The California State Open will be played July 19-22 at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta. The field of 150-plus players will consist of PGA professionals, past champions, top amateurs and those exempt based on performance.
Bear Creek, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course that opened in 1983, has hosted numerous PGA, PGA Tour and USGA events, including the 1985 Senior Skins match between Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller. It will be hosting the California State Open Championship – now its 117th year – for the first time.
Considered a PGA Tour event in the 1920s and ’30s, the California State Open has always had one of the more competitive state championship fields in the country. Expected to headline the list of professionals from the Southern California Section are three-time reigning SCPGA Player of the Year and past California State Open champion Michael Block and two-time reigning SCPGA AAA Player of the Year Kenny Pigman. Bryan Martin is the defending champion, and the list of past champions also includes Gene Littler, Jerry Barber, Jimmy Powell, Roger Maltbie, Dennis Paulson, Kirk Triplett and Jason Gore.
The tournament is 72 holes with a 36-hole cut to the low 60 competitors. For tournament and entry fee information, visit scpga.com. There is no cost for spectators to attend.
