July 8-10, 2016 in hopes of rekindling some of that magic and making a run at becoming the SCGA Amateur champion.

Todays qualifying round at Rustic Canyon was particularly interesting because the greens had recently been punched/aerated, thus the putting surfaces were particularly bumpy. An extra amount of patience was absolutely required in order to get the ball into the hole in two putts or less. Luckily for J.R. patience and discipline are the two key components of his game in which he relies on. Judging the speed of the greens very nicely throughout the day, avoiding any three putts and converting four birdies along the way proved to be enough to claim the 2nd qualifying spot.

J.R. has been having a blast back in competition enjoying performing at the game that he loves so dearly. Experiencing immediate success by winning last weeks Paso Robles City Amateur Championship and now qualifying for the SCGA Amateur has reminded him that this is where he belongs. He is prepared to endure all that comes with the pursuit of becoming the greatest golfer he can be and he believes whole heartedly that it is God's will for him to do so.

He has the next two weeks off from competition and will return at the Santa Maria Valley Amateur Championship at Rancho Maria G.C. on June 25, 26. Wish him luck as he attempts to win back to back events and continue his quest for greatness.

Thank you very much for visiting jrwarthen.com. All the best and God bless! 

J.R. fires a final round 65 (-7) to win the Paso Robles City Amateur Championship

On a day where everything seemed to go his way, J.R. carded a bogey free final round 65 (-7) to win the Paso Robles City Amateur Championship. The air temperature was in the 90's for the second consecutive day and the wind speeds were similar as well, thus his game plan remained the same. However, today the ball just happened to find the hole a bit sooner.

J.R. hit 15 greens in regulation today, needing only 26 putts to produce his score of 65 while hitting all fourteen fairways in the process. Needless to say, he cleaned up his game quite a bit for the final round and it ended up producing a very good score. The overnight leader at -4 followed up his score of 68 with a round of 70 (-2), giving J.R. a three shot victory over the field.

He was trailing the leader by one shot with four holes to play when he rolled in an approximately eighty foot eagle putt on hole 15 and then birdied holes 17 & 18 to seal the deal. J.R. was admittedly nervous over every shot coming down the stretch but he trusted in the gifts God has given him and remained surrendered, willing to accept any outcome. This formula worked well for him as he used only three putts over the final four holes and played them in four under par.

J.R. is blessed to have had the opportunity to compete and to have accomplished his goal of winning the golf tournament this weekend. He is also very blessed and grateful to have had his father Rick there on Saturday and his mother Merilee there on Sunday to support him throughout. Along with his brother Justo who also competed in the event and created a very respectable 6th place finish, birding four consecutive holes on the back nine. 

J.R. will be teeing it up again very soon in the SCGA Amateur Championship sectional qualifying at Rustic Canyon G.C. in Moorpark, CA on June, 9th. Wish him luck as he attempts to qualify for the event which is being held at Barona Creek G.C. in Lakeside, CA which was his home course when he competed for San Diego State University.

Thank you very much for visiting jrwarthen.com! All the best and God Bless!

J.R. cards a score of 70 (-2) in the opening round of the Paso Robles City Amateur Championship

On a warm and breezy day at Hunter Ranch G.C. in the beautiful grape vine surrounded town of Paso Robles, CA, J.R. carded a score of 70 (-2) in the opening round of the Paso Robles City Amateur Championship. With temperatures in the mid 90's and a steady breeze of 10mph+ the playing conditions proved to create a challenging day of golf.

With the lowest score posted for the day being a 68 (-4) and the majority of scores coming in at 78 or higher, the course seemed to have the upper hand on most of the field. The tournament committee made sure of this by choosing to cut the cups in positions that were very difficult to get the ball close to the pin. However, the quality of the putting surfaces were near perfect and there weren't any excuses for missing putts inside of six feet. In combination with pure fairways, mid length rough and fairly receptive greens, a low score was definitely attainable.

J.R. was in position to card a low round today but the putts didn't fall on the front nine and a few avoidable bogeys found their way onto the score card as well. He played very nicely for most of the round, missing the ball in the proper spots and making a few key saves along the way. His putter heated up a bit on the back nine, sinking two consecutive putts of over 20 feet on holes 12 and 13. He also hit the ball close on several occasions for birdie which helped to hold the round together and finish the day under par.

He tees off at 10:30 tomorrow morning in the second to last group, only two shots behind the leader. He is in a very good position to make a run for the championship trophy and to get his reintroduction into tournament golf off to a great start. The weather conditions are forecasted to be similar to today's so he will definitely know what to expect and what needs to be done to get the win.

Wish him luck as he attempts to claim victory and become the Paso Robles City Amateur Champion for the second time in his career. Check back tomorrow evening for the recap of second round action and the final tournament results!

All the best and God bless! 

J.R. finishes T-2 in the SLO County Amateur Championship

With steady winds of 10-20 mph and gusts of 25+ whipping across Dairy Creek G.C., the players had their hands full from the first tee on. It was a difficult day for scoring and most players went backwards in round two of the SLO County Amateur Championship. J.R. knew that if he could get off to a good start and shoot a few under on the front nine, he would have a good chance to catch the leader. 

Unfortunately, he bogeyed two of his first three holes, dropping to +2 early on and making victory a tough task to complete. He remained calm, never doubting his ability to bounce back and that he did. He was able to shoot -1 over the remaining fifteen holes in very difficult conditions, finishing the two day tournament with rounds of 72 (E), 72 (+1) and a total of 144.

Even though J.R. did not accomplish his goal of winning the tournament, everything went as good as it possibly could have. He is back in competition and feeling blessed as can be to have the opportunity to express himself through his athletic talents for the first time in over 32 months. Throughout both rounds he did a very good job of staying in the moment and focusing his energy on the immediate task at hand. His execution wasn't always up to his standards but for the most part, his thought processes and decision making abilities were exactly where they should be.

His next event will be the Paso Robles City Amateur Championship on June 4, 5 at Hunter Ranch G.C. in Paso Robles, CA. J.R. has won this tournament in the past and knows exactly what it will take to achieve victory once again. Between now and then he will be caddying at Pebble Beach and consistently working to improve his game, physique and mind.

Thank you very much for taking the time to visit jrwarthen.com, all the best and God Bless!!   

J.R. shoots Even Par 72 in the opening round of the SLO County Amateur Championship at Chalk Mountain G.C.

In steady 10-15 mph winds with gusts of 20+, J.R. cards a round of Even Par 72 to open the SLO County Amateur Championship at Chalk Mountain G.C. He finds himself four shots back from the leader but still within striking distance. His short game was a bit rusty in round one, only getting the ball up and down on two out of eight occasions. He is usually very tidy around the greens and that was the difference between having the lead and being four shots back. 

He will be spending this afternoon at Dairy Creek G.C. working on his short shots, gaining a feel for the different grasses and course conditions from todays layout. The forecast for tomorrow is showing 10-20 mph winds in the San Luis Obispo area and Dairy Creek G.C. will most definitely be playing more difficult than Chalk Mountain G.C. played today. He is very optimistic about his chances of earning a victory tomorrow afternoon. J.R. enjoys playing in difficult conditions and if he can get off to a good start and put some pressure on the leaders early, anything can happen!

Wish him luck as he attempts to win his first tournament start in 32 months! Thank you very much for taking the time to visit jrwarthen.com. Check back tomorrow afternoon for the final results and a recap of the days action.

All the best and God Bless!!