Coyotes’ Burke still alive at California Amateur

Cal State San Bernardino graduate Micah Burke is faring well at the 98th annual California State Amateur Golf Championship at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City.

Burke tied for 12th in a field of 156 golfers through two 18-hole rounds. He then posted a 3 and 1 win over Al Geiberger Jr. of Palm Desert in the round of 32 match play on Wednesday.
San Bernardino resident Scott Clayton, who led after the first round and qualified for match play in fifth, suffered a 1-up loss to Steve Woods of Cupertino.

Burke, a 23-year-old Los Angeles resident playing out of Empire Lakes Golf Club in Rancho Cucamonga, will face Nick Delio of Valencia in the Round of 16 on Thursday. The two will tee off at 8:10 a.m.

Burke, who earned third-team NCAA Division II All-America honors after finishing ninth in the Division II national championship tournament last month, went 2-up on Geiberger Jr., the son of former PGA tour veteran Al Geiberger Sr., in the first two holes of the match, gave a hole back at No. 3, then regained his 2-up advantage at No. 4.

The two halved the next seven holes until Geiberger Jr. birdied the par-3, 196-yard 12th hole to cut the lead in half again.

However, Burke reclaimed his 2-up advantage with a birdie three at the par-4, 376-yard 13th hole. Burke then went 3-up with an eagle three at the par-5, 496-yard 14th hole.

Burke qualified for the State Amateur Championship by shooting a 70 on May 11 at the qualifier conducted at the SCGA (Southern California Golf Association) course in Temecula to tie for seventh spot.

Clayon, a senior at UC Riverside who won the San Bernardino County Amateur last month, lost a close match later in the day. He was even with Woods until his opponent birdied a short par-4 No. 16 hole.

Both players made par at the 17th and the 18th, leaving Clayton one stroke short.

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Redlands men’s golf coach will be missed

University of Redlands men’s golf coach Art Salvesen has resigned. He had headed the program since 2000, leading the Bulldogs to seven top 10 finishes in eight tries.

His teams managed four national runner-up finishes, those coming in a five-year stretch between 2004 and 2008. The past season the Bulldogs had a key injury to their most experienced player and settled for a ninth-place finish.

It’s too bad Salvesen never got to win the big one. He was oh so close in 2008 when the Bulldogs led most of the final round only to falter on the last few holes.

Coaching golf might seem like a glamorous gig but it’s not. The pay isn’t that good and there is some travel involved. Salvesen had retired from his full-time job a couple of years ago and will likely spend much of his time now at his other home in Idaho, not far from close friend and former University of La Verne coach Rex Huigens who retired a year ago.

Butch Edge, Salvesen’s assistant the last four years, takes over the reigns and will have a tough act to follow.

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Former Cal State player earns minor league all-star honor

Former Cal State San Bernardino pitcher Cheyne Hann has been named to the West Division team that will compete in the 2009 Midwest League all-star baseball game Tuesday in Clinton, Iowa.

Hann, who signed with the Seattle Mariners after the 2008 collegiate season, is currently playing far for the Clinton Lumberkings.

In 25 relief appearances, Hann is 2-0 with a 1.64 earned run average, three saves and four holds. He has struck out 42 batters in 38.1 innings, walking only six batters. He has given up just seven earned runs. Opponents are hitting just .185 against him.

The 6-foot- 6-righthander has struck out 24 batters in his last 10 appearances with a 1.08 ERA.

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